After coming up just short in Saturday's Primus Classic, Arnaud Démare claimed the victory in a bunch sprint at the Grand Prix d'Isbergues. The Groupama-FDJ rider beat Marc Sarreau (AG2R Citroën) and Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo).
On the mostly flat 197km route, the sprint was all but inevitable. An early breakaway with Samuel Leroux, Jérémy Leveau (Go Sport-Roubaix Lille Métropole), Joris Delbove (St Michel-Auber 93), Yannis Voisard (Tudor), Théo Delacroix (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Markus Hoelgaard (Trek-Segafredo) and Cyril Gautier (B&B Hotels-KTM) was kept on a short leash.
Five of the original escapees remained together on the last lap of 12km and, as the peloton began to reel them in, Hoelgaard tried to steal the show with a late solo attack.
It wasn't meant to be for the Norwegian, and Démare handily claimed the mass sprint.
Results powered by FirstCycling
-
Rwanda Road World Championships - Riders to watch in the elite women's individual time trial
Can Marlen Reusser finally take the rainbow jersey in hilly race against the clock on the streets of Kigali -
Tour de Luxembourg: Romain Grégoire takes first leader's jersey with stage 1 victory
Frenchman out-paces Marijn van den Berg and Marc Hirschi on opening stage -
Arnaud De Lie delivers sprint victory into Namur at Grand Prix de Wallonie
Emilien Jeannière and Biniam Girmay follow for second, third positions as late attack by Victor Lafay falls short -
Tour of Slovakia: Paul Magnier best in bunch sprint for stage 1 victory
Lukáš Kubiš and Joppe Heremans sprint to podium spots
