McLay Wins GP Denain

Last updated : 14 April 2016 By CNS Sport

British rider Dan McLay has won the GP Denain in France.

The 57th edition of the GP de Denain was over 202.2kms and started and finished in the city of Denain. A day for the sprinters on a flatish course made up of three circuits, the first 41.6kms long, the second 137.3kms and a final twenty kilometres.

Jimmy Turgis (Roubaix) started the first break of the race which did not last and with 34kms gone, Alexandre Geniez (FDJ) was part of a break along with Gert Joeaar (Cofidis) and Tony Hurel (Direct Energie) which got 4.20 ahead.

British team One Pro Cycling, Delko, Lille Roubaix, AG2R and Fortuneo-Vital Concept worked to knock two minutes off the lead and although Geniez took the second KOM sprint, everyone was back together with fifty kilometres to go.

Marc Fournier (FDJ) and Perrig Quemeneur (Direct Energie) took a twenty second lead into the final thirty five kilometres and Quemeneur took the final sprint but just after the final lap started, they were caught and the bunch sprint was on.

Wallonie, Cofidis and CCC all had turns on the front before Topsport Vlaanderen took over with four kilometres to go.

Direct Energie then led but disappeared when the trains started to sprint ahead with less than 3km to go.

Under the flame rouge and up came Thomas Boudat (Direct Energie). It looked like he would win but with fifty metres to go, Dan McLay of Fortuneo-Vital Concept came up and took the victory in a time of 4.29.23 ahead of Boudat and Kenny Dehaes of Wanty Group.

British rider Chris Opie of One Pro Cycling was eighth. 

A delighted McLay told his team: "It was a great race from start to finish.

"The team protected me all day and they put me in the best conditions for the final sprint, especially Florian Vachon and Vegard Breen.

"Everything goes very fast during the sprint, it was played on instinct. I saw the space at the last moment, I went and I focused on the finish line. I was happy but also relieved to come first."