Skjelmose sprints to stage 2 win at the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var

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Mattias Skjelmose (Trek-Segafredo) took his second win of the season on stage 2 of the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var, sprinting to the line ahead of Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies).

Things came back together for the finale after a number of attacks leading into the last kilometres of the 179km stage. Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) was the last man standing from the early breakaway, holding on over the main climb of the day, the Col du Pilon, and getting caught at the 7km to go mark.

Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) would launch an attack heading into the closing kilometres of the stage but both he and race leader Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-Samsic) would see their efforts foiled by the chasing pack.

Despite the moves flowing at the front, a reduced peloton came together for the final run to the line and a sprint finish. Skjelmose, who beat Powless at Mont Bouquet at the Etoile de Bessèges at the start of the month, repeated the trick here to win once again.

Vauquelin retains the yellow jersey at the midway point of the three-day race, leading from Powless by seven seconds. Sunday's final stage brings a hilly 132.5km challenge to Vence.

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