Arnaud Demare wins Paris-Nice stage one by millimetres

A photo finish was required to separate Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) and Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) on the opening stage of the 2018 Paris-Nice in Meudon.

Arnaud Demare leads a four-way charge to the line in Meudon
Photo credit: cyclingnews.com
Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) and Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) came third and fourth respectively, as the tricky cobbled uphill section with 2km to go spliced together general classification contenders, sprinters and classics specialists - as happened on the same stage of last season.

Overall race contenders Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) fell victim to a crash inside the final 3km, losing time on general classification and an earlier crash with 35km to go forced Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) to abandon. 

The Race

Jurgen Roelandts (BMC Racing), Pierre Rolland (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannonale) and Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo-Samsic) made up the early breakaway out of Chatou as the race headed 135km to Meudon through the wind and rain.

Perichon will wear the King of the Mountains polka-dot jersey tomorrow after claiming maximum points over both category three climbs at the midway point of the stage, while Roelandts won the intermediate sprint.

Mitchelton-Scott took to the front of the peloton inside 40km and tried to take advantage of the strong winds. The peloton didn't break-up as hoped but the ensuing chaos caused a minor crash that left Van Garderen on the deck and off to hospital for a scan. 
 
Lotto-Soudal and Mitchelton-Scott were fighting for position into the last 7km, with Andre Greipel riding on the front to set up his teammate, Wellens, who was far more suited to the finish than himself.

The race-imploding crash occurred at 2.5km to go and Groupama-FDJ capitalised, with the French team setting up Demare for a sprint against Bahrain-Merida's versatile climber, Izagirre.

The Frenchman and Spaniard took to opposite sides of the cobbled finale as the two scrambled up the incline. Demare briefly slip-streamed behind Izagirre before swinging out and lunging for the line. The finish was so close that officials took minutes to deliberate over the photo, before confirming that the French national champion has won the stage by mere millimetres.

With this win Demare maintains his record of winning the opening stage in the last three editions of Paris-Nice (2016 was proceeded by a prologue but didn't count towards the race).

Stage Result

1. Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ)
2. Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) 
3. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis)
4. Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal)
5. Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb)
6. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) all same time
7. Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) at 2"
8. Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing) at 2"
9. Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) at 2"
10. Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) at "

General Classification

1. Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) in 3-07-29
2. Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) at 4"
3. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) at 6"
4. Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) at 10"
5. Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb) at 10"
6. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) at 10"
7. Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) at 12"
8. Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing) at 12"
9. Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) at 12"
10. Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) at 12 secs"

General Classification contenders who lost out

80. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) at 1'48"
145. Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) at 5'24"


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