2021 Paris-Nice – Stage Two – Highlights, Report, Results
Highlights
Report
Team DSM spectacularly opened their winning account for the 2021 season, with Cees Bol producing a dominant sprint victory on stage 2 of Paris-Nice.
On a day fret with crosswind danger, the team remained calm throughout the stage, always alert for any possible danger before turning their attention and focus on the sprint. Arriving with a plan and peeling off one-by-one in the finale, through the twisting and technical run in to the line, the team always ensured Bol was in the perfect position. Opening up his sprint at the perfect moment, Bol powered across the line in a dominant manner, raising his arms aloft victorious, after a brilliant performance from the team.
Racing resumed at Paris-Nice today as the peloton headed south, with a mostly flat 188 kilometres from Oinville-sur-Montcient to Amilly on the menu. It was a tentative start to the stage before a breakaway duo attacked and broke clear, gaining a maximum of over five minutes. Things were controlled in the bunch and the gap to the breakaway began to fall before it soon tumbled with 90 kilometres to go as the race reached a crosswind section.
The bunch split into pieces, with the team well represented in the front group before a change in direction saw things come back together. The process repeated itself with 70 kilometres to go, this time with the team driving the pace but yet again the race regrouped and things calmed down. The peloton continued on at a steady tempo, as the kilometres ticked by and the bunch approached the finale.
Heading into the finish the team did an excellent job to position sprinter Cees Bol for the finale, learning from yesterday and taking those improvement points into the finish. Tiesj Benoot strung things out on a hill just inisde the flamme rouge with the Team DSM sprint train tucked in behind him. Nils Eekhoff took over on the descent, positioning Bol perfectly into the sharp final corner, allowing him to take the inside line and not be boxed in. It was then over to Bol who produced his trademark powerful kick, stamping on the pedals and taking the win in dominant fashion; perfectly finishing off the great work from the team throughout the day.
“It’s the best feeling there is,” smiled a jubilant Bol at the finish. “I had a bit of a struggle at the start of the season and wasn’t too good until now but we kept believing and today I got superb help from my teammates. We smashed it. We went well through the last corner, and were close to being boxed in but Nils recognised the moment and kept the door open for me and from there I was in a good wheel. Trek did a good lead out but I started my sprint in the right moment and had enough power to make it to the line. It’s a good boost for the confidence after we didn’t do too well yesterday but today we showed what we’re capable of as a team. It gives us confidence for the next sprint stages but also for on other days where we’ve got chances with other guys in the team.”
Results
Stage
| 1 | Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM | 4:27:59 |
| 2 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo | |
| 3 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team BikeExchange | |
| 4 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM | |
| 5 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep | |
| 6 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Lotto Soudal | |
| 7 | Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| 8 | Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bahrain Victorious | |
| 9 | Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix | |
| 10 | Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation |
General Classification
| 1 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team BikeExchange | 8:19:23 |
| 2 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:04 |
| 3 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep | |
| 4 | Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM | |
| 5 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:00:08 |
| 6 | André Greipel (Ger) Israel Start-up Nation | 0:00:11 |
| 7 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team DSM | 0:00:12 |
| 8 | Florian Vermeersch (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
| 9 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:13 |
| 10 | Ben Swift (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers |
Points
| 1 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 21 |
| 2 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo | 21 |
| 3 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team BikeExchange | 19 |
| 4 | Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM | 15 |
| 5 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM | 13 |
Mountains
| 1 | Fabien Doubey (Fra) Total Direct Energie | 10 |
| 2 | Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 3 |
| 3 | Sander Armée (Bel) Team Qhubeka Assos | 3 |
| 4 | Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | 3 |
| 5 | Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto Soudal | 2 |
Young Riders
| 1 | Florian Vermeersch (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 8:19:35 |
| 2 | Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix | 0:00:02 |
| 3 | Damien Touze (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team |