Place Name: Avenue De Luminy
Address: 171 Avenue De Luminy, 13009 Marseille, France
Details: February 2, 2025
Over 2,800M of elevation over 164KM makes for a tough introduction for the riders to the first race of the mainland European season. The final 35KM contains the 4KM climb up the Route des Crêtes which averages over 7%, and the Col de la Gineste which is in two parts. The first is 2KM at 6% and the second is 1.3KM at over 4% but it ends 7KM from the finish which could be a springboard for an attacking rider.
The race was fully on by the time TV pictures were broadcast at 71KM to go. The breakaway of Rayan Boulahoite of TotalEnergies, Michiel Lambrecht of Wagner-Bazin WB, Morné Van Niekerk of St. Michel-Preference Home, Kenny Molly of Van Rysel Roubaix, and Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto had just 1 minute on a very active peloton. Rémi Cavagna of Groupama-FDJ tried to bridge up to the break but Oscar Chamberlain of Decathlon AG2R stuck to his wheel and never gave him a turn. The pair got within 30 seconds but without help, the gap expanded out and they were eventually caught with 45KM to go.
When Cavagna was brought back, Groupama-FDJ took control and quickly had the gap within 30 seconds. Boulahoite was the last survivor from the break when they hit the Route des Crêtes. The bunch exploded with 2KM left to climb as Arkéa-B&B Hotels and Ineos were attacking which eventually formed a group including Axel Laurance and Josh Tarling of Ineos, Kévin Vauquelin of Arkéa-B&B Hotels, and Paul Seixas of Decathlon AG2R. Vauquelin attacked near the top and got rid of Tarling but on the descent, Tarling got back on and had Timo Kielich of Alpecin-Deceuninck with him to make five riders at the front with 22.5KM to go.
Off the descent, Groupama-FDJ started to pull the bunch and eventually got some help from Cofidis. At the front, Vauquelin made the first move to go solo at 13.5KM to go. He was dragged back but it set off a series of attacks on the Col de la Gineste. Cofidis got the gap got down to under 20 seconds which spurred Vauquelin to attack again. Laurance, Kielich, and Seixas caught Vauquelin with 3KM to go at the bottom of the Col de la Gineste.
All that was left on the route was a small rise to the finish line in front of the Marseille University-Luminy. They slowed way down with 1500M to go but Kielich picked things back up under 1KM to go. The leaders played around too much and got caught by the peloton with around 600M to go. Benjamin Thomas of Cofidis started the lead out with 450M to go but it was Vincent Van Hemelen of Flanders-Baloise that started the sprint 300M from the line. He led around the sweeping corners through the gentle right and threw his bike toward the line. Valentin Ferron of Cofidis was in his wheel the entire way until 75M to go when he made his last effort and the pair where locked together on the finish line. It came down to a photo that showed Ferron as the winner by the slimmest of margins. Behind, Francisco Galván of Equipo Kern Pharma took third place, matching his third place result from 2022.
Tags: Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille La Marseillaise, 2025, February, Marseille, Rayan Boulahoite, Michiel Lambrecht, Morné Van Niekerk, Kenny Molly, Baptiste Veistroffer, Rémi Cavagna, Oscar Chamberlain, Axel Laurance, Josh Tarling, Kévin Vauquelin, Paul Seixas, Timo Kielich, Benjamin Thomas, Vincent Van Hemelen, Valentin Ferron, Francisco Galván