MARIGOT—While the strategy for the Velo Club de Grand Case (VCG) elite team did not always work out as planned during the recently finished 2017 Tour of Guadeloupe, the team can be proud of finishing in second place in the overall classification from all the teams in the region.
VCG coordinator and co-founder René Arnell said the club was still very satisfied with the team effort even if individual results were not always as high as expected.
“We did have some good and not so good days,” Arnell explained. “It wasn’t going the way we wanted until the last weekend when Jayson Rousseau had two wonderful back–to-back wins.
“On Saturday’s 110K eighth stage from Capesterre to Les Abymes he broke away and finished in front alone and on the Sunday finished with the lead pack but won the sprint. We won two stages out of the nine, so I can say it was a positive experience overall. Jayson just got stronger as the race went on.”
Team leader Ludovic Turpin finished 10th overall in the general classification. At one point he was seventh overall and it was hoped he would continue to get a higher position. But on the last day there was a very strong breakaway which reshuffled the whole classification according to Arnell.
In the overall results, Gregory Blondin finished in 14th place, Gregory Errin was 24th, Olivier Curier 34th, and Jayson Rousseau 42nd. Nicolas Dumont finished in eighth place on the seventh stage but his overall finishing place was not immediately known.
141 riders crossed the start line in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, on Saturday, July 28, 2017, for nine days of racing covering 1,300 kilometres. By the time the ninth and last stage came around there were just 88 riders still in the running.
VCG’s focus will now be on the international road race championship on September 2 and 3, 2017, in St. Martin.
“We are counting on cycling fans to give VCG their full support,” concluded Arnell.
(photo La 1ere.francetvinfo.fr)
