Gorka Izagirre wins 2019 Tour de La Provence

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John Degenkolb of Trek-Segafredo won the fourth and last stage of the Tour de La Provence ahead of Simon Clarke from EF Education First on Sunday. Clarke gained enough time bonus to equal race leader Gorka Izagirre of Astana on time but the Spanish national champion was declared the fourth winner of the event after Thomas Voeckler, Rohan Dennis and Alexandre Geniez because of his advantage in hundredth of a second in the opening time trial.

"The first victory is always very important and it's good when it comes as early as in the second race of the season," said the German winner of Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix in 2015. "I’m very happy. We did a strong race as a team in the last four stages. We were already second yesterday [with Toms Skujins] and today we take the win, not only me but the whole team. It’s a fantastic victory that motivates me for the next races."

It was an eventful stage that started in style in front of the Popes' Palace in Avignon. Third on the line of the intermediate sprint behind Philippe Gilbert and Clarke after 12km of racing, Tony Gallopin of AG2R-La Mondiale took one second bonus that enabled him to round out the final podium.

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King of the Mountains Lilian Calmejane from Direct Energie threatened Izagirre’s lead throughout a royale breakaway that also included stage 1 winner Filippo Ganna (Sky), Fausto Masnada (Androni Giocattoli), Lluis Mas (Movistar), Sébastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ) and Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-QuickStep). The maximum time gap was three minutes after one hour of racing. Astana set the pace of the peloton until AG2R-La Mondiale came in help with 50km to go.

Best young rider David Gaudu of Groupama-FDJ was the last attacker along with Eddie Dunbar of Team Sky. They were reined under the red flame of the last kilometre. Third on the line, Anthony Maldonado from the French continental team St-Michel-Auber 93 eventually deprived Gallopin of the final victory as he took third place and the Parisian had to settle for fourth with no more time bonus.

"All week I’ve missed out on something," the Frenchman lamented. "I'm very frustrated to leave the race win no stage win and no overall win. I believe we could although I was not at my best due to sickness and antibiotics. However, the positive point is that I have good form."

The other frustrated rider was Clarke. "We knew it would come down to seconds and every day I've missed some seconds," the Australian said. "I got squeezed in two final sprints and today, Philippe [Gilbert] beat me at the intermediate sprint by nothing. That was the difference. I don't understand why he sprinted but that’s racing, anyone can do what they want. It was really close but I have to accept that. I wasn’t expecting to come second on the finishing line as I’m not a pure sprinter but I knew Degenkolb was fast and I made sure I found his wheel in the last corner."

On the other hand, Izagirre was delighted to get his first ever stage race victory at the age of 31 one week after his brother Ion won the Vuelta Valenciana. "I’m very happy, very very happy," the Spaniard said. "It's been a very demanding and stressful finale but we made it. Mission accomplished. It’s a very big victory. I’m normally a team worker. I’m glad I got confidence from the team to ride for myself."

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