Open fields between Auffargis and Orléans with a strong easterly wind, the ideal scenario for fans in Paris-Nice. It quickly caused nervousness on the French roads: Van Aert already crashed after 14 kilometers and had to chase alone for a while.
Three riders didn’t feel like fiddling around in the peloton: polka dot jersey Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal) was joined by teammate Philippe Gilbert and Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM). Together they gathered a lead of 6 minutes.
Until after 60 kilometers the wind pounded on the left flank. After a crash by Matteo Trentin and Nils Eekhoff, among others, the first cracks appeared in the peloton. When a large group with Mollema, McNulty, Girmay and Degenkolb went down, chaos was the trump card.
Jumbo-Visma was able to avoid the crowd and made a new selection. The front fan shattered into three groups, the Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl brigade held up.
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After Neuville-aux-Bois the wind died down again and the front echelons melted together again. It was written in the stars: a sprint was inevitable, even if Stefan Bissegger made two more attempts to write another screenplay.
With three pawns in front of him, Fabio Jakobsen was sitting in a seat, but Jumbo-Visma still tried to surprise. Leader Laporte launched Wout van Aert, but the Belgian champion also had to bow to the winner of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
Christophe Laporte, who took the podium in 3rd place, remains the leader. He still sees teammates Van Aert and Roglic in his tracks in the general classification.
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“The first days in Paris-Nice are fans and sprints. Then the mountains follow, so I have to do it in the first days,” said Jakobsen. “We love fans and were very motivated.”
“The Jumbo-Visma boys were very strong again, it was not easy. But I still had three men ahead of me, so I’m glad I could finish it.”
“Yves (Lampaert, red) has put on a great sprint, but Florian (Sénéchal, red) may have waited a little too long with his lead-out. But I can still sprint to Van Aert’s wheel and finish it. sprint slightly uphill.”
In any case, Jakobsen’s hunger has not been quenched yet. On the contrary. “If Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne was the aperitif, then this is the starter,” the Dutchman concluded.
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