Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) won the bunch sprint in the morning and Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) won the afternoon time trial in the Tour du Poitou-Charentes.

 

We have gathered a few reactions.

 

Nacer Bouhanni: I won more with mental than physical strength

Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) talked to Directvelo after his stage win.

 

"I did not know how I would recover from my crash. I had a very bad night. I'm still very damaged, I have many bruises all over the body, but I have nothing broken and that's the main thing. But mentally, I knew I was able to win again after my victory on the first stage. Yesterday I was disappointed to crash, especially as I had produced my effort 100m from the line, and I was gone. I was hit from the back and I was not been able to stay upright. Hutarovich had to touch Van Asbroeck, he swerved and I ended up in the barriers. I hope it will go well for Hutarovich because I have been told that he hurt himself. I was lucky to get away with this type of injury because, again, I was in the barriers, and my helmet was completely broken. Finally, it remains superficial injuries. The important thing is to not be too affected and have found the path to victory.

 

"I went for the win with more mental than physical stregth because I'm injured, I have many wounds. Yesterday (Wednesday) evening, I went to the hospital, I was massaged late, I had dinner at 22.00. The night was difficult, short, and I had to get up early.”

Sylvain Chavanel: I am pleased with the big gaps I made

Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) told Directvelo.

 

"I had seen the course. I knew it could suit me. It was a course and distance which I appreciate. I was still apprehensive about the heat. We must not forget that I come from the Artic Race in Norway, and the temperature difference is very important. It was 40°C. It is not easy for the body.

 

“There are no surprises in the result. The first 10 are specialists. Nelson Oliveira made ​​a big result at the Olympics. Beyond the fact of winning, I'm especially happy with the gaps that I made. In order to win the general classification of the Tour du Poitou-Charentes, it is known to that you have be very strong in the time trial. The last time I won here was also that way. I suffered on the first stage, then the shape has been very good since then.

 

“Tomorrow it could be tricky with this little bump in the final, but it should be for the sprinters. I know tomorrow's stage by heart, but every year it is the same circuit and all riders are as familiar with the course as me. After Poitou-Charentes, I also hope to do a good Grand Prix Plouay on Sunday with the shape of the moment.

 

Sports director Jimmy Engoulvent told L’Equipe. 

 

“Physically he is so strong. He was well prepared, this TT has been his goal since the end of the Tour de France.”
 

Tom Van Asbroeck crashes, Wilco Kelderman misses out in hot time trial

Tom Van Asbroeck crashed in the morning stage on the third day of the Tour du Poitou Charentes today. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s sprinter lost his lead in the general classification, and Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) won the stage and took the lead for a few hours. In the afternoon, Wilco Kelderman finished second to Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie), who took over the leader’s jersey.

 

 “It was a long day with two stages,” Sports Director Frans Maassen said. “It was one with ups and downs. Tom’s crash was a pity because he would have finished very strongly again, otherwise. Some riders took the final turn sharply and that’s why Tom crashed. Dennis van Winden finished fifth and Sep Vanmarcke ninth, so says a lot about our lead-out train.

 

 “Twan Castelijns had to abandon the race in the morning stage. I’m not a doctor, but it seemed like a sunstroke. It’s extremely hot and Twan looked like he had a fever because of it.”

 

 The team’s time trial specialists took the morning stage easy.

 

“I thought that the one who was able to beat Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) would win the time trial,” continued Maassen. “Wilco Kelderman beat him, but didn’t win. Sylvain Chavanel deserved it, though. He won with a big difference. Wilco, Primoz Roglic and Sep Vanmarcke finished second, fourth and tenth. Those are good results, but I was confident about our chances at winning this one.”

 

 Kelderman was satisfied about his time trial.

 

“It’s a pity that the winner was so much faster, but I have to deal with it. I was aiming for the win. It was extremely hot today and that made it much harder. Riding with a time trial helmet and shoe socks smothers you. 

 

 “It went quite well, but I’m not considering myself as a possible overall winner anymore. We’re going to fight for the stage win tomorrow.”

 

No glory for Oliveira and Dowsett in Poitou-Charentes

It was also a close call for the Movistar Team on their second front of the day, the Tour du Poitou-Charentes, whose decisive 23km individual time trial was covered this afternoon as final sector of a packed 3rd day of racing in Châtellerault. Local hero Sylvain Chavanel (DEN) completed a sensational effort, closing in on 52kph average, to beat Wilco Kelderman (TLJ) and Nelson Oliveira by 30 seconds.

 

The Portuguese specialist completed another remarkable performance on a day when three other Movistar Team members finished with the top 15, Dowsett, Moreno and Arcas. The French event ends Friday with a difficult circuit in Poitiers (171km), where Oliveira will try to conserve his third spot overall.

 

Gianni Moscon confirms his great form in Poitou-Charentes

Gianni Moscon time trialled his way into fifth place overall on a split day at the Tour du Poitou-Charentes.

 

The Italian set a strong time of 27 minutes 42 seconds on the afternoon's 23 kilometre course but he was no match for TT specialist Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie), who took the stage win with an impressive time of 26'51", 30 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo).

 

Ben Swift came home a solid eighth in Châtellerault, setting a time of 27'53", while Andy Fenn, Luke Rowe, Xabier Zandio, Sebastian Henao and Phil Deignan all navigated the course safely.

 

Earlier in the day Fenn had continued his consistent sprint form in the morning's 95km short stage, coming home fourth behind winner Nacer Bouhanni, who bounced back from a nasty crash on day two to win his second stage of the race and move back into the race lead.

 

Heading into the final stage Moscon sits fifth overall, 51 seconds back on Chavanel, but just 21 seconds off the podium placings. Swift is eighth overall, 1'02" off the lead.

 

Gianni Moscon told Directvelo:

 

"I did a good time. I might have been able to get a better result, but it's still ok, especially as I had not done a TT for a while. It was a good test against the strong field. The TT was special, very technical and fast. The final was all downhill. It was necessary to be cautious and good control the bike.

 

“Sylvain Chavanel was very fast, he did ​​a big time trial. The difference is important in the GC. I do not think it will change again. We have a strong team here and we will try to win the last stage, that's the idea. Ben Swift is very fast and in great shape. We will try to win.”

 

Solid performance by Søren Kragh Andersen in Poitou-Charentes TT

In the morning, Sam Oomen was Team Giant-Alpecin’s best placed rider in 25th.

 

Coach Hans Timmermans said after the race: “It was a controlled race by Lotto-Jumbo. The guys did a good job to bring Søren into the last corner in a good position but just in front of him was a crash and then the first 10 riders were gone.”

 

With only a few hours of recovery time between the two stages, the first riders got underway at 15:00 to complete the rolling course out of the town of Chatellerault.  Søren Kragh Andersen started in the latter half of the field, and for some time he was in the hot seat at the top of the leader board. To keep his place in the top ten by the time all riders had completed the course is a good achievement from the Dane, and moves him into ninth on GC. Sam Oomen, the recent winner of the Tour de l’Ain, placed 13th and the pair will look ahead to a tough road stage tomorrow to try and improve their GC position.

 

Coach Hans Timmermans said after the stage: “Søren in the top ten is a good result, and I think also Sam is in top 15. To have two young riders there that says a lot! Tomorrow is still a hard stage so you never know what can happen.”