Paris-Nice 2019: Groenewegen again in windswept race

The 2nd stage of Paris-Nice travels in a virtually straight line south. The race is played out with a strong (tail)wind on predominantly flat and exposed roads. Echelons all over the place before Dylan Groenewegen sprints to his second win in this year's Race to the Sun (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage Paris-Nice 2019

1. Dylan Groenewegen (nld)
2. Iván García (spa) s.t.
3. Philippe Gilbert (bel) s.t.
4. Matteo Trentin (ita) s.t.
5. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) s.t.
6. Luis León Sánchez (spa) s.t.
7. Egan Bernal (col) s.t.
8. Arnaud Démare (fra) + 0.05
9. André Greipel (ger) s.t.
10. Mike Teunissen (nld) s.t.

GC after stage 2
1. Dylan Groenewegen (nld)
2. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 0.12
3. Luis León Sánchez (spa) + 0.13
4. Philippe Gilbert (bel) + 0.16
5. Egan Bernal (col) + 0.19
6. Matteo Trentin (ita) + 0.20
7. Tony Gallopin (fra) + 0.22
8. Rudy Molard (fra) + 0.23
9. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
10. Oliver Naesen (bel) + 0.24

23. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.25
25. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.
27. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) s.t.
28. George Bennett (nzl) s.t.
34. Bob Jungels (lux) + 0.35
47. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.52
71. Simon Yates (gbr) + 7.04

Race report
KOM-leader Damien Gaudin attacks straight from the gun with Nicolas Edet and Alessandro De Marchi. The trio tackles the first climb, Côte de Senlisse, 1 minute ahead of the main group. Gaudin cements his KOM lead at the top.

The peloton breaks shortly after the Senlisse. The first group – with leader Groenewegen – gobbles up the three leaders and following a chase the second group restores the contact. Florian Sénéchal pockets 4 KOM points on the second hill of the day, Côte des Granges-le-Roi.

At kilometre 58 the peloton splits again. Gorka Izagirre crashes out of contention, while Simon Yates and Bob Jungels are spotted in the third echelon.

Michal Kwiatkowski seizes the opportunity to win a time bonus of 3 seconds in the first intermediate sprint. LL Sánchez and Rudy Molard are second and third.

At kilometre 100 all big names regroup with the exception of Yates, who is still chasing behind. But echelons keep coming and going until 23 riders are left in the first group inside the last 30 kilometres: Bernal, Quintana, Kelderman, Jungels, Bardet, Gallopin, Roelandts, Trentin, Maes, Garcia, Grossschartner, Naesen, Vandenbergh, Rowe, Degenkolb, Démare, Molard, Gilbert, Kittel, Greipel, Groenewegen, Jansen, Wynants, and Heisel.

The second intermediate sprint coincides with the first passage on the line. Gallopin wins 3 seconds, while Bardet takes 2. The local lap amounts to 23 kilometres and the second group crosses the line 1 minute after the first.

Inside the last 10 kilometres the second group rejoins the front group before the peloton splits again with 6 kilometres remaining when Luke Rowe puts the hammer down to diminish the front group to eight men. He himself drops, leaving leader Groenewegen, Trentin, LL Sanchez, García, Bernal, Kwiatkowski and Gilbert to battle it out for the stage win.

Trentin opens up the sprint, but Groenewegen overhauls him and he holds off the charging García to win his second stage in a row.

Another interesting read: route 2nd stage Paris-Nice 2019.