Étoile de Bessèges: Mathieu Kockelmann rushes ahead of Dylan Groenewegen to win stage 2 in photo finish

A chaotic and painfully close dash for the line that decided stage 2 of the Étoile de Bessèges-Tour du Gard was narrowly won by young Luxembourg sprinter Mathieu Kockelmann (Lotto-Intermarché) ahead of leading favourite Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets).

Kockelmann had a long wait after the finish while commissaires deliberated whether he or the Dutch sprint star was the winner, but finally the 22-year-old got the nod for the second victory of his incipient career.

Kockelmann unfurled his move from a long way out on the rain-soaked, largely-flat stage between Saint-Gilles and Domessargues, with Groenewegen closing in fast, but unable to close the gap. Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello-Q36.5) claimed third.

There was heartbreak for Continental rider Arnaud Tendon (Van Rysel Roubaix), caught some 50 metres from the line by the speeding peloton after being the last survivor of the day-long break and battling his way to the finish in atrocious weather conditions.

Stage 1 winner Tom Crabbe (Baloise-Flanders), meanwhile, remained the overall leader for a second straight day.

"I was a bit shocked because I had to do the sprint for [teammate] Matys [Grisel] but then I just sprinted myself, I went for it for the line," Kockelmann said.

"I gave the maximum but it was very close. I had no idea [breakaway rider Tendon] was still out there when I sprinted. I just went for it, that's why I moved left a bit because I thought he was on my wheel, but he wasn't there."

How it unfolded

A fast start despite persistently rainy weather saw four riders get away early, namely Samuel Lerouz (TotalEnergies), Tendon, Axel Bouquet (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) and Maël Guégan (CIC Pro Cycling Academy).

Tendon's 1:17 gap on GC made him the best placed of the quartet and he quickly became the overall leader on the road as their advantage soared to over three minutes at the foot of the first of three small ascents of the day, the Côte de Clarensac. However, the much older Lerouz, a former Étoile stage winner back in 2024 amongst other wins on French soil, looked to be the most dangerous on paper.

Multiple teams kept the chase momentum moving, with Unibet Rose Rockets, riding for Dylan Groenewegen, lending overall leaders Flanders Baloise a hand. As the last classified climb of the day, the Côte de Montagnac, loomed through the murky low clouds and heavy rain, the four ahead saw the gap shredded to less than a minute. Bouquet was the first to crack, while Guégan managed to clinch maximum points again on the climb and go clear at the top of the ranking.

Pinarello-Q36.5, riding for Moschetti, upped the pace on the straight, exposed roads past the water-logged fields of bare vines that followed. The trio of breakaways were clearly visible to the pack at times and even encouraged the chasers to sit up a little, in order to ensure they were not caught too quickly. But with a 28 seconds margin stubbornly refusing to shrink with six kilometres to go, what looked like a definitive curtain-faller  for the break suddenly morphed into a more touch and go scenario for the trio ahead.

As the rain teemed down and the three pounded past umbrella-wielding spectators, not even the added presence of Lotto-Intermarché in the front of the bunch managed to reduce their margin. The wet conditions did not make it ideal to chase, so the bunch were likely very thankful when finally the break disintegrated of its own volition after Tendon attacked three kilometres from the line.

The race scenario changed a little more when about four riders went down in a crash just before a left-hand bend. Yet there were still 20 seconds to go at two kilometres for Tendon, and this was despite a more insistent organisation behind. The two other riders from the break, Lerouz and Guégan were caught, but Tendon was proving a much tougher nut to crack.

Ultimately, though, Tendon just ran out of gas as the barely-perceptible finish line approached and despite giving it his all. Kockelmann's early jump seemed reckless given the long-established calibre of the sprinters closing behind, yet he just managed to hold on and surprise the other fast men, even if he had to wait for almost 10 minutes before knowing he had won for sure.

Friday's stage, the hardest of the week with multiple ascents round the central race town of Bessèges, will likely play a major part in the overall battle, with Sunday's uphill time trial providing the definitive verdict.

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