Col Saint-Pierre hill climb: Marc Pernot wins the fiftieth edition of the legendary Gard event

Avec son proto Nova Marc Pernot a réalisé le sans faute. Midi Libre – ALAIN LAURET

À l’occasion de sa 50e édition, la course de côte de Saint-Jean du Gard Col Saint-Pierre a couronné le jeune Marc Pernot.

The Saint-Jean du Gard Col Saint-Pierre hill climb celebrated its 50th edition this weekend and, obviously, it deserved a winner worthy of the event.

After the ascent on Saturday, then the two on Sunday, the chronometer thus chose Marc Pernot, the indisputable winner of this fiftieth anniversary after having obtained the best time in each of his attempts on this famous Corniche des Cévennes road.

"I’have always particularly liked this plot"

Better still, this anniversary edition allowed the person concerned to take his first victory in the French championship, a week after having come close to it in the opening race of the season de Bagnols Sabran.

"I’have always particularly liked this route of Col Saint-Pierre, more favorable to my Nova prototype than that of Sabran. I had already finished third last year with a car that has evolved a lot since then, deciphered the 26-year-old Franc-Comtois as he savored his first success at this level. I knew the move was playable and after a climb on Saturday that I considered imperfect, I was keen to widen the gap on Sunday morning.& ;quot;

Six seconds apart

By approaching at this precise moment the absolute record of the hill, still owned by the Italian Christian Merlin, Marc Pernot thus dealt a decisive blow to his designated rival, Fabien Bourgeon , the winner of Bagnols Sabran. The latter had already burned a joker on Saturday due to a broken exhaust manifold of his Revolt prototype.

"Lack of luck, given the weather conditions it was the ideal round to set a good time. Those of Sunday were not more successful for me, with contact against a low wall then a final test disrupted by the exit of the road of another competitor, listed a Fabien Bourgeon became a bit fatalistic as he finished his weekend.

In the final classification by adding the two best rounds, as required by the regulations, it is ultimately almost six seconds which separate the two main contenders for the title of champion of France.

Frantz in third place

Having made a mistake during his last attempt at the helm of the Nova winner of the Col Saint-Pierre 2023, Cyrille Frantz nevertheless saved his third place against Maxime Cotleur (Norma) , while the former champion of the place, Sébastien Petit, followed suit while placing second in the European Cup.

Many regional players obviously shone in this ascent of the Col Saint-Pierre, notably Jérôme Jacquot (Formule Master) and Nicolas Verdier (Dallara F3), close to the top 10 overall, and Jérémy Avellaneda (Porsche Cup) who took the third step of the podium in the Production car category.