Sylvain Chavanel continues winning streak with GP Plouay victory

Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) won the GP Ouest France-Plouay in France on Sunday, taking the win from a seven-man escape group.

Chavanel out-paced Andrea Fedi (Neri Sottoli-Yellow Fluo) and Arthur Vichot (FDJ) to the line and add to his overall victory in the Tour du Poitou-Charentes last week. It’s the IAM Cycling team’s first victory in a one-day WorldTour race.

Chavanel had attacked with six other riders over the final climb, staying away from the peloton to take the victory.

Ben Swift (Sky) was Britain’s highest-placed rider, coming home in the pack two seconds behind Chavanel. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) finished in a group at 1-13 as he hones his form ahead of his title defence at the Tour of Britain, starting on Sunday, September 7.

“I had a fantastic week, morale is really high,” said Chavanel after the win. “I never particularly liked this classic before, but in the end I waited until the last possible moment and then everything went perfectly. There was a tailwind and I decided to launch my sprint from a distance. No one could come past me.”

The French national time trial champion will turn his attention to the 2014 UCI World Championships, where he is expected to contest the time trial and road race disciplines.

Result
GP Ouest France-Plouay 2014
1. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling in 5-38-26
2. Andrea Fedi (Ita) Neri Sottoli-Yellow Fluo
3. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ
4. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Europcar
5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
6. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
7. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing at same time
8. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 2 secs
9. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
10. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto-Belisol at same time
Other
32. Ben Swift (GBr) Sky at 2 secs
112. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky at 1-13
DNF Steve Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing