The riders under the direction of Jean-Marc Rossignon left France with a new podium after another exemplary collective performance in the Classique Paris-Chauny (1.1, 26/09). Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert lined up with several assets for a sprint, but before, the team sent Jonas Koch up the road.
The German rider and a colleague chased the early breakaway of five riders on the Côte de Coussy-le-Château. The duo managed to close a gap of 1’30 and join the race lead for 90 kilometer. They were caught by the peloton in the penultimate local lap in Chauny. It started raining in the last minutes of the race, causing a crash with Riccardo Minali. His compatriot Andrea Pasqualon sprinted to third place behind winner Jasper Philipsen. In this way, the team leaves Paris-Chauny with a podium for a third time in four participations.
« We chose for a proactive strategy today with Jonas Koch in the front. He was able to defeat his companions in case the breakaway was successful. But the sprinter’s teams took control of the peloton and forced a bunch sprint. I could rely on the help of Théo Delacroix, Wesley Kreder and Loïc Vliegen to keep me in a good position in the final. On paper, Philipsen was the rider to follow in the sprint, so I wanted to anticipate. Unfortunately Bouhanni and I touched each other after the final corner, causing me to abandon my plan. That’s also why I just missed 2nd place, but I’ll try again next Wednesday in the Eurometropole Tour. That race also suits me! »
