A few days after winning the mountains jersey at the Tour de Wallonie, Baptiste Planckaert (Wallonie) continued his breakthrough season by taking his second Coupe de France victory in the tough La Polynormande. The Belgian emerged as the fastest in the uphill sprint where he held off Ryan Anderson (Direct Energie) and Julien Duval (Armee) while Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2r) finished fourth and so retained the overall lead in the French series.

We have gathered a few reactions.

Baptiste Planckaert: These Coupe de France races really suit me

"The team did a perfect race,” Bapitste Planckaert said. “Tom Dernies was in the early break as had been agreed at the briefing. So we did not have to work in the bunch. La Polynormande was a major goal for me after the Tour de Wallonie. I know I'm in great shape and the team shows me full confidence. 

“My main concern was to not make the mistake of 2015 when I missed the breakaway and had to settle for 7th place. After two thirds of the race, I realized that the victory would be decided in a bunch sprint. 

“Julien Stassen was my first lead-out man up to the 500 meters mark, Kevyn Ista took over until 250 meters were left and he shouted 'go go go'. I gave everything and I did not see anyone in my wheel when I looked backward between my legs. My victory was quite easy on the false flat. It is truly a collective success. 

“La Polynormande was, in my opinion, the most important race to win in the final rounds of the Coupe de France because the races in Fourmies, Isbergues and the Tour de Vendée have finished that suit me better. I think I can still go for the victory in these races so the final classification becomes, inevitably, a goal.”

"We wanted to have a rider in the break so as not to have to work behind,” he told Directvelo. “That's what we managed to do with the presence of Tom Dernies in the front. I had a good team around me. Stassen and Ista were still by my side in the final. I was in an ideal situation. The finish on a false flat suited me well. Everything went perfectly.

”The course was not easy but there was headwind which suggested that we were going to have a bunch sprint. Behind the different breakaways, Cofidis controlled it well.

”The races of the Coupe de France suit me. I have won two (after the Tour du Finistère, ed). My season is already successful. I will now compete in races in Belgium. Each event is a goal. I want to do well until the end of season.”
 

Ryan Anderson shows Vuelta condition with second place at La Polynormande

"I'm obviously a little disappointed to finish in this position,” Ryan Anderson (Direct Energie) told Directvelo after his second place. “But I'm satisfied with my condition on the bike, I was good all day. I had put myself in Bouhanniøs wheel for the sprint. I think he was dropped in the end, I had to close the gap when he was distanced and so I launched my sprint from afar. It's still a good result. I climbed pretty well, and I am confident for the next races. I will participate in the Arctic Race of Norway and I will do the Vuelta.”
 

In-form Armee rider on the podium at La Polynormande

Julien Duval (Armee) was 3rd.

"I'm satisfied,” he told Directvelo. “I felt good in the Tour de Wallonie. I was protected on two stages but unfortunately I did not have much luck with punctures and my bad position.

“Today the goal was to try to go for both the individual and team rankings. There were three protected riders: Yann Guyot, Alexis Bodiot and me. We understood immediately AG2R La Mondiale would control the the race, and that Cofidis would ride in the finale if Nacer (Bouhanni) felt good. Two laps from the finish, it was obvious that it was going to end in a sprint. I felt good, I remained vigilant until the end.”

Samuel Dumoulin: This is a big disappointment

Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) was 4th and is still the leader of the Coupe de France PMU.

"I hoped to win today,” he told Directvelo. “I was serious this week in training. It's a big disappointment. I id not do something good for the Coupe de France. I was hoping to increase my lead in this race.

”The AG2R La Mondiale teammates have done a big job. There was a great Alexis Gougeard in the final. The Wallonie-Brussels team was well organized. I did not have the legs to match Planckaert.

“We had a great day anyway. We stay in contention for the Coupe de France with the 4th place. Baptiste can do well in the next rounds. This will be an interesting fight until the end. In any case, both of us will score many points.”
 

No success for aggressive FDJ team at La Polynormande

It's not for lack of trying! The FDJ team was very aggressive in La Polynormande. However, nothing could prevent a sprint. Lorrenzo Manzin took eleventh place.

After a first attack of Olivier Le Gac, Johan Le Bon was in a breakaway of five riders.

"We are all a bit disappointed with the scenario,” said sports director Martial Gayant. “There was the breakaway of 5 with Johan which took 3.20 of advantage but was controlled by the AG2R-La Mondiale team for Samuel Dumoulin, the leader of the Coupe de France.

”The Fortuneo Vital Concept team relaunched the race with Delaplace and Hivert who joined the leaders but AG2R-La Mondiale again rode hard to bring it back together.

Yohan Offredo and then Marc Fournier and Martin (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) attacked, the latter two getting away together, but Cofidis who believed in the chances of Bouhanni caught them. There there was no chance to attack.

“Laurent Pichon tried in ​​the last kilometer but he couldn’t get away and seeing the result of the sprint, he has regrets. He could probably have had a result. Lorrenzo Manzin finished 11th.. He told me that he did not go too hard after the Tour de Pologne as he wants to prepare for the Tour de l'Ain and the Tour of Spain.”