Paris-Nice stage 2 - Live coverage

Stage 2 of Paris-Nice brings the peloton southwards from Auffargis to Orléans. The 159km stage has some early hills that should allow a break to forge clear, but the flat and fast approach to the finish means that the sprinters should be to the fore. The roads are exposed on the run-in, however, and there are plenty of changes in direction, too. Echelons are always an occupational hazard in the opening days of Paris-Nice. 

The peloton must also withstand the seemingly overwhelming force of Jumbo-Visma, who began bending Paris-Nice to their will with a startling show of strength in the finale on Sunday, when Christophe Laporte, Wout van Aert and Primož Roglič simply rode clear of the peloton and team time trialled to the finish, coming home 19 seconds up on Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) and at least 22 seconds ahead of everybody else. Van Aert and Roglič yielded stage honours and the first yellow jersey of the race to Laporte, a new signing from Cofidis. Roglič is already in a very strong position to wear that jersey in Nice next Sunday and, on yesterday's evidence, it would be a surprise Van Aert didn't notch up a stage win or two on the way to the Riviera.

General classification after stage 1

1          Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma        3:48:28

2          Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma    0:00:04

3          Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma   0:00:06

4          Pierre Latour (Fra) TotalEnergies      0:00:29

5          Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo           0:00:32

6          Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux

7          Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Movistar Team    

8          Fred Wright (GBr) Bahrain Victorious         

9          Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix

10        Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team         

11        Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo

12        Damien Touze (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team    

13        Samuele Battistella (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Team    

14        Nils Eekhoff (Ned) Team DSM        

15        Amaury Capiot (Bel) Arkea-Samsic 

16        Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe     

17        Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo         

18        Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis 

19        Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ

20        Hugo Houle (Can) Israel-Premier Tech

The peloton has assembled for the start in Auffargis, where the temperature is a chilly 3°C. The mercury should rise towards 9°C or so by the finish in Orlèans. An easterly wind of 20kph or so is forecast in the afternoon. 

Roll-out is at 12.15 local time, with the peloton due to hit kilometre zero at 12.25.

There are two classified climbs on the agenda today and they both come early.  The summit of the category 3 Côte des 17 Tournants (1.4km at 5%) is just 9.6km into the stage. The category 3 Côte de Choisel (1km at 6%) follows shortly afterwards.

Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) is a non-starter today. The European champion was distanced on the run-in to the finish yesterday and his team announced this morning that he is out of the race due to bronchitis. It's a blow to the Italian's Classics chances after he placed second last week at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in what was his first race of the season. Then again, Colbrelli raced only at Omloop, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and the Trofeo Laigueglia last year ahead of Milan-San Remo. Read more here.

The peloton is making its way through the neutralised zone ahead of the start proper in Auffargis. 

-159km

The peloton reaches kilometre zero and stage 2 of Paris-Nice is formally underway.

-156km

Some early aggression from Lotto Soudal, as Philippe Gilbert and Matthew Holmes slip off the front in the company of Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM). This trio has a lead of 20 or so seconds over the peloton. Holmes wears the king of the mountains jersey and he is eager to defend it on the day's two early climbs.

The peloton appears to be content to grant this trio some early leeway. Their leads quickly stretches out towards the one-minute mark.

-152km

Break:

Philippe Gilbert, Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Peloton at 1:15

Holmes, Gougeard and Gilbert hit the category 3 Côte des 17 Tournants (1.4km at 5%) more than a minute clear of the peloton.

-148km

Holmes is first over the Côte des 17 tournants, with Gilbert sweeping up behind in second and Gougeard in third. The Briton looks like spending another day in the polka dot jersey, with the Côte de Choisel (1km at 6%) following after 18km of the stage.

-144km

Break:

Philippe Gilbert, Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Peloton at 3:00

-141km

A crash in the peloton sees a number of riders from Israel Premier Tech and EF Education-EasyPost hit the ground, while Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) was also reportedly held up by the incident, though it seems as though everybody is quickly back up and running.

The three leaders, meanwhile, are tackling the Côte de Choisel (1km at 6%), and their advantage has stretched out to 3:35 as they hit the lower slopes. 

Gilbert, incidentally, was the best placed of the escapees on GC overnight, lying 2:14 off Laporte, and the Belgian is the maillot jaune virtuel. The actual wearer of the maillot à pois, his teammate Holmes, is already assured of wearing it again tomorrow. He has an insurmountable 4-point lead over the third man in the break, Alexis Gougeard. 

-136km

And, just to make certain, Holmes beat Gougeard and Gilbert to the top of the second climb, the Côte de Choisel. 

Situation:

Break:

Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Peloton at 3:35

Wout van Aert has only just returned to the peloton after his involvement in the earlier crash. The Belgian champion's return was complicated slightly when Trek-Segafredo briefly tested the waters - or rather, the wind - with an acceleration at the head of the bunch, but some calm has been restored, at least for the time being. 

-125km

After Trek-Segafredo's brief frisson of danger, calm reigns in the peloton for the time being. Gilbert, Holmes and Gougeard take advantage, stretching their lead to 4:15. 

Paris-Nice is not, of course, the only WorldTour race taking place today. Tirreno-Adriatico gets underway with an individual time trial in Lido di Camaiore, and Stephen Farrand will have all the news and reaction from Tuscany, as Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel face off in a stage race for the first time. “I expect him to be fast in the time trial and then we’ll see on the big climbs,” Pogačar said yesterday of the expected duel. “I can’t say how good he is, but for now he's shown he’s going well.” Stephen Farrand has the full story here.

-116km

Holmes, Gilbert and Gougeard pass through Dourdan with a lead of some 5:20 over the peloton. Per letour.fr, the three escapees covered a very brisk 44km in the opening hour of racing. 

Wout van Aert said Jumbo-Visma's striking show of collective force yesterday put him in mind of Mapei's 1-2-3 at the 1996 Paris-Roubaix, though a more apposite comparison might be the way Jumbo-Visma's predecessor Rabobank somehow seven riders in the break of ten on stage 2 of this race in 1999. On that occasion in Nangins, Andrei Tchmil managed to beat the odds and the Rabobank pairing of Markus Zberg and Leon van Bon in the sprint, but the day laid the foundations for Michael Boogerd's eventual overall victory. Like Boogered, Primož Roglič is in pole position for overall honours here after gaining 28 seconds on most of his GC rivals and 42 on defending champion Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe). “I was not sure still about my shape and my legs, but in the end I was in this situation with the strongest guys here. I also managed to keep pace with them,” Roglič said at the finish yesterday. Read the full story here.

-97km

Break:

Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Peloton at 5:50

Gilbert, Holmes and Gougeard are into the final 100km with a lead of almos tsix minutes, but it's hard to shake off the sense that this could be the calm before the storm in the peloton. The roads are flat and exposed on the approach to Orléans and there are ample changes in directioon. The wind isn't exactly a gale, but that doesn't mean it isn't strong enough to split the peloton. The echelon alert will be high from here on in. 

-89km

The peloton swings into a section of crosswind, the tension rises accordingly and an inevitable crash ensues. Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates) and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) are among the riders involved in the incident. 

Nils Eekhof (DSM) went down in the crash and he has abandoned Paris-Nice. Meanwhile, the peloton has splintered into three shards. 

Christophe Laporte, Primož Roglič and Wout van Aert are safely in the front portion of the peloton, which numbers 40 or so riders. 

-85km

Gougeard leads the escapees through the intermediate sprint in Pussay. The uptick in urgency in the peloton has since the break's lead drop rapidly to 4:00. The gap between the first and second portions of the peloton, meanwhile, stands at 15 seconds. 

As well as the Jumbo-Visma leaders, Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) is in the front part of the peloton, though that is hardly news. He lost valuable ground in echelons on stage 2 of the 2015 Tour de France but that was the exception rather than the rule: Quintana is almost invariably well placed in situations such as this. 

White jersey Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) is also in the front part of the peloton. Already winner of the Trofeo Alcudia in January, the Eritrean placed 6th yesterday and looks increasingly destined for success at WorldTour level this season. 

The first and second parts of the peloton have reformed, bringing Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange) back into contention, but there is still another group quite some way off the back. 

-73km

The stragglers are 50 seconds or so behind the main peloton, which is itself showing signs of splintering all over again in this crosswind. The break's lead, meanwhile, continues to shrink, contracting to 2:20.

-72km

Break:

Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Peloton at 1:52

AG2R-Citroën, Ineos and Total Energies are all present at the head of the reduced front part of the peloton, which is closing to within 1:30 of the escapees. A crash at the rear of that group sees Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma) among the fallers, and they face a grim battle to chase back on.

Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) was also caught up in that crash. He seemed to avoid falling, but it won't be easy to recoup the lost ground when the peloton is driving on the pace in the crosswind.

Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) and Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange) were reportedly also held up by that crash at the back of the front peloton, though we await visual confirmation of the American's location.

Riders in the front portion of the peloton include Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), Adam Yates, Daniel Martinez (Ineos), Simon Yates (BikeExchange) and Fabio Jakobsen (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl). Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) was up here, but he has reportedly been forced to a brief halt by a mechanical issue.

-65km

Break:

Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Yellow jersey group at 0:23

Peloton 2 at 1:15

Wout van Aert forces the pace for Jumbo-Visma in this very reduced yellow jersey group. Now Roglic in green and then Laporte in yellow come through to take their turns. They are almost upon the three escapees.

-63.5km

Gilbert, Holmes and Gougeard are caught by the yellow jersey group, which has splintered again under Jumbo-Visma's forcing... QuickStep join them, and now 25 or so riders are at the head of the race...

-62km

QuickStep and Jumbo-Visma's combined forcing has left a group of 20 or so riders in front, including Van Aert, Roglic, Laporte, Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma), Fabio Jakobsen, Zdenek Stybar, Yves Lampaert (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) and Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ). 

-60km

None of the Ineos riders has made that most recent split, and their efforts help to bring the first two groups together. There are still fewer than 40 riders at the head of the race, with the remants of the bunch scattered far behind them...

A puncture for Mike Teunissen sees Jumbo-Visma lose a rider from this front group. Roglic, Laporte and Van Aert are very safely aboard. 

This is absolute carnage... The yellow jersey group has split once again into three echelons, with Sam Bennett and Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) among those caught out.... Again, Jumbo-Visma and QuickStep are making the running. Ineos have Adam Yates, Luke Rowe and Daniel Martinez up there, while Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) and Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) also look smooth. 

Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious) is in the second group with Simon Yates (BikeExchange) Oliver Naesen (AG2R) for company.

The peloton, meanwhile, is at 1:15. Guillaume Martin and Biniam Girmay are among the riders back there after their earlier incidents. 

-53km

There are 25 riders at the head of the race, including Primoz Roglic, Christophe Laporte, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Fabio Jakobsen, Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar, Florian Senechal (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Alexander Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo), Adam Yates, Luke Rowe, Daniel Martinez (Ineos), Stefan Kung (Grouapama-FDJ), Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic), Ben O'Connor (AG2R-Citroën) and Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Fenix).

Simon Yates (BikeExchange), Sam Bennett and Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hangrohe) are in the second group, a handful of seconds down on the leaders. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) are in a group around a minute back, and the rest of the race is dispersed in echelons further back the road.

-50km

The Vlasov-Yates-Bennett group is still chasing gamely 20 seconds or so down on the leaders, but they don't have the numbers or the firepower of the bigger yellow jersey group. The third group on the road, contanining Girmay, Martin, Schachmann, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) is 1:56 down on the leaders, and they won't come back before Orléans.

-45km

Brandon McNulty's early-season form made him a real contender for overall victory here, but the American's hopes look like suffering a decisive blow here. He's not the only one, of course. Jumbo-Visma and QuickStep's alliance of circumstance in this crosswind looks like reducing the GC contenders considerably.

-44km

That said, the second group on the road containing Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Simon Yates (BikeExchange) is giving chase and they might well latch back up to Roglic et al. The rest of the race, however, is more than two minutes back...

-43km

The group containing Vlasov, Simon Yates and Jack Haig has managed to claw its way back up to Roglic and company. Sam Bennett has thus also fought is way back into contention for the stage win. The leaders have 2:04 in hand on a group containing Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Brandon McNulty, João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) and Neilson Powless (EF-EasyPost).

-39km

There was a brief détente in the yellow jersey group after Vlasov, Simon Yates and Haig got back on, as everybody took the opportunity to feed ahead of the finale. That short respite saw Martin et al shave their deficit back to 1:50 or so, but now the pace is picking up again in the the front group, which numbers 35 or so riders. 

-37km

Christophe Laporte wins the intermediate sprint in Trainou ahead of his teammate Wout van Aert to extend his lead atop the overall standings. 

-33km

Yellow jersey group:

Primoz Roglic, Christophe Laporte, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Fabio Jakobsen, Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar, Florian Senechal (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo), Adam Yates, Luke Rowe, Daniel Martinez (Ineos), Kevin Geniets, Stefan Kung (Grouapama-FDJ), Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic), Ben O'Connor, Oliver Naesen (AG2R-Citroën), Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Fenix), Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Sam Bennett, Ryan Mullen, Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates), Philippe Gilbert, Matthews Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Owain Doull, Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM)

Chasers at 1:30:

Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Brandon McNulty, João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty), Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost)

-31km

Jumbo-Visma's Van Hooydonck takes up the reins at the head of the group. The race is still in crosswind for now, then it swings into tailwind at Saint-Denis-de-l’Hôtel with 24km to go. There is a further turn back into crosswind at Saint-Syr-en-Val with a shade under 10km remaining.

-29km

The chasers, meanwhile, have made some inroads into this powerful leading group's advantage. The on-screen graphic suggest a second group is 50 seconds down on the leaders, but it appears the Schachmann-Martin group is the third group on the road, at 1:25.

-27km

Oliver Naesen sets the pace in the front group, which is 45 seconds up on a group that includes Matteo Jorgensen (Movistar) and Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma). The Martin-Schachmann-McNulty group is at 1:11. 

-25km

Even though AG2R have Naesen and O'Connor in front, they are contributed to the chasing in the second group on the road, where Luke Durbridge is also working on behalf of Groenewegen. 33 seconds separate the front and second groups. The third group is at 1:15. 

-22km

Van Hooydonck takes over again for Jumbo-Visma as the front group enters a section of tailwind with a lead just under 30 seconds. The stage winner should come from this group, but it's not quite over for the chasers behind. For Schachmann, McNulty et al, the rest of this stage is an exercise in damage limitation.

-20km

Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain Victorious) leads the front group for Jack Haig. Jumbo-Visma are happy to let him to it for now, but one wonders if they will look to outmanoeuvre Jakobsen and Sam Bennett before the finale in Orléans.

-18km

The yellow jersey group has 30 seconds in hand on the Groenewegen group and 1:10 on the McNulty-Almeida-Schachmann group. 

-16km

A reminder of the names in this front group, which is 25 seconds clear of the first chasers and 1:10 up on McNulty et al:

Primoz Roglic, Christophe Laporte, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Fabio Jakobsen, Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar, Florian Senechal (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo), Adam Yates, Luke Rowe, Daniel Martinez (Ineos), Kevin Geniets, Stefan Kung (Grouapama-FDJ), Nairo Quintana, Matis Louvel (Arkea-Samsic), Ben O'Connor (AG2R-Citroën), Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Fenix), Jack Haig, Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain Victorious), Sam Bennett, Ryan Mullen, Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates), Philippe Gilbert, Matthews Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Owain Doull, Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies), Luca Mozzato, Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM), Cees Bol, Soren Kragh Andersen (DSM)

-14km

Van Hooydonck, Naesen and Luis Leon Sanchez are the men setting the tempo at the head of the race, but now Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost) launches an attack...

Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) and yellow jersey Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) bridge across to Bissegger, and the rest of the group string out behind them.

-12.5km

Bissegger, Kung, Laporte and Gilbert are brought back. Almost immedately, Kung has another go, but Stybar shuts it down. Now Roglic drifts to the front to keep the pace high.

-11km

Naesen comes back to the front of the yellow jersey group, but the Jumbo-Visma delegation starts to move up ahead of the right-hand turn into crosswind...

-10km

Van Hooydonck sets the pace on the front. Rowe, Yates and Martinez are also prominent for Ineos. Matthew Holmes, meanwhile, has been dropped from the front group, but the Briton has already guaranteed himself another day in the polka dot jersey.

-9km

Van Hooydonck leads with Rowe, Yates and Martinez tucked in behind him. Van Aert is also well placed.

-8km

The second group on the road has closed to within sight of the leaders. They seem to be inching closer, as Cofidis and Movistar lead the chase. The McNulty-Almeida group is still some way back the road. 

-7km

Stefen Bissegger has another go off the front, opening a small gap over the yellow jersey group. That acceleration sees the gap between the first and second groups open slightly once again.

A crash in the second group sees Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma) and Matteo Joergensen (Movistar). A touch of wheels sees Jorgensen go down and Kruijswijk came with him. The confusion might doom that group's pursuit of the leaders...

-5km

Stefan Bissegger leads alone into the final 5km, with the Ineos-led yellow jersey group not far behind him...

-4km

Bissegger maintains his slender lead into the final 4km. The Swiss is a redoubtable rouleur and he won't fade. It will require a spirited pursuit to being him back.

-3km

QuickStep-AlphaVinyl take up the reins with 3km to go. Stybar, Lampaert and Senechal lead on behalf of Jakobsen, who has Molano and Laporte parked on his rear wheel.

-2.5km

Lampaert's chase effort is gradually clawing back Bissegger's lead...

-2km

Bissegger is caught with 2km to go. Jakobsen will be the favourite in a sprint, but Van Aert, Bennett, Molano and Mads Pedersen will provide stiff opposition...

-1.5km

QuickStep lead into the final 1500m. It's been a long, long effort from Lampaert, and that will save Senechal to lead out the sprint for Jakobsen...

-1km

Stybar takes over beneath the flamme rouge. Laporte is behind Jakobsen, with Van Aert parked on his wheel...

Senechal begins to lead out the sprint but Laporte moves past him with a massive acceleration...

Van Aert kicks for the line, but Jakobsen comes with him...

Fabio Jakobsen (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) wins stage 2 of Paris-Nice.

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) took second and it looks like Luke Mezgec (BikeExchange-Jayco) might have pipped Laporte to third. 

Laporte held on for third ahead of Mezgec and the Frenchman will hold the yellow jersey. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) took fifth ahead of teammate Jasper Stuyven.

Result

1 Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 03:22:54
2 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma
3 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma
4 Luka Mezgec (Slo) BikeExchange-Jayco
5 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
6 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
7 Luca Mozzato (Ita) B&B Hotels-KTM
8 Juan Sebastian Molano Benavides (Col) UAE Team Emirates
9 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroen Team
10 Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM

General classification

1 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma 07:11:15
2 Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma 00:00:05
3 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma 00:00:11
4 Pierre Latour (Fra) TotalEnergies 00:00:36
5 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 00:00:38
6 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 00:00:39
7 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
8 Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
9 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis
10 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe

Fabio Jakobsen on his stage win: "I think Paris-Nice is echelons and sprints in the first couple of days, and then around Nice we go to the mountains, so I have to do it in the first days. Yesterday was too hard and we were focused today - we love echelons at Quickstep and we were in with four guys. I'm just happy I could finish it off for the team.

"I have to say, the boys from Jumbo were again with three among the strongest. It definitely was not easy, but like I said, we love echelons and we had a lot of motivation before the stage. Even though the legs hurt during 60km of full gas, we could still make it.

"Yves did a major pull then Stybar took over with Florian. Maybe Florian waited just a bit too long with his lead-out and then they could go first. But I was always sheltered behind him, and I could launch myself to the wheel of Van Aert and pass on the right. It was a bit uphill in the end, and I like to sprint like that. It's nice to be on the podium above those two.

"You want to win in those races, especially in Paris-Nice. The races before were the aperitif, now we come to the starter, as Patrick Lefevere would say. It's nice and from here we'll keep going."