Lois Berrehar photo Alexis Courcoux
With less than 50 miles to the long awaited finish line of the second stage of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, from Kinsale to Roscoff, Corentin Horeau (Banque Populaire) leads a tightly matched group of three who are effectively within one mile of each other. Along with young Basile Bourgnon (EDENRED) who is almost alongside him and Lois Berrehar (Skipper MACIF 2022), this leading trio have a small cushion as they reach in towards the finish line at around 5.5 to 6kts. But the danger is far from over, although they are reported to have around 10kts of breeze this morning, once more the winds are due to die near the line and so really anything could happen. Land’s End last night saw yet another compression – a virtual park up when the leaders were scarcely moving – and Horeau and Bourgnon managed to wriggle free. Also in that leading peloton is young rookie Benoit Tuduri (CAPSO Tuduri), the solo racer from Med who lost out on the Stage 1 win into Kinsale because he broke the class rules regarding stacking material outside the guardrails. Horeau and Bourgnon have show remarkable tenacity, the real mental fortitude which marks out top Solitaire racers. At Chicken Rock Horeau was 18th 33 miles behind the leader, Bourgnon 21st at 37.5 miles behind. Will they be able to hang on to the finish line or will there be another change before the line?