Peraud Wins The Criterium International

Last updated : 29 March 2015 By Covsupport News Service

Jean Christophe Peraud of AG2R has won the Criterium International in Corsica.

The final stage of this two day race was a 189.5km stage from  Porto-Vecchio to Col de l'Ospedale and had Ben King as the race leader.

Four riders in Pelliu, Mager, Chad Haga and Roman Gullemois went away early and took a lead of two minutes which they kep for another one hundred and five kilometres after being joined by Marco Canola.

They were 2.55 ahead of the peloton which had King's Cannondale-Garmin on the front with forty kilometres left.

The gap started to come down and with 15.7kms left, the break was reeled in by a peloton of about sixty riders.

On the climb up the Col de l'Ospedale, King started to struggle with the pace being set by FDJ before a group of five riders created a bit of distance on the front with 7.2kms left.

Three hundred metres later and Jean Christophe Peraud timed his move and went with nobody chasing him.

Peraud had a 32 second lead with 3.2kms to go. The chaser put ten seconds into him but Peraud sailed under the flam rouge whilst down the road Thibaut Pinot attacked, Fedrigo, Vuillermoz and Jan Bakelants in his wheel.

Peraud won the race in 5.10.04 and with Thibaut Pinot finishing second, Peraud had taken the stage win and the general classification from Pinot by ten seconds and eighteen seconds from Felline.

"We have successfully applied the right tactics, " said Peraud. " At first. I thought I would especially help Alexis. But everything worked well and I found myself on my own.

"This win feels good. It is important for morale after a difficult week and the Paris-Nice which I had to abandon

"I had not yet found my best form but with this win I will now be able to work calmly for the future.."

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

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