On paper, the opening stage of the TPC in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, also known as the Tour Poitou-Charentes, was bound to favor the sprinters. In practice, it was indeed the fast men who took center stage in Dompierre-sur-Mer after 191 kilometers. Paul Penhoët then carried the hopes of the Groupama-FDJ United cycling team, with only Milan Fretin managing to beat him to the finish line. Another mass sprint is expected on Wednesday in Lezay.
Before the time-trial specialists take the spotlight on Thursday, during the individual time trial that is always decisive on the “TPC,” the sprinters had their shot on Tuesday for the opening stage of the French race. A bunch sprint seemed the only realistic outcome, particularly as a breakaway of just five riders formed early in the race. “It wasn’t a dangerous breakaway, so we didn’t take control from the start,” explained William Green. “Later on, though, there was a possibility that the other teams would stop riding into the headwind if they weren’t getting any help, so we eventually joined the chase. We tried to adapt as well as possible to deliver the best performance we could. We have a very strong team here, both for the general classification and for the sprint, and we were highly motivated today. The goal was to back Paul in the final, as it suited him well.” The breakaway never gained more than a three-minute advantage, and Groupama-FDJ United took on its responsibilities through Johan Jacobs. “Since we started riding fairly late, Johan felt capable of pulling at the front of the peloton and doing his job in the final,” William added. “He was a key teammate today.”
“There wasn’t much we could do” – William Green
The Swiss rider’s work, combined with that of the other sprint teams, enabled the peloton to catch the breakaway just after the first passage across the finish line, with about 15 kilometres to go. “We knew the circuit would be quite technical,” William explained. “There was quite a lot of road furniture, some wind and narrow roads, so we took control for the whole last lap. Even before crossing the finish line for the first time, we moved to the front with confidence and really gave it everything in the final.” Then, thanks in particular to the work of Blake Agnoletto, Cyril Barthe and Matteo Milan in the closing kilometers, the Groupama-FDJ United lead-out train remained at the front to put Paul Penhoët in the best possible position. “The initial plan was for Matteo to launch Paul,” William explained. “Coming into the final 500 metres, Matteo was at the front, but there was a bit of a headwind, so Paul decided to move back into fourth position and launch his effort from behind. Fretin went just after that, around 350 meters from the finish, and caught Paul somewhat by surprise. But, to be honest, there wasn’t much we could do. Paulo was beaten by a faster rider on the day. There are no regrets, and we are very pleased with the team’s performance.” The French sprinter therefore had to settle for second place, while the rest of his teammates were awarded the same finishing time following a crash in the final.
On Wednesday, a second round between the sprinters is expected in Lezay, after 200 kilometers.
