Key moments

Philippe Gilbert bid a perfect farewell to his Francaise des Jeux team when he won his greatest victory to date in the 102nd Paris-Tours.
The Belgian, who moves to Silence-Lotto next season, outwitted other favourites in a nail-biting finale to lead a Belgian one-two ahead of compatriot Jan Kuyckx (Landbouwkrediet).
France’s Sebastien Turgot was third in an edition in which sprinters were prevented from battling it out on the famous avenue de Grammont.
In the final kilometers, Gilbert managed to join a four-man break launched 15 kms from the line by French champion Nicolas Vogondy, who finished fourth.
The Verviers-born Gilbert, 26, had great wins behind him, notably two Het Volks, but this crowns six great seasons with Marc Madiot for the Belgian.

Start given at 11:11
179 riders at the start. Raynold Smith (Cycle Collstrop) did not start.
53 riders were blood-tested before the start from teams Garmin, Cycle Collstrop, CSC Saxobank, Skil Shimano, Columbia, Caisse d’Epargne, Topsort Vlaanderen.

FOUR AND THEN FIVE

The first break of the day was launched at kilometer seven by American Lucas Euser (Garmin) and Belgian Sebastien Delfosse (Landwouwkrediet), quickly joined by Cyril Lemoine (Credit Agricole) and Dutchman Tom Veelers (Skil).
The four steadily increased their lead on the peloton. It reached six minutes when they were joined by David Zabriskie (Garmin), who had started chasing behind them at kilometer 37 and caught them 10 kms later.
Reinforced by the American time-trial specialist, the leading group gathered momentum and the gap jumped to 10:35 at kilometer 56. The highest gap was recorded in Bonneval (km 67) when the five’s lead reached 11:15.

IMPRESSIVE ZABRISKIE

With the Rabobank, Liquigas, Quick Step and Silence-Lotto teams leading the chase, the gap kept going down and was cut to seven minutes after 100 kms, 4:30 after 150 kms and 3:30 after 175 kms.
After Amboise (Km 191), the five resisted bravely thanks to a formidable ride by Zabriskie who imposed a hell of a pace to maintain the gap at around 2:30.
Credits for the chase go to Liquigas Maciej Bodnar and Silence-Lotto’s Olivier Kaisen who worked at the front of the peloton for some 150 kms.
With 30 kms left, the gap had been cut down to 1:10 and a final mass sprint looked likely.

GILBERT AT LAST

In the Cote de Crochu, 26 kms from the finish, the Tours-born Lemoine attacked and went on his own while his former breakaway companions were caught one after the other.
But the Credit Agricole rider was caught in turn by Thomas Voeckler (BTL) and Maarten Tjallingii (Silence Lotto) and then by seven other riders with 20 kms to go.
As the peloton made it back thanks to a Quick Step team effort, four riders tried their luck in turn 15 kms before the line. The quartet were French champion Nicolas Vogondy, his compatriots Sebastien Turgot and Mickael Delage, as well as Belgium’s Jan Kuyckx.
They were joined in the Cote de l’Epan, 8 kms from the line, by Delage’s Francaise des Jeux team leader Philippe Gilbert.
The five managed to hold the peloton at bay until the red flame and as Vogondy launched the sprint, Gilbert surged to earn a well-deserved reward in a race in which he had always attacked in vain in past editions.
Kuyckx was second ahead of Turgot.

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How does it rate in your career?

It’s the greatest victory in my career. The Het Wolk meant a lot because it’s the first big race of the season for us. But I had been waiting a long time for a victory like this, in one of the great classics. I was close many times, I attacked very often and now it’s here at last.

Is it a farewell present for Francaise des Jeux?

I had promised (team director) Marc (Madiot) that I would not leave without a great win. This was the last chance and I took it. I took it very seriously, stayed cool and did not talk to anybody yesterday.
It’s a team victory and I will never thank Michael Delage enough. He did a formidable job for me in the finale and I’m glad I’m taking him with me to Silence-Lotto as my team-mate next season.

You attacked a lot in Paris-Tours in the past...

Yes. Last year, I was with Pozzato and Kroon and they did not help. In 2005 I was with Devolder and he did not take his turns either. This time I did not repeat the same mistakes and everything clicked. There is a banner with two kilometres to go which looks a lot like the final kilometre red flame and sometimes we get fooled. I did’t get fooled this time.

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