Despite crossing the line first on stage 2 of the Route d'Occitanie, Noa Isidore (Decathlon CMA CGM) was denied a first professional victory by the race jury, after being relegated for his actions in the sprint.
Isidore celebrated across the line as he narrowly pipped Ronan Augé (Unibet Rose Rockets), but that elation was quickly stunted after the host broadcast that an official result would have to wait pending a decision from the jury.
TV replays highlighted how Isidore had used his elbow several times in the fight for position in the final kilometre, to hold the position on the back of his lead-out train as he ended up sandwiched between race leader Thibaud Gruel (Groupama-FDJ United) and a St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93 rider.
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Augé, the son of former pro Stephane, was awarded the win retrospectively, his first as a professional. As a result, it moved Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello Q36.5) up to second on the stage, Axel Zingle (Visma-Lease a Bike) up to third, and orange jersey Gruel up to fourth.
"The emotions are pretty wild because I was really, really disappointed right after crossing the line," Augé said. "I’ve been knocking on the door these past few weekends; I really wanted this one. I had really targeted this stage and came so close - and then, well, I think race circumstances played a part. I was right up there regardless, so yeah, it’s pure joy."
Gruel held onto his overall lead of the race, despite missing out on back-to-back wins in the sprint following a near-perfect approach to the gruelling uphill final sprint by his teammates in the last 5km.
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