Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) emerged from a select 10-rider group in a chaotic run to the line to win the 25th edition of the Faun Ardèche Classic on Saturday.
After being active all day and taking part in multiple attacks, the 22-year-old French rider was part of a 12-man group that formed in the final climb of the day, the steep Val d’Enfer inside of seven kilometres to go.
With less than one kilometre to go, Enric Mas (Movistar) attacked the front with Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Javier Romo (Movistar) on his wheel but disaster struck when the Spaniard led the trio off the course as they took a right turn on a final roundabout instead of going straight.
Very familiar with the course, second in 2024, Grégoire did not follow the trio and was able to speed to the finish line to claim the victory.
Marco Brenner (Tudor) took second, crossing the line three seconds behind the winner. Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana) followed to claim third place.
“I had a little trouble enjoying it [the victory], it's still weird the feeling with these riders who made a mistake with 300 meters to go. I sort of have the impression of not having made the sprint. But then, it's the riders' fault, I'm going to try to enjoy it, I won and that's what counts," Grégoire said.
“All day long, we really raced like bosses, we put ourselves in front and we really took charge all day long. I was a little afraid honestly halfway of the race that we had maybe done too much, that we would be a little too committed in the end, and in the end the guys really held up well, they were there all day long.”
The 169.5 km Faun-Ardèche Classic, starting and ending in Guilherand-Granges, with its nine climbs delivering over 3000 metres of elevation gain, is tailor-made for punchy climbers.
An early breakaway, including Jonas Grégaard (Lotto), Kamiel Bonneu (intermarché-Wanty), Baptiste Poulard (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies), Xabier Mikel Azparren (Q36.5), Célestin Guillon (Van Rysel-Roubaix) and Joris Chaussinand (CIC U Nantes), build up a lead of two minutes before being reeled before the climb Saint-Romain-de-Lerps inside of 25 kilometres to go.
Fortunato countered an attack by Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-QuickStep) on the lower slopes and escaped in a solo move. The Italian continued solo, as attacks continued in the group behind him, and he still had seven seconds on a chase group as he started the final climb of the day, the Val d’Enfer, but was soon joined by Mas.
Inside of two kilometres to go, the two riders were reeled in, leaving 12 riders to battle for the victory. Joining Fortunato and Mas were Grégoire, Romo, McNulty, Brenner and his teammate Marc Hirschi, Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) and Fortunato’s teammate Cristian Scaroni.
Going for broke, Mas attacked before the final roundabout but went off course and lost his chance at victory.
Results
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