Etoile de Bessèges (2013) Photos Jan 30 - Feb 3

« Etoile de Bessèges 2013 Race Info and Links

UnitedHealthCare lining up for the first stage race on the 2013 European road calendar	Euskaltel Euskadi on 10% Cote de la Tour	UnitedHealthCare
Ag2r's Domenico Pozzovivo	Top name in the race is Europcar's Thomas Voeckler	The break on of Cote de la Tour: Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar), Niels Wytinck (An Post-Chainreaction), Koen Barbe (Crelan-Euphony), Arthur Vanoverberghe (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and Jason Bakke (La Pomme Marseille)
The peloton on Cote de la Tour	The finish was in Beaucaire along the Rhône River
Argos-Shimano leading the way through one of the final corners	Sirotti was late with his finish shot. Here's the full-flight finish shot	Belgian Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) outsprinted fellow Belgian Frédérique Robert (Lotto-Belisol) while the winner of Sunday's GP La Marseillaise, Justin Jules (La Pomme Marseille), right, was 3rd
Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise)	Stage 1 winner and race leader, 24 year-old Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise)

Stage 2:  Nîmes - Les Fumades, 157 km  Full Results and Report

Topsport Vlaanderen leading the chase on hills around Les Fumades	The peloton	The break with Thomas Vaubourzeix (La Pomme Marseille), Alphonse Vermote (An Post-Chainreaction), and Jimmy Engoulvent (Sojasun)
Thomas Vaubourzeix (La Pomme Marseille) at the front of the race	Alphonse Vermote (An Post-Chainreaction) has been dropped. Just Thomas Vaubourzeix (La Pomme Marseille) and Jimmy Engoulvent (Sojasun) left...	The peloton caught the break with 13 km to go
Cofidis' Florent Barle	Eurpocar setting the pace late in the stage
Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar) sits up early and celebrates his first win as a pro	Victory salute backswing
In just his second race as a neo-pro, Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar) makes his first win an emphatic one	That's race leader Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) finishing second followed by Baptiste Planckaert (Crelan-Euphony)	With his 1st and 2nd place time bonuses on the first two stages, Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) has a 6s overall lead on second place Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar and 16s on the field)
Your stage 2 winner, young, gleeful, Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar)

Stage 3:  Bessèges, 152 km  Full Results and Report

Cofidis getting a break started on Col du Trelys in the hills around Bessèges 152km	The peloton with eventual winner, Jerome Cousin (Team Europcar), about to spring across	The main break
Cyril Gautier (Europcar) driving the break	Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) followed by Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil - DCM), Arthur Vichot (FDJ) and the eventual winner near the back	Stage winner, Jerome Cousin (Team Europcar) now at the front
Franck Bouyer (Europcar) shaking hands with Jerome Coppel (Cofidis)	Despite the fact there were three FDJ riders finishing in the top 7, Jerome Cousin (Team Europcar) took the win from the break	2nd place Anthony Roux (FDJ) looking across at the victory salute windup
	Like his teammate the stage before, Jerome Cousin (Team Europcar) has the opportunity to taste victory for the first time in his three year pro	Race leader Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise), center, won the field sprint for 12th + 36s
Thomas Voeckler happy to see his younger teammates win the last two stages in Southern France	23 year-old Jerome Cousin (Team Europcar) in the winner's circle for the first time in his three year career	Jerome Cousin (Team Europcar) has now slipped into the leader's jersey with a 3s lead over Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun)

Stage 4:  Sabran - Pont Saint Esprit, 154 km  Full Results and Report

Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) getting his game face on prior to the start the Sabran...	... but, it's been his teammates Europcar teammates Bryan Coquard and Jérôme Cousin who taken the spotlights with stage wins and the leader's jersey	Argos Shimano leading an early break
Europcar chasing on Mur de Laudun
weaving through town	A late break	Failed counter-attack
Europcar chasing to setup another sprint...	Europcar's Bryan Coquard, who always won Stage 2 claims his second win of the race	Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun), obscured, placed second and picked up six valuable seconds
	Bryan Coquard (Europcar) winner of Stages 2 and Stage 4 giving Europcar the last three stage wins	... Stage 3 winner, Jérôme Cousin (Europcar) retains the race lead

Stage 5:  Ales (ITT), 9.7 km  Full Results and Report

Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) easily wins a bunch sprint after a short 69 km stage around Ales	This is the third straight year that Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) has won a stage at Etoile de Bessèges	In his 11th pro season, Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) celebrates his 25th career win
Jérôme Cousin (Europcar) takes his slim lead into the 5b time-trial	Later in the afternoon, the stage 5b 9.7 km individual time-trial with Anthony Roux on the road...	Anthony Roux (FDJ) wins the Stage 5b 9.7 km in 14:46
9th place + 37s was good enough for Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun) to take the overall win	Race leader after 5a, Jérôme Cousin (Europcar) 12th + 44s... not quite good enough. He dropped to 2nd overall + 4s.	Stage 5a winner ITT, Anthony Roux (FDJ)
Thanks to a solid 9th place ITT performance and the 6 bonus seconds for his second place finish on yesterday's Stage 4, Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun) dons the race leader jersey when it counts most... on the last day