Trentin victorious in Paris-Tours

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Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors) claimed his second Paris-Tours victory in three years, out-gunning Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) in a dramatic finale. Niki Terpstra crossed the line in third to give the Belgian team two riders on the podium.

Quick-Step Floors had pre-race favourite and defending champion Fernando Gaviria in the pack, but they had to think quickly when the Colombian was felled on a slick corner. Gaviria made it back to the tail end of the peloton, but it was clear that he was not going to get back to the front for the sprint. Taking his opportunity, Trentin attacked on the Côte de Beau Soleil and blew the peloton apart.

The Italian initially took other sprinters such as BMC's Jempy Drucker with him, as others scrambled to catch up. An increase in pace soon left Trentin with just Kragh Andersen for company, before Terpstra managed to clear the gap. Terpstra had been one of the last riders to make the initial split, after toiling across the gap, but this time his teammate eased the pace to allow him to get across.

Quick-Step made good use of their numeric advantage, putting Terpstra at the front to take the brunt of the work. After a few tactical discussions, the chasers were visible back down the road, but the Belgian squad had time to execute their move perfectly. Trentin was first to strike out and Kragh Andersen was quick onto his wheel, but the Sunweb rider could do nothing to get past the charging Italian. It was the perfect way to close Trentin's career with Quick-Step Floors as he sets sail for Orica-Scott over the winter.

"I did what I did two years ago when I won. Of course, it was a bit different. We were in a big bunch and there weren't echelons here today. You know, with the light rain, the wet, and the course that was designed a bit different, it was a bit more technical in the approach to the climb," said Trentin. "I saw that the bunch was straight and people were making big efforts to stay in the front so I decided to give it a go.

"The first group formed and then with the second one I saw we were two and then I saw Niki so I decided to wait and then we worked perfectly together. He really made a perfect lead-out together. That's my way to finish the season and to thanks the team for these last seven year. I said it this morning in Instagram that the best way to end this chapter was winning and I did it and it's a nice feeling."

The day was marked by a five-man breakaway that moved clear in the opening kilometres. Romain Combaud (Delko Marseille Provence KTM), Michael Goolaerts (Verandas Willems Crelan), Lawrence Naesen (WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect), Stephan Poulhies (Armee de Terre) and Brian van Goethem (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij) were the riders to go up the road. They built up a lead of over four minutes before the peloton cut them down to closer to three minutes.

With Gaviria in their line-up, the other teams were more than happy to allow Quick-Step Floors set the pace on the front of the bunch with Iljo Keisse spending most of the race on the front. It was only as the race reached the final 70 kilometres that teams really began to pitch in and help them.

At just over 30 kilometres remaining, the pace began to show in the leading group as riders were dropped one by one. Poulhies was the first to go and Goolaerts wasn't too far behind after he went too deep on a corner as the rain began to fall. Naesen looked the strongest as he dug in and dropped Comboud soon after. He and Van Goethem held on a few more kilometres but it was clear that they were not going to stay out there and with 20 kilometres remaining the gap was only 20 seconds.

The race appeared to be heading inexorably towards a sprint finish until Gaviria slid out going around a right-hand bend. He was quick to get up, but it took time to sort his bike out and it left him with plenty of ground to make up just as the race was really ramping up. AG2R La Mondiale was not about to wait for the defending champion and they put the hammer down, leaving Gaviria stuck at the back of the bunch without the power or energy to get back to the front.

The final nail for Gaviria was the Côte de Beau Soleil when Trentin decided to make his move. He could be seen slipping back with only Zdenek Stybar for company as several members of his team shot up the road after Trentin. The gaps were never too large, but it was enough for Quick-Step to make it their third straight victory at the sprinters' Classic, with Trentin taking his second. Max Richeze and Yves Lampaert made it four riders in the top 10 for the Belgian team, while Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) took fourth place by winning the sprint from the chase group.

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