35th Trophée des Grimpeurs
French darling Thomas Voeckler takes the spoils whilst Geslin and Jalabert complete the podium in Argenteuil

By Giles Belbin

Over 100 riders departed Bezons in the Val d'Oise region of northern France on Sunday to contest the 35th edition of the Trophée des Grimpeurs. All of the top French teams were present including Cofidis, AG2R, Le Française de Jeux and Bbox Bouygues Telecom. Household names competing included Christophe Moreau, Nicolas Jalabert and Thomas Voeckler.

The peloton left in mild temperatures and under cloudy skies shortly before 14:30 local time. The route, a total distance of 133.9 kilometres, would see an initial 6 kilometre ride from the start line to the beginning of a new 7.5 kilometre circuit, of which they would complete 17 laps. The main feature of the circuit was the 1.25 kilometre ascent of the Côte Vobsenterre, boasting a maximum 13% gradient.

A twitchy peloton was stretched as they entered the circuit for the first time and a flurry of attacks tried to get away, including perennial French favourite Christophe Moreau. Moreau however was quickly brought back and little more would be heard from him today.

The most successful of the early attacks would prove to be that of Bbox Bouygues Telecom rider Cyril Gautier who attacked on the second ascent of the Vobsenterre before being joined by a group of around 15 riders, including several team mates.

As the race progressed there were a series of attacks and little groups kept forming off the front only for them to be caught again. The peloton was being controlled by Bbox Bouygues Telecom and Colombia es Pasion Coldeportes who both worked to keep the breakaway at a manageable 15 to 20 second gap.

With every passing circuit the peloton exploded and lost riders. Colombia es Pasion Coldeportes worked particularly hard in support of their leader Fabio Duarte and ultimately were to pay the price with some members of the team forced to withdraw on the 7th ascent of the Vobsenterre climb.

With 75 kilometres to go Morgan Chedhomme of Auber 93 and Julien El Farès of Cofidis managed to take a few seconds out of the leading group and opened up a slender lead; a lead they would hold onto for over 20 kilometres. Their ranks were then bolstered by the arrival of Dimitri Champion, Nicolas Jalabert, Samuel Dumoulin, Sebastian Minard, Noan Lelarge and Daniele Colli.

With 50 kilometres to go Bbox Bouygues Telecom moved to the front of the peloton and increased the pace, looking to bridge the gap to the leaders. With 45 kilometres to go, and the gap bridged, the leading group comprised over 20 riders and the feeling was growing that this could well be the decisive selection. This would prove to be the case as the gap over the peloton increased, first to 45 seconds and then to over a minute.

With a little under 30 kilometres and four laps of the circuit to go, Cyril Gautier, the rider who first attacked so early on in the race, incredibly still feeling he had good legs, attacked once more, building a slender lead over the leading group and looking to set up an attack for team mate Thomas Voeckler. Gautier was then briefly joined by Blel Kadri of AG2R before Voeckler, with 25 kilometres to go, launched his decisive attack.

Voeckler, managed to break away and was soon off front alone, working hard to build on his lead. He improved his advantage over the pursuing riders through the tight and twisty circuit. Behind him a group of four riders set off in pursuit: Luis Felipe Laverde Jimenez of Colombia es Pasion Coldeportes, Anthony Geslin of FDJ, Dimitri Champion of Bretagne - Schuller and Nicolas Jalabert of Agritubel. Whilst this chasing group worked well together, Voeckler would prove to be too strong for them to catch, managing to keep a gap of around 30 seconds over the final laps. As he crested the Vobsenterre for the final time it became obvious that victory was to be his, for there was simply no way for the chasing group to hunt him down.

Voeckler then took an impressive win in 3 hours, 3 minutes and 41 seconds, whilst 20 seconds behind Geslin out-gunned Jalabert for the second step on the podium.

Voeckler's team manager, and winner of the 2006 edition of the race, Didier Rous was delighted with the win, saying after the race, "I am very happy with the win of Thomas Voeckler. The win is a credit to the team. I am very proud. Gautier carried a good attack, he put them all in the red. The course was rather dangerous with small snaky roads. I would have preferred that the organizers keep the course of last year with a climb added to that."

Acknowledging the help of his team manager and the work of his team, Voeckler said after the race" Didier has experience, it is sure. Even if course changed since the principle remains the same... I also knew that I had team members behind to control. I had said to my team mates that if I felt well four laps from the finish, I would try something.. .It was daring but I gave everything and held until the end."

2009 Trophée des Grimpeurs – The Top 20
133.9 km - 3:03.41
1 Thomas Voeckler (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 3:03.41
2 Anthony Geslin (FRA) Francaise des Jeux +0:20
3 Nicolas Jalabert (FRA) Agritubel +0:20
4 Dimitri Champion (FRA) Bretagne-Schuller +0:20
5 Luis Felipe Laverde (COL) Colombia +0:20
6 Wesley Sulzberger (AUT) Française Des Jeux +0:52
7 Biel Kadri (FRA) AG2R La Mondiale +0:52
8 Daniele Colli (ITA) Carmiooro +0:52
9 Pierre Cazaux (FRA) Roubaix Lille Metropole +0:52
10 Yukiya Arashiro (JAP) BBox Bouygues Telecom +0:52
11 Samuel Samuel Dumoulin (FRA) Cofidis +0:52
12 Nicolas Hartmann (FRA) Bretagne-Schuller +0:52
13 Maxime Mederel (FRA) Auber 93 +0:52
14 Cyril Bessy (FRA) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun +0:52
15 Yann Pivois (FRA) Bretagne - Schuller +0:52
16 Diego Tamayo Martinez (COL) Carmiooro +1:03
17 Julien El Fares (FRA) Cofidis +2:16
18 Romain Feillu (FRA) Agritubel +3:07
19 Jean-Eudes Demaret (FRA) Cofidis +3:07
20 Anthony Roux (FRA) Française Des Jeux +3:07

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