Paris-Nice

Tuesday afternoon, Moulins returned to Paris-Nice for the first time in six decades. After hosting a stage finish at the 1959 edition, when Vito Favero beat Willy Vanitsen and Leon Vandeale at the end of a 210km stage which rolled out from Gien, the small town located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region welcomed again the peloton, which this time departed from Cepoy for what turned out to be an easier day for an already fatigued peloton.

The race came to life only inside six kilometres to go, when several riders dropped the hammer and tried to split the field in the crosswinds, but despite whipping up the pace and putting the bunch on the ropes, it all came down to the first and only mass gallop of the week, won by Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe).

Deceuninck – Quick-Step made their way towards the front with Fabio Jakobsen placed on his teammates’ wheel before the Dutchman found some space and opened his sprint on the middle of the road with 150 meters remaining. The 22-year-old, who returned to competition at Paris-Nice after illness kept him from going forward with his original schedule, claimed third place in Moulins, for his second podium at the race and our team’s third consecutive top 3 finish at Paris-Nice, which from tomorrow will take on a rougher terrain, meant to create gaps between the yellow jersey favourites.

Photo credit: ©Justin Setterfield/ Getty Images