Frenchman Justin Jules from Pro Continental Belgian outfit WB Veranclassic-Aquality Protect took some of the favorites by surprise to claim stage 1 of the Circuit Sarthe-Pays de la Loire ahead of French champion Arthur Vichot of FDJ and Italy’s Andrea Vendrame from Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia.
It was a long uphill finish that left top sprinter Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) in 13th position after breakaway riders Martijn Budding (Roompot Nederlanse Loterij) and Angel Madrazo (Delko Marseille-Provence KTM) were reined in on the final circuit in Pouzauges.
"Sometimes it pays off to be audacious and seize the reins of the race by attacking," Jules observed. "With the rain and the hills, it was a very challenging stage. With my team, we paid a lot of attention to what was happening. I was well positioned, so I used my explosiveness to create a bit of a gap 350 metres before the line. Arthur is a very strong rider when it’s hard like today but he didn’t close the gap. I wasn’t the favourite, but I took my chance as I’m on good form these days. It makes me happy. This is a nice race and I got a beautiful victory here today."
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The win is Jules’ third victory of the year after stage 1 of the Tour La Provence and stage 4 of the Tour of Normandy. It’s also his 12th top 10 of the season, his first in the Pro Continental ranks after riding for continental teams La Pomme Marseille, Vérandas Rideau and Veranclassic. Aged 30 now, he took his first international success in stage 1 of the 2011 Tour of Hainan in China.
As he finally steps up this year, he’s remembered as the son of Pascal Jules, an extravagant stage winner of the 1984 Tour de France who died in a car accident on October 25, 1987 when Justin was only one year old. Also a Parisian, he was a close friend of the late Laurent Fignon. In October 1982, Pascal Jules was nominated “French sportsman of the month” by a panel of 31 journalists from newspapers, TV stations and agencies for L’Equipe Magazine. Runner up at the Tour of Lombardy, the 21-year-old neo pro from the Renault-Elf team got more votes than Yannick Noah, who qualified France for the final of the Davis Cup that month.
He was carrying the hopes of French cycling for the supposed to be post-Bernard Hinault generation. Those super talents had joined Cyrille Guimard’s team pretty much together at the same time: Greg LeMond, Laurent Fignon, Marc Madiot, Martial Gayant and Philippe Chevallier. Jules was a rebel and not exactly a seriously dedicated cyclist.
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