Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert will be at the start of another French Cup this Sunday on the occasion of the Grand Prix d’Isbergues (1.1, 19/09). Even though the flat parcours through Pas-de-Calais is suited for sprinters, the meteorologic conditions managed to change the expectations in the past. For the 74th edition, the organization chose for a similar parcours to the one in 2020.
After two laps of 12 kilometer through the centre of Isbergues, the peloton will ride two loops with the following hills: the Côte de Rombly (0.5 km at 6%), l’Estrée-Blanche (0.7 km at 4.4%) and the Fauquenhem (0.5 km at 3.6%). After, the riders return to Isbergues, where the race will be concluded after seven local laps. The successor of Nacer Bouhanni will be known at the end of the 199 kilometer race, after a slight downhill final kilometer.
The selection under the direction of Frédéric Amorison and Jean-Marc Rossignon can rely on the fast legs of Biniam Girmay Hailu and Baptiste Planckaert, who are currently 6th and 5th in the classification of the French Cup. Italian sprinter Riccardo Minali, author of four top 10 finishes in the Tour of Spain, reinforces the line up from which also French riders Jérémy Bellicaud, Théo Delacroix, Maxime Jarnet (trainee) and Belgian rider Kévin Van Melsen are part of.
« The past learned us that we can’t merely focus on a sprint in Isbergues, because a breakaway regularly offered a strong resistance or autumn circumstances made the race even more exciting. Hopefully the final is hard tomorrow, so we can sprint with a reduced group. Taking into account my feeling and recent performances, I’m convident that I’m able to survive a selection. This Friday, I finished 6th in a pure sprinter’s race after excellent work from my teammates, bringing me in a relaxed manner to the sprint. It will be different in Isbergues because of the curves in the final kilometers, but Biniam, Riccardo and I can manage a chaotic sprint! »
Line up :
Jérémy Bellicaud
Théo Delacroix
Biniam Girmay Hailu
Maxime Jarnet
Riccardo Minali
Baptiste Planckaert
Kévin Van Melsen
Sportive Direction :
Frédéric Amorison
Jean-Marc Rossignon
