RACE REPORTS: CRITÉRIUM INTERNATIONAL STAGE 1: CASPER IS BACK!

SEARCH:

SURVEY
SUBSCRIBE
Current Issue
Advertise
Contact
Digital Issue
Preview

RACE REPORTS: CRITÉRIUM INTERNATIONAL STAGE 1: CASPER IS BACK!
Road Bike Action
March 28, 2009

Casper charges for line at Etolle de Besseges
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) is back on the world scene after taking a sprint victory in the first stage of the 78th Critérium International. Casper finished ahead Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux) and Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano).

After the stage Casper was quick to praise Christian Prudhomme saying,"I would like to thank Christian Prudhomme because if he hadn't invited us I wouldn't have won. This win is mainly a team victory because the sprint was beautifully prepared by Talabardon, Mangel and Engoulvent. "For me, it is a very important win because this winter I had to start over from zero. Tomorrow, I will probably lose my yellow jersey after the hilly race but I won't give it up without a fight."

Casper is coming back from some difficult years. In 2007 he suffered a horrible crash in Gent-Wevelgem and then tested positive due to failing to update his asthma medication papers with the UCI.

The majority of the race was controlled by a four-man break including Christophe Kern (Cofidis), Arnaud Coyot (Caisse d'Epargne), Timothy Duggan (Garmin-Slipstream) and David Le Lay (Agritubel). The four quickly built an advantage of 9:35 only 50-kilometers into the race.

From the break Le Lay won two of the three mountain sprints and took over the lead in the polka-dot jersey competition. The break ended on the descent of the Côte de Signy-l'Abbaye with only Le Lay holding off the peloton a bit longer. Le Lay was finally caught 10-kilometers from the finish.

With everyone back together the sprinters teams took to the front to set it up for their men. In the final dash for the line it was Casper who showed everyone a clean pair of wheels and took the victory.

78th Critérium International
March 28-29, 2009
Stage 1, March 28: Monthois to Charleville-Mézières, 190km
1. Jimmy Casper (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun 4.42.15 (40.390 km/h)
2. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux s.t.
3. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Skil-Shimano s.t.
4. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad s.t.
5. Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha s.t.
6. Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi s.t.
7. Aurélien Clerc (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
8. Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Slipstream s.t.
9. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom s.t.
10. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne s.t.

RELATED STORIES


	•Racy Language: Phinney In Pink! Taylor does the deed and makes America proud!...

•A Thrilling Amstel Gold Race

•Racy Language: Paris Roubaix Redux

•Tom Boonen Stuns, But Doesn't Surprise

•Being There: Wrapping Up The Tour of Flanders

•Tour of Flanders: Three Time Charmer

•Being There: The Flanders Preview