National Challenge

French Championships

National Challenge # 1 In Bollène

31/10/2004 - From www.velo101.com

Geoffrey Clochez and Maryline Salvetat won the first stage of the National Challenge in Bollènee ( Vaucluse ).

For the third time of its history, Bollènee (Vaucluse) welcomed the National Challenge of cyclo-cross. Those which believed that Provence would offer a rather technical course and dryness were for their expenses. They rather met freshness but especially the slurry, returning the superb course of 2,4 kilometers physique and abrasive. But the best was there and it is essence. A true day of cyclo-cross with the complete program, it is enough to ask! Among Juniors, it is Thomas Girard (the Rhone-Alps) who carried it in front of Yohann Cron at 56 seconds and Freddie Guilloux with 1' 06 ". At the Halloween time, when their congeneric will seek candies, the 103 runners (a record) proved that the small ones can be done badly like their elder.

The weather finally was lenient only at the time of the podiums, it is to say that also the physical prevailed on the pure technical. Sarthoise Laurence Leboucher, which intends to prolong its career until the Championships of the World 2006 and left a training course in team of one week old France, where it offered the rise of Ventoux, started the race first. But undoubtedly marked by its working week, it initially was joined then exceeded by the lady doctor Maryline Salvetat, her dauphine in Pontchateau and successor appointed. The member of the VSLL Castrate, very content with its anti-humidity socks, put 38' 53 "to achieve the five turns of circuit, Laurence Leboucher finished at 57 seconds, Nadia Triquet with 1' 28", Aline Parsy with 2' 14 "and Severine Hansen, the championne of France of VTT, which had discovered its bicycle of cyclo-cross the morning even, with 2' 24". When one sees the five girls in front of, the technical and physical level of each one of them, one measures all progress that the female cyclo-cross achieved since its entry by the large door of the tests headlights .
 

Classification Ladies :

1. Maryline Salvetat (FRA, VSLL Castrate) in 38' 53 "
2. Laurence Leboucher (FRA, the Sarthe) to 57 dryness.
3. Nadia Triquet (FRA, VC Meyer) With 1' 28 "
4. Aline Parsy (FRA, Madeleinoise Pedal) With 2' 14 "
5. Severine Hansen (FRA, The VC Marseilles Apple) With 2' 24 "
6. Sabrina Enaux (FRA, Evolution VTT) With 2' 53 "
7. Corinne Sempe (FRA, Lescar VS) With 3' 38 "
8. Christel Bruneau (FRA, TMB St Alders) With 4' 00 "
9. Alexandra Hnaff (FRA, Finistre) With 4' 20 "
10. Lucie Lefvre (FRA, VCC Morteau-Montbenot) With 4' 37 "

Next, the podium :

National Challenge # 2 In Sedan

28/11/2004 - From www.velo101.com

The champions of France John Gadret and Maryline Salvetat won in the 2nd handle of the National Challenge.

The ones will tell you Pontchateau, the others will speak to you about Nommay. But for the Inhabitants of the Ardennes, Sedan is indeed the French capital of the cyclo-cross. Initially because the area from time immemorial was a ground of cyclo-cross. Then because it counts many champions since the advent of Alex Gerardin (three times champion of France between 1975 and 1980). One will quote inter alia Emmanuel Magnien or, more close to us still, Romain Villa and Clement Lhotellerie. And then finally because the French Federation of Cycling for a long time makes confidence with the organizers of the cyclo-cross of Sedan.

Four hundred candidates are awaited for this second sleeve of the National Challenge. The group of the Juniors does not comprise less than 107 runners. And it is them which have the honor to open the ball on a course made fatty by a light drizzle. Five turns are with the program of the race of the 17-18 years. Quickly, ten elements takes the broad one. One finds in front of some organizers of the inaugural sleeve of the National Challenge with Bollènee, one month ago. The leader of the National Challenge Guillaume Perrot (the Rhone-Alps) supervises attentively his adversaries Anthony Cailleau (North-Not-of-Calais), Julien Brard (the Rhone-Alps), Romain Chaudoy (Orlanais), Yannick Martinez (Orlanais), Romain Lejeune (Champagne-Ardenne) and Yann Queau (Brittany). A long time attentist, Guillaume passes to the offensive little before approaching the last turn of circuit. Consequently, nobody manages to accompany the leader by the Juniors, who asserts himself again. He consolidates his rank of leader and precedes Bourgoin, Queau, Brard and Martinez 13 seconds.

While the ground is degraded with the wire of the passages of the runners, the Women race offers a remake of Bollènee then. The France champion Maryline Salvetat (VSLL Castrate) led the race. Her friend Laurence Leboucher (the Sarthe) does not manage to accompany it and is very quickly satisfied to concentrate on the place of two in company of Nadia Triquet (VC Meyer) better and better physically. At the end of the first turn, the advance of Salvetat exceeds already the 20 seconds. She comes very close to minute after two loops for finally reaching 1' 58 "at the end of the test, Leboucher regulating Triquet for the second place. Maryline Salvetat consolidates its advance with the general classification.

Classification Ladies :

1. Maryline Salvetat (FRA, VSLL Castrate) in 39' 10 "
2. Laurence Leboucher (FRA, The Sarthe) With 1' 58 "
3. Nadia Triquet (FRA, VC Meyer) m.t.
4. Severine Hansen (FRA, The VC Marseilles Apple) With 2' 42 "
5. Aline Parsy (FRA, Madeleinoise Pedal) With 3' 02 "
6. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (FRA, Bziers The Mediterranean Cycling) With 3' 04 "
7. Corinne Sempe (FRA, Lescar VS) With 4' 04 "
8. Sabrina Enaux (FRA, Evolution VTT) With 4' 29 "
9. Alexandra Hnaff (FRA, Finistre) With 5' 01 "
10. Amlie Laurendon (FRA, The Rhone-Alps) With 5' 01 "
 

Next, the podium :

National Challenge # 3 in Lons-le-Saunier

19/12/2004 - From www.velo101.com

Alsatian Francis Mourey won the National Challenge at the last stage to Lons-le-Saunier.

There had been mud with Bollènee, in Vaucluse. There was the cold with Sedan, in the Ardennes. Today, the candidates of the National Challenge are confronted with the storm. The Jura’s ground is already well rather hard like that, with its many passages to foot and its terrible butts. And the weather is not there to encourage the competitors. A torrential rain flows all the day on the site of Lons-le-Saunier. Very quickly, the ground becomes impracticable. The circuit worsens but the organizers decide to maintain the five tests with the program of the latter stage of the National Challenge.

The hat-trick, Maryline Salvetat (VSLL Castrate) carries it out in its turn. Prize winner of the two first stages, the champion of France has crushed the race again and asserts herself with 52 seconds ahead Nadia Triquet (Lorraine) and 1' 33 " ahead Laurence Leboucher (UV Fresnoise), weakened by a virus for a few days. Maryline Salvetat won the National Challenge Ladies at two weeks of the handing-over concerned of its title. The circuit does not have any more pace at the time when the men spring, as a conclusion of the National Challenge 2004/2005. A river is into raw and obliges the runners to take a bath with each loop. The situation is catastrophic, so that the organizers decide to reduce the distance from a turn. The plays are made, in any case, since Alsatian Francis Mourey (FDJeux.com) escaped. Fifth with Bollènee and second with Sedan, Mourey is binding to Lons-le-Saunier and offers at the same time the general classification of the National Challenge, still undecided before this ultimate handle. Arnaud Labbe (Poitevin Cycle) finishes second at 17 seconds and Geoffrey Clochez (the Blue ones of France) third at 51 seconds. In waiting of a royal revenge with Liévin, last festivals of end of the year.

Classification Ladies:

1. Maryline Salvetat (FRA, VSLL Castrate) in 30' 56 "
2. Nadia Triquet (FRA, Lorraine) to 52 dryness.
3. Laurence Leboucher (FRA, UV Fresnoise) With 1' 33 "
4. Aline Parsy (FRA, Madeleinoise Pedal) With 2' 45 "
5. Alexandra Hnaff (FRA, VS Quimper) With 3' 04 "
6. Corinne Sempe (FRA, Lescar Bicycle Sprint) With 3' 10 "
7. Severine Hansen (FRA, The VC Marseilles Apple) With 3' 14 "
8. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (FRA, Bziers The Mediterranean Cycling) With 3' 35 "
9. Marie-Claire Euzenat (FRA, The Eure) With 4' 01 "
10. Lucie Lefvre (FRA, VCC Morteau Montbenot) With 4' 08 "
Final classification:
1. Maryline Salvetat (FRA, VSLL Castrate) 105 pts
2. Laurence Leboucher (FRA, the Sarthe) 94 pts
3. Nadia Triquet (FRA, VC Meyer) 92 pts
4. Aline Parsy (FRA, Madeleinoise Pedal) 86 pts
5. Severine Hansen (FRA, the VC Marseilles Apple) 83 pts
6. Corinne Sempe (FRA, Lescar VS) 79 pts
7. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (FRA, Bziers the Mediterranean Cycling) 77 pts
8. Alexandra Hnaff (FRA, Finistre) 76 pts
9. Lucie Lefvre (FRA, VCC Morteau Montbenot) 66 pts
10. Amlie Laurendon (FRA, the Rhone-Alps) 66 pts

Next, the podium :
 

Also, it makes difference as of the first of the sixth lap of circuit. With its great despair, mud is not present at Liévin but that does not prevent it from increasing her leading with the distance. The champion of the world Laurence Leboucher loses ground gradually while Corinne Semp (Lescar Vlo Sprint) monopolizes the third place very quickly. The positions remain unchanged until the arrival, where Maryline Salvetat makes a triumph after her second standings. For the vice champion of Europe and world, the objective is called from now on St-Wendel. For one year now, its thoughts have gone towards the Championship of the German World. And within sight of his show of force in Liévin, one does not see why Castraise would not manage to climb new steps on the podium.

Championship of France Ladies:

1. Maryline Salvetat (VSLL Castrate) 14,8 km in 34' 51 "(25,618 km/h)
2. Laurence Leboucher (UV Fresnoise) With 1' 05 "
3. Corinne Semp (Lescar Bicycle Sprint) With 2' 08 "
4. Nadia Triquet (VC Moyenmoutier) With 3' 57 "
5. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Bziers The Mediterranean Cycling) With 4' 49 "
6. Severine Hansen (The VC Marseilles Apple) With 5' 04 "
7. Alexandra Hnaff (VS Quimper) With 5' 10 "
8. Carine Dalmais (AC Lyon Vaise)  5'46"
9. Elsa Jardin (US Demontoise) 6'13"
10. Amlie Laurendon (UC Forez 42)  6'22"