Dutchman Cees Bol won the second stage of the 2021 Paris-Nice weeklong race at the end of a crash-marred 188-km route between Oinville-sur-Montcient and Amilly on Monday.
After several riders were not able to contest the final sprint after being held up behind a late crash, Bol produced his effort with 50 metres to go and beat former world champion Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Australian Michael Matthews.
Matthews, who picked up a time bonus in an intermediate sprint, took the overall leader’s yellow jersey from first stage winner Sam Bennett.
Bennett finished fifth.
It was Bol’s first victory since he prevailed in the Tour of Algarve’s third stage over a year ago.
“I was in just the right place going into the final corner and that did the trick,” said the Dutch DSM rider who was fastest to react to the fall.
New Zealander George Bennett’s helmet was broke in two as he crashed heavily but the Jumbo-Visma rider was quickly back on his bike despite appearing slightly disoriented.
He chatted briefly with the race’s medical staff while on his bike as he tried to ride his way back into the peloton.
France’s Alexis Vuillermoz abandoned with a suspected shoulder injury when he was one of several riders to take a tumble.
Tuesday’s third-stage is a 14.4-km individual time trial around Gien.
“I came here to try everything I could,” said Mathews at the post-race press conference. “With the breakaways not really going, it gave us opportunities to go for the intermediate sprints, take seconds back and take the jersey.
“I knew I wasn’t the fastest guy here so I tried to position well and sprint as best I could and, in the end, today I was third. There was time bonuses for the third place and so I got it and will get to wear it tomorrow in the time trial.
“It is nice that the hard work from the last two days pays off and I can pull on the yellow jersey for the team. The team were positioning me all day to make sure I could get up for all the intermediate sprint and also for the final sprint, so it is a really good day for us.
“To be wearing the jersey at least for one-day, I am really looking forward to that. It is amazing, everybody is fully committed to the plan and I am just trying to execute it as best I can and I will try my best with every opportunity, I get to pay them back.
“I haven’t done a time trial yet (this season), everything has been going well with my time trial training so hopefully I do a good TT tomorrow and continue with the jersey,” Matthews concluded.
2021 Paris-Nice Results Stage 2 Brief Results:
- Cees Bol (DSM) 4:27:59
- Mads Pedersen (Trek – Segafredo) ST
- Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange)
General Classification after stage 2:
- Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) 8:19:23
- Mads Pedersen (Trek – Segafredo) +0:04
- Sam Bennet (Deceuninck-Quickstep) +0:04
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