It was a maiden elite national title for Marie Le Net (FDJ-Suez) as the 25-year-old soloed to victory in the French national championships road race in Les Herbiers after a day in the breakaway.
Le Net was part of the early three- then seven-rider move that went after 20km of racing, and with 17km she attacked with Julie Bego (Cofidis). With 8km to go, she attacked again, this time going solo, and she wouldn't be seen again, riding to a tricolour jersey at the finish.
Her teammate Léa Curinier, who joined the leaders just before Le Net's winning attack, finished second, outsprinting Bego who had to settle for third.
The biggest team in the race, FDJ-Suez played the day to perfection, placing Le Net in the first break that went and then sending Curinier to join her. With two riders in the lead, they exempted themselves from the chase, which meant the leaders built up a solid gap that would never be closed.
Le Net and Bego were the strongest on the climbs, attacking their companions on the final lap, and then just as Curinier bridged across to them, Le Net launched again, using her to descending skills to escape to victory.
Le Net could not hold back the tears in her winner's interview, saying "I don't understand what has just happened" and "I can't believe it".
At the start of the race, it took a while for a breakaway to get away and stay away, with various attacks but nothing sticking until 20km of the 115km race had already been completed, when a group of three went up the road.
That breakaway was formed of Let Net, Bego and Clémence Latimier (Arkéa-B&B Hotels). They built up a lead of two and a half minutes, and after some more attacks, grew to six as Curinier and the Winspace Orange Seal duo of Constance Valentin and Marine Allione.
With 40km to go, the leading group still had a three-minute – and growing – gap, with the small peloton size making it harder for a concerted chase to come together. With two riders in the lead, FDJ – the biggest team in the race – had no reason to chase, and the gap went up to four minutes.
Into the final 30km, the attacks began from the main group, and the gap did shrink, but it wasn't enough to fully close it, and ultimately it was down to the breakaway riders to contest for the win.
Le Net takes the blue, white and red jersey from teammate Juliette Labous, who finished 12th on Saturday.
Results
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