Before Marie Le Net triumphed again, also on the omnium, it was the summit on Sunday, the third and last day of the “France” Elites in Loudéac. Trailing by six points before the points race (116-110) – the fourth and last of this omnium – Benjamin Thomas ended up getting rid of his comrade from Cofidis, Bryan Coquard. “I thought he was going to annoy me until the end,” smiles the Olympic champion in the discipline in August in Paris.
“Shoulders in the eyes”
At the time of elimination, Bryan Coquard was ahead of him in the last sprint. But there was both ease and fluidity in the future winner, crowned in Brittany for the third time in three days. “At the end,” he said, “my shoulders were in my eyes. »
But it couldn't be otherwise for Benjamin Thomas who had challenged his comrade to come to Loudéac (at least on the American) during an exhibition in Roubaix, a month and a half ago. “We are competitors, we love the track! », he enthuses.
He himself wore a golden helmet and rode a bicycle specially gilded by his outfitter. “I inaugurated the ensemble in November at the Six Days of Ghent.” Not exactly discreet – “It gives a good point of reference to the opponents” – but Bryan Coquard happily admitted defeat with 17 laps to go. “I suspected it would be that sentence at the end, but it was nice.”
It had been six years since Bryan Coquard, Cofidis sprinter and almost neighbor (he lives in Vigneux-de-Bretagne, 20 km from Nantes) had not competed in an official national level track competition. “But the track is my DNA. I started track when I was a kid. I love coming back to the velodromes. »
“I could see myself organizing a Six Days there”
That of Loudéac won him over, too. “I’m not saying I won’t come back and do a few laps.” Benjamin Thomas, even better, “could see himself organizing a Six Days or a Three Days there. It's really a track made to put on a show, it goes fast, it's not dangerous. It’s a really nice tool.” The duo put on a show there. And Brittany says thank you.
Sunday's results
WOMEN
Keirin : 1. Marie-Louisa Drouode (Créteil Kronos), 2. L. Dolez (North Track Team), 3. L. Grondin (VC de l’Est)… 8. F. Michaud (Bre).
Of all things : 1. Marie Le Net (FDJ-Suez), 131 points; 2. E. Cabot (Baloise Minimax WB Ladies), 124 ; 3. A. Pernollet (AC Lanester 56)… 11. I. Rouat (Bre), 59… 15. E. Henry (Bre), 15.
MEN
Vitesse : 1. Rayan Helal (Salon Cyclosport), 2. S. Vigier (Créteil Kronos), 3. T. Derache (VC Roubaix)…12. T. Favennec (UC Briochine).. 16. A. Baron (CC Plancoët).
Keirin : 1. Sébastien Vigier (Créteil Kronos), 2. T. Derache (VC Roubaix), 3. E. Oliviero (Créteil Kronos)… 7. H. Salaun (VCP Loudéac)… 11. A. Baron (CC Plancoët).
Of all things : 1. Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), 181; 2. B. Coquard (Cofidis); 172, 3. J.-L. Le Ny (VC Rouen), 143… 10. H. Pommelet (VCP Loudéac), 28.
France
