FIC Trans’roller : the team and the number four
The team of Levallois Sporting Club was in East of France this week-end for the last but one stage of the French Inline Cup, the famous Trans’roller of Pontarlier. The two days of races were skated under sunny skies and good temperatures, with more than 1000 skaters overall.
Matthieu Barrault and Kévin Gauclin were both not able to be at time for the team relay race of Saturday. So that Julien Levrard and Vincent Esnault had to confront teams of three skaters, among them the green of Matter, the orange of RPM Poli and the team of Rollerblade France. They ended the race in a group of five in which the team of Levallois captured the fourth place.
Sunday: the 34km race
The race started at 10:30 with the main favourites of the FIC 2007, Yann Guyader (Team Matter), Matthieu Boher (RPM Poli, yellow jacket), Julien Sourisseau (Sarthe.Loops Racing) and Julien Levrard. Right from the start, the skaters from these main teams attacked, such as Richard Deniaud, Sébastien Babault, Thomas Boucher or Ewen Fernandez. Vincent Esnault went with them in order to protect his leaders. But no one was able to prevent from the 10km break of Deniaud and Fernandez: they were caught back in at 5kms to the end. At this moment, Kévin Gauclin was leading Julien Levrard in the pace to prepare the massive sprint. But Julien was not in a top shape and finished at the 10th rank… Whereas Kévin took an honourable fourth place, behind Guyader, Boucher and Boher.
Conclusion
Julien Levrard will probably finish the FIC series at the fourth or third rank of the overall. He will not be there for the final stage of the FIC of Les Herbiers because he’s going to the 100kms of New York with Philippe Boulard, Matthieu Barrault and Benoît Perthuis. Vincent by himself will race the Roller Marathon of 3 Valleys and the Marathon of Les Herbiers the next two week-ends.