Matthieu Ladagnous sprinted to victory on the final stage of Tour du Limousin 2011
FDJ team’s Matthieu Ladagnous picked up his second stage victory after winning the final stage of Tour du Limousin 2011 on Friday, August 19.
The 26-year-old French professional cyclists took the total of 4 hours, 39 minutes and 12 seconds to cover the distance of 180 kilometres.
Recently, Ladagnous took the first stage of Tour de Wallonie. He also grabbed the first stage and overall standing of La Tropicale Amissa.
After a few kilometres to go, the group of seven cyclists made their first breakaway lead including, Yohann Gène (Team Europcar), Cyril Lemoine (Saur-Sojasun), Mickael Cherel (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Anthony Roux (FDJ), Ben King (Team Type 1-Sanofi), Theo Vimpere
and Anthony Colin (Roubaix Lille Metropole).
All of them managed to gain two minutes but unhappily Yohann Gene faced two flats and due to this the Frenchman dropped back in to the field.
With 55 kilometres remaining, the other six cyclists managed to increase the lead with 4 minutes and 50 seconds. Anthony Roux was the only cyclists who won the points in the intermediate sprint but the peloton brought him back.
The gap was reduce to 45 seconds after 50 kilometres to go, Colin dropped the group and the other three cyclists Cherel, Lemoine and King were also dropped and only Vimpere and Roux got away.
Alexander Ryabkin (Caja Rural) increased his pace and jumped away, with 24 kilometres to go, he bridged to Roux and Vimpere and across the leading duo. The trio gap was down to ten seconds.
With 23 kilometres remaining, Vimpere cracked and Roux dropped Riabkin and set off alone after two kilometres. However, he was caught by the other cyclists.
In the final kilometres, the attacks continued to be launched but FDJ team controlled the situation and with the help of his team, Ladagnous crossed the finish line ahead of the other cyclists.
Jure Kocjan of Type 1 – Sanofi was runner-up and the race leader’s Bjorn Leukemans of Vacansoleil-DCM finished third with the same timing of Matthieu. The 46 cyclists crossed the finish line with the same timing of sprinter.
Yohann Gène tried his best to take part in the leading group but failed and grabbed the 47th place with the difference of 10 seconds ahead of Hugo Houle.
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