Paris-Nice – Damien Gaudin put France back on the time-trial map when he became the first home rider since Laurent Brochard 13 years ago to win the Paris-Nice prologue on Saturday.
![]() |
The three-times French pursuit champion made the best of his track skills to upset the favorites and snatch his first pro victory in three minutes and 37 seconds on the winding 2.9-kms course in the streets of Houilles. The Europcar rider left French time-trial champion Sylvain Chavanel (pictured) trailing in second place, one second behind, just ahead of last year’s runner-up in Nice, Dutchman Lieuwe Westra. Another talented Dutchman, Wilco Kelderman, finished 4th and took the best young rider’s white jersey.
The prologue started in ideal conditions, with a sunny and cold weather. Several riders chose to use their normal bikes rather than TT ones. French champion Nacer Bouhanni set one of the first reference times, confirming that the course ideally suited sprinters. While top spot quickly changed hand, Slovenia’s Borut Bozic stayed in the lead for nearly an hour with a time of 3:40, slightly improved by Slovakia’s Peter Velits (OPQ).
Soupe under 3:40
France’s Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ) was the first rider to break the 3:40 barrier in 3:39 and his time held shortly before being bettered for 0.06 seconds by Dutch prospect Wilco Keldermann, one of the two youngest riders in the peloton at 21. Last year’s winner Gustav Larsson of Sweden clocked a disappointing 3:48, nine seconds slower than Keldermann.
Boosted by the chance of racing on home ground, French riders then stole the show. French time trial champion Sylvain Chavanel ousted Kelderman from top spot in 3:38 only to be dislodged in turn by triple French pursuit champion Damien Gaudin on 3:37. Westra was the only late starter to pose a threat to Gaudin’s lead. But the Dutchman, who will still be a major contender this season, had to be content with third spot.
While Kelderman retained fourth place, Soupe held to a top five position making sure three Frenchmen finished in the top five of a major stage race prologue, a first in the last decade.
Result
1. GAUDIN Damien163 EUC in 03′ 37â€
2. CHAVANEL Sylvain171 OPQ @ 01â€
3. WESTRA Lieuwe11 VCD @ 1â€
4. KELDERMAN Wilco34 BLA @ 2â€
5. SOUPE GEOFFREY98 FDJ @ 2â€
6. VELITS Peter178 OPQ in @ 3â€
7. GALLOPIN Tony53 RLT in @ 3â€
8. BOZIC Borut152 AST in @ 3â€
9. TURGOT Sébastien168 EUC @ 4â€
10. GRIVKO Andriy154 AST @ 5â€
19. GESINK Robert31 BLA @ 6â€
24. BOONEN Tom172 OPQ @ 7â€
26. ALBASINI Michael82 OGE @ 8â€
32. PETACCHI Ales… 67 LAM @ 8â€
34. GILBERT Philippe101 BMC @ 8â€
59. VAN GARDEREN … 108 BMC@ 11â€
71. BAUER Jack142 GRS @ 11â€
82. MILLAR David145 GRS@ 12â€
119. VOIGT Jens58 RLT @ 15â€
122. MENCHOV Denis185 KAT @ 15â€
151. TIERNAN LOCKE … SKY @ 19â€
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Q&A Feature: Finlay Tarling
- Feature: Prologue Junior Race Team
- Feature Q&A: Max Cushway (2nd U23 Chrono des Nations TT)
- Features, Reports, Results
- CX Results: National Trophy Cyclopark (Day 1)
- CX Result: South East Regional Cyclocross Champs
- Q&A Sam Watson (FDJ – World Tour)
- Q&A: Antony Wallis (veteran champion)
- THIS WEEKEND: National Trophy Round 5 (Cyclopark)
- Team News: Tim Elverson Signs for Israel – Premier Tech
- Team News: New Boss at Ineos Announced
- CX Result: Welsh Cyclocross Championships
- CX Result: North of England CX Championships
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series #9
- CX Result: West Midlands Regional Championships
- CX Result: Western & Wessex CX Championships
- CX Result: Central CX Regional Championships
- CX Result: South West Regional CX Championships
- CX Result: Leicestershire Cyclo-Cross League 5
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League
- Track Result: Premier/First Divisions of Manchester Track League
- News: Scottish Awards Evening
- CX Result: 2023 Scottish Cyclo-Cross Championship
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #8
- CX Result: NWCCA League Rd 7
- CX Result: London and South East CX League 9
- CX Result: Shimano Lazer WMCCL R11
- News: TLI Cycling AGM
- CX Result: CCXL Round 10
- CX Result: Western CX League Rd 7
- CX Result: Lincolnshire CX League 10
- CX Result: CXNE Round 8 (Ponteland)
- CX Result: Wessex Cyclocross League Rd 9
- CX Result: South West Cyclocross League 7
- CX Result: Yorkshire Cyclo-Cross League 6
- The Pedal Club with Fred Wright
- CX Result: Eastern Region Cyclocross League
- Track Result: Premier/First Division Manchester Track League
- Products: Santini Adapt Multi Jacket
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #7
- CX Result: Scottish Cyclo-Cross League 5
- Q&A: Thomas Portsmouth (Bingoal WB)
- CX Result: NWCCA League Round 6
- CX Result: Shimano Lazer WMCCL Round 10
Other News on VeloUK
- THIS WEEKEND: National Trophy Round 5 (Cyclopark)
- Team News: Tim Elverson Signs for Israel – Premier Tech
- Team News: New Boss at Ineos Announced
- News: Scottish Awards Evening
- News: TLI Cycling AGM
- The Pedal Club with Fred Wright
- Team News: Finn Mason joins U23 Saint Piran Team
- Team News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT
- Team News: Saint Piran launches Women’s Elite MTB Team
- Team News: New for Saint Piran – Under 23 Team
- Team News: Harry Birchill stays with Saint Piran
- National Trophy CX – Round 4 Startlist
- Team News: Class of GB 2023/2024
- Feature: Q&A with Cormac Nisbet
- Team News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT
- Team News: Tofauti Everyone Active & dsm-firmenich
- BIKES: The Ribble Cycles Edit
- Q&A Feature: Finlay Tarling
- BMCR News: 2023 Stallard Series
- Obituary: Barrie Mitchell
- Feature: Prologue Junior Race Team
- Team News: RFDA cycling team finishes
- Team News: Harry Tanfield signs for Saint Piran
- News: GB for CX Europeans
- Manchester Regional Track League News:
- News: cyclo-cross commission at Derby
- Startlist: National Trophy Cyclocross Round 3 (Derby)
- Team News: Two More Years at Ineos for Geraint Thomas
- News: The Pedal Club Lunch October
- Startlist: RTTC National Hill Climb Championship
- Perfs Pedal: A Difficult Decision
- Startlist: Day 2 Round 2 National Trophy Cyclocross
- Startlist: Day 1 Round 2 National Trophy Cyclocross
- Coming Soon: Hill Climb Championships
- 2023 UCI World Masters Track Cycling Championships Day 4
- 93rd VeloViewer Monsal Hill Climb Event Preview
- Dedication to the late Steve Knight
- Saint Piran’s Remarkable Journey
- GB Riders for European Road Championships
- News: Ribble Launches Stone into Gravel