The Canadian formation put almost all of its riders in the top 10, Premier Tech U23 has long monopolized the entire podium with the 3 best times but Alexys Brunel and Stéfan Benett came to invite themselves to the final podium. If these two announced strong men of the Tour are already there, Guillaume Dauschy is the first yellow jersey of the Tour.
The Canadian festival started very early with Robin Plamendon setting a time of 10m22s. Thus, the course record held by Mathieu Pellegrin (CCD) in 10m39 fell from the 5th runner to start. The Canadian will remain the best time for a long time before his teammate Guillaume Dauschy does better in 10m10s. He will never be beaten. Then there was the battle for 2nd which was also long held by Florian Carpentier in 10'44. But it's another Canadian who crosses the line in 10m21s. Another big time for the Canadians, Julien Gagné, winner of the Grand Prix Boris Carène, who finished the course in 10m39s. Guillaume Dauschy explains this performance "by a discipline that the team likes to practice. We are coming out of the Tour d'Alsace where there was a 4km prologue, we are used to it and it is an effort that we really like. Personally I knew that I was going to do a good time but from there to win today I didn't expect it because there were big customers today."
A victory that now places the Canadians in the spotlight with Dauschy yellow jersey. "We're ready to fight to defend it until the end, we're not going to let anything go. Afterwards, if we lose it, it's because we'll have been beaten on the pedals, I guess. It's up to us study and manage the different stages.”
Brunel returns to the scene
While the spectators at the finish make noise for the arrival of Boris Carène, they see almost in his wheel, the pink jersey of Alexys Brunel. The winner of the Tour de Marie-Galante will overtake Carène but crosses the finish line 10 seconds behind. Result with a time of 10m11s, Brunel climbs to second place missing the yellow jersey by just one small second. But according to the former professional rider, he would have run the course in less time. "I'm not sure of the time. There's no cell and I don't have that time on my Garmin as I stopped it well after the line and started it well before the start. I must have 10m07s but hey that's okay. I might have sent out at some point on the course."
Bennett, almost winning return
Last runner to start, Stéfan Bennett sets the 3rd time of this first stage in 10m19. "It's good" loose defending champion. "I did not see myself as high but so much the better, it proves that the preparation was good." If the air of Guadeloupe always seems to give him wings, the 2021 winner also insists on the benefits of his express integration within the Euro Cycling trips training. “There are a lot of different cultures within my team and I must admit that the mayonnaise took hold right away, so I think it's a whole that makes me 3rd today.
Laautone and André Lubin spearheading the Guadeloupe chrono
This season these are the two mopeds of the time trial in Guadeloupe. André Lubin gold medal at the Caribbean games and Laautone champion of Guadeloupe in the discipline did not disappoint. The member of the USL signed the best time in Guadeloupe in 10m39s. His friend André Lubin also gave everything but finished in 10m57. Discovering the best times, the young man from the TMC understood that the level of this Tour was very high, he who thought he had had a great time. The discipline specialist Larry Lutin, could not do better than 10m59s.
Also note that Mathieu Pellegrin improved his record on this course by 2 seconds with 10m37s. To stay, in the CCD Carène did not waste too much time with 11m01s, just like Kendric Clavier who finished in 11m02s. On the other hand, Kéran Barolin is already nearly 3 minutes behind in the General standings with the penultimate time of 13m05.
Tomorrow the 2nd stage will leave Pointe-à-Pitre at 12 noon to arrive in Petit-Canal.
1st stage classification
1. Guillaume Dauschy (Tech U23) 10'10''78
2. Alexys Brunel 10'11''58
3. Stefan Bennett (Euro Trips) 10'19''30
4. Matisse Julien (Tech U23) 10'21''08
5. Robin Plamondon (Tech U23) 10'22''78
6. Celestin Guillon 10'31''17
7. Ivan Centrone 10'32''77
8. Tom Donnenwirth 10'34''66
9. Dusan Rajovic 10'37''17
10. Mathieu Pellegrin 10'37''18
…
12. Raphael Laautone 10'39''90
21. Yannis André Lubin (TMC) 10'57''07
23. Larry Lutin 10'59''19
Alexys Brunel USL put a powerful pedal stroke in the last third of the course.
– Dominique CHOMEREAU-LAMOTTE
Defending champion Stefan Bennett showed he was a complete rider and had the legs to defend his title.
– Dominique CHOMEREAU-LAMOTTE
Raphael Latone (USL) ranks 12th and signs the best Guadeloupe performance in this time trial.
– Dominique CHOMEREAU-LAMOTTE
André-Lubin Yannis gave everything but will not be able to get into the top 10.
