Demare wins stage 1 of 4 Jours de Dunkerque

It was a case of deju vu on stage one of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque as Arnaud Démare (FDJ) won the opening stage of the race for the second year in a row with Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Shimano) once-again runner up while last year Yannick Martinez was fifth but improved to claim third place in the sprint.

The opening stage of the race was a windy affair in Northern France which saw the peloton split in half. FDJ were backing Demaré to claim the line honours and the 22-year-old duly delivered after his team had controlled the race.

Despite starting the sprint out of position, Demaré raced to the win and into the leaders pink jersey.

"In the end, it was quite heated, said Demaré. "I worried when I found myself in fifteenth position 500 meters from the finish line. I produced a first sprint and with the momentum, I continued my effort past the riders to take the win.

Thanking his team for their work, Demaré explained that; "My team was outstanding, knowing that we could get a success. We get on well, we rode all the Classics. After Paris -Roubaix, I took nine days off the bike, I went on vacation, I cleared my head.

"Unlike last year, my goals are far away, so I'm less fit than in May 2013, but I win and so it is very encouraging. I owe it to my teammates."

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