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The An Post Grand Thornton Sean Kelly team had a strong result on today’s first stage of the Etoile de Bessèges in France, with its Belgian sprinter Niko Eeckhout finishing just behind the day’s winner Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team).
Eeckhout, who won a stage plus the points classification in last year’s FBD Insurance Rás, sprinted in second at the end of today’s 146 kilometre stage to Le Grau du Roi.
National road race champion Nicolas Roche was best of three Irish riders, placing a solid 23rd in what is his first race of the season.
Connor McConvey and Paídi O’Brien also finished in the main bunch, placing 98th and 104th respectively.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts was delighted with the squad’s performance. “Today the team preformed brilliantly. They were patient and most importantly kept to the plan,” he said. “This allowed Niko to finish strongly and in the end he was very unlucky not grab the stage win.”
“The result sets us up nicely for the rest of the week and Niko is no stranger to winning here, having done so in 2001. I hope he will be celebrating again on Sunday!”
The stage was marked by a long breakaway by Julien Loubet (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano). While they were brought back inside the final 20 kilometres, the time bonuses they picked up elevated them to third and fourth overall, just behind Bozic and 39 year old Eeckhout. The latter is four seconds behind the race leader.
Roche is 26th, with another An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly Belgian, Kenny Lisabeth, lying 35th. McConvey and O’Brien are 100th and 106th respectively.
The five-day race continues tomorrow with a 141 kilometre stage from Nimes to St. Ambroix.
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Etoile de Bessèges, France (2.1, February 3-7):
February 3, Stage 1: Aigues Mortes - Le Grau du Roi:
1, Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) 146 kilometres in 3 hours 42 mins 49 secs
2, Nico Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
3, Arnaud Molmy (Team Roubaix-Lille Métropole)
4, Sébastien Chavanel (Française des Jeux)
5, Grégory Joseph (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator)
6, Fabien Bacquet (BigMat-Auber 93) all same time
Other:
23, Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale) same time
32, Kenny Lisabeth (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
59, Stijn Minne (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
88, Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
98, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
104, Paidi O’Brien (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
106, Mark McNally (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
136, Maxim de Busschere (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) all same time
General classification after stage 1:
1, Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) 3 hours 42 mins 49 secs
2, Nico Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) at 4 secs
3, Julien Loubet (Ag2r La Mondiale) at 5 secs
4, Floris Goesinnen (Skil Shimano) same time
5, Arnaud Molmy (Team Roubaix-Lille Métropole) at 6 secs
6, Benoit Daeninck (Roubaix Lille Metropole) at 9 secs
Other:
26, Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale) at 10 secs
35, Kenny Lisabeth (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
62, Stijn Minne (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
90, Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
100, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
106, Paidi O’Brien (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
108, Mark McNally (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
135, Maxim de Busschere (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) all same time
Points classification:
1, Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) 25 points
2, Nico Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 20
3, Arnaud Molmy (Team Roubaix-Lille Métropole) 16
4, Sébastien Chavanel (Française des Jeux) 14
5, Gregory Joseph (Topsport Vlaanderen-Merc.) 12
6, Julien Loubet (Ag2r La Mondiale) 10
Young rider:
1, Arnaud Molmy (Team Roubaix-Lille Métropole) 3 hours 42 mins 45 secs
2, Kris Boeckmans (Topsport Vlaanderen-Merc.) at 3 secs
3, Grégory Joseph (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) at 4 secs
Other:
13, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly)
15, Mark McNally (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) both same time
