Sébastien Chavanel (Europcar) took his first victory in a little over three years, to take the second stage of the Circuit de Lorraine between Briey and Commercy. The Europcar sprinter outsprinted Zakkari Dempster (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) at the end of the lumpy 164km stage, with stage one winner Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DCM) taking third.
An attack from Mathias Brandle (Geox-TMC), Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM), Jonathan Thiré (BigMat-Auber 93) and Matteo Fedi (De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia) got away right from the start of the stage, and built a maximum lead of three minutes before the sprinters’ teams pulled them back.
For Chavanel, the younger brother of more famous Quick Step rider Sylvain, the victory marks his return to the top of the podium for the first time since he won the final stage and the overall classification of the Tour de Picardie on May 18th 2008, three years and one day ago.
“He’s been up there since the beginning of the season,” said Europcar directeur sportif Dominique Arnould, “he had a super-period during the classics. This Thursday [today – ed] Yohann Gene took him perfectly into the final 700 metres; Seb proved that he he’s still there and that you can always count on him.”
The victory is the Europcar team’s 18th of the season, which have come across a number of members of the team.
“It demonstrates that we’re it’s not just Thomas [Voeckler] who wins,” continued Arnould, “he’s the eighth rider who has raised his arms this season. This is really great, especially as Seb is very popular in the team.”
Stage one’s second place Romain Feillu finished third on stage two; the subsequent bonus seconds mean that he overhauls the one second lead of stage one winner Anthony Roux (FDJ) to take the leader's jersey by three seconds.
Result stage 2
1. Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Europcar
2. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Rapha-Condor-Sharp
3. Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoliel-DCM
4. Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Mathieu Drujon (Fra) BigMat-Auber 93
6. Matthieu Halleguen (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
7. Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
8. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil-Shimano
9. Joaquin Sobrino (Spa) Caja Rural
10. Martin Reimer (Ger) Skil-Shimano
Standings after stage 2
1. Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM
2. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ @ 3s
3. Laurent Mangel (Fra) SAur-Sojasun @ 9s
4. Rui Costa (Por) Movistar @ 11s
5. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 12s