In Bouchain on Thursday, Paul Penhoët was less successful than the day before on the 4 Jours de Dunkerque. After a relatively easy third stage, the sprinter from Groupama-FDJ had to settle for seventh place in the bunch sprint, won again by Sam Bennett. He also slipped back to fourth overall, while the crucial cobblestones stage will be on the menu on Friday.
Things always come in threes. This was the sprinters’ wish at the start of Saint-Laurent-Blangy this Thursday morning, and it appeared justified. On an extremely flat course once again, victory couldn’t escape them after 165 kilometres, but four men nevertheless gave it a go from the gun: Fabio Christen (Q36.5), Antoine Hue (CIC U Nantes Atlantique), Kenny Molly (Van Rysel-Roubaix) and Gwen Leclainche (Philippe Wagner/Bazin). The four leaders never got a very large gap, and the bunch caught the last two fugitives with 13 kilometres to go. The riders were also able to approach the final under good weather conditions. “They still got the rain for a good part of the stage,” recalled Thierry Bricaud, “and Rudy suffered from his second crash in three days.” The Frenchman was able to get back on his bike, but the Groupama-FDJ cycling team obviously took the lead of the peloton without him in the last ten kilometres.
“There will be a first selection for the overall”, Thierry Bricaud
Sven-Erik Bystrom, Eddy Le Huitouze, Sam Watson, Matt Walls and Marc Sarreau did their part one after the other to bring Paul Penhoët in the best possible position. “The guys did a good job until the flamme rouge, it was perfect,” said Thierry Bricaud. “Unfortunately, as it sometimes happens in the sprint, Paul was unable to find the gap at the right time. He was up there, but not for the win. He didn’t start his sprint where he would have liked, and he paid for this timing issue.” Slightly in the back 400 metres from the line, the young Frenchman made a first effort to get back up, and therefore lacked strength in the final stretch. He took seventh place, and now sits in fourth place overall before a decisive stage on the cobbles on Friday. “There will be some damage for sure, because there are about twenty kilometres of cobblestones,” added Thierry. “Yet, there should be no rain, or very little. There will be a first selection for the overall, Sam is going well, and we must be careful. If it comes down to a reduced sprint, we can also win with Paul.”
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