Étoile de Bessèges 2021 – Stage 2 [FULL STAGE] (french)

February 4, 2021

Étoile de Bessèges 2021 – Stage 2 – Saint-Geniès – La Calmette : 154 km

The five-day Étoile de Bessèges kicks off on Wednesday with what is arguably its strongest field ever, featuring no fewer than three Tour de France winners in Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal and Vincenzo Nibali, as well as Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet, who will be making his first racing appearance for his new AG2R-Citroën team. There are 11 WorldTeams among the 22 squads participating in the 51st edition of France’s traditional season-opening stage race. It’s the first edition of Bessèges to be organised since race founder and long-time director Roland Fangille died after contracting COVID-19 last November.

Timothy Dupont (Bingoal-Wallonie Bruxelles) claimed victory on stage 2 of the Étoile de Bessèges, winning a sprint after a crash-ridden run-in to La Calmette. The Belgian left it late but surged past Pierre Barbier (Delko) on the right-hand side of the road, as Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka Assos) faded and settled for third.

They were part of a small group sprinting just after a crash on a roundabout threw the race into disarray in the final 500 metres. Even before then, the narrow roads in the final 10km had created tension and sparked other crashes.

Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) could only manage fifth on the stage, behind Rudy Barbier (Israel Start-Up Nation) and ahead of Nacer Bouhanni (Arkea-Samsic) but retained his overall lead.

The 154km stage, based on two loops north west of Nîmes, had passed in quiet fashion, with Ludovic Robeet making it a good day for Bingoal-WB by soloing off the front of the breakaway for 35km. However, once he was caught with 10km to go, it was a nervy run-in to La Calmette on narrow country roads and through small towns.

The first nasty crash came with 3.5km to go when a ripple in the bunch caused Julien Duval (AG2R Citroën) to hit the deck, along with riders from Ineos, Israel Start-Up Nation and Bora-Hansgrohe.

However, the major incident came just 500m shy of the finish line when the bunch split either side of a large roundabout.

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Total Direct Energie), in third wheel on the left, slipped out, taking three others down in the process. The chaos wasn’t over, with Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) forced diagonally across the road.A Bingoal rider couldn’t avoid him and crashed hard.

That left just a dozen riders in front to contest the sprint. Nizzolo hit out first, with Bouhanni in the wheel but he was never able to get out of the slipstream.

Laporte made a better fist of it, and Pierre Barbier came soaring past in the middle, but arriving late with the highest speed of all was Dupont, who roared in delight as he crossed the line.

“I knew it was a long final stretch. I was in sixth position and thought I’d lost the right moment to go, but then I really came up with speed, so it turned out to be good timing,” he said.

“20km from the finish it started to get very hectic, until the roundabout. After the roundabout it was ok, for me, but it was very dangerous.”

How it unfolded

There was one non-starter on stage 2, as Michael Valgren had been diagnosed with fractures in his hands following a crash on the opening day, marring his debut with EF Education-Nippo.

Once underway, a breakaway formed with a minimum of fuss, and Robeet was joined by Tony Hurel (St-Michel-Auber 93), Maximilien Picoux (Xelloss-Roubaix Lille Métropole), Alexandre Delettre (Delko), and Vojtech Repa (Equipo Kern Pharma). They opened a lead of four minutes but were allowed no more than that as Cofidis guarded tight control in the peloton.

After cresting the small climbs of the Côte de Montagnac and Côte de Clarensac, they dipped down to the finish line before embarking on a longer loop that would again take them over the Montagnac. It was this second ascent, with 45km to go, that ignited action in the break. Delettre sprinted for the mountains points, as he had done at the earlier climbs, but was tracked by Robeet, who turned his effort into a solo attack.

Despite a counter-effort from Repa, he pulled further away, and the others were unable to mount a meaningful chase. By the second passage of the finish line, with 32km to go, Robeet had 1:20 in hand over his former companions, and two minutes over the peloton.

The intensity was lifted in the bunch inside the final 20km, and Robeet’s lead fell steadily until he was caught with 10km to go. Arkéa-Samsic, Cofidis, Bora-Hansgrohe, B&B Hotels, and Trek-Segafredo were all prominent as position proved all important on the narrow roads, where small splits and spills grew more common.

Geraint Thomas was also a constant figure near the front, though he had to look after himself rather than Ineos forming a train for the run-in.

The first major crash came with 3.5km to go when Duval was sent sprawling as a ripple went through the bunch. He took out an Israel rider in the process, while the braking saw riders from Ineos and Bora fall heavily.

There was another nervy moment when signals went up for traffic furniture in a small village, where one spectator was sat on the pavement with his legs stretched into the road.

Trek-Segafredo punched their way to the front with 1.5km to go, before Arkéa-Samsic came to the fore for Bouhanni. However, the roundabout sparked further chaos and split the peloton, leaving a select few to sprint it out, and several others to lick their wounds.

Results :
1 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Bingoal WB 3:35:15
2 Pierre Barbier (Fra) Delko
3 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos
4 Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation
5 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis
6 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
7 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
8 Gerben Thijssen (Bel) Lotto Soudal
9 Silvan Dillier (Swi) Alpecin-Fenix
10 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
11 Bryan Coquard (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
12 Emiel Vermeulen (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
13 Tim Merlier (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
14 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos
15 Jonas Koch (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
16 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal WB
17 Sean Bennett (USA) Team Qhubeka Assos
18 Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rom) Delko
19 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-Nippo
20 Jason Tesson (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
21 Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto Soudal
22 Jonas Rutsch (Ger) EF Education-Nippo
23 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education-Nippo
24 Jake Stewart (GBr) Groupama-FDJ
25 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Qhubeka Assos
26 Tobias Bayer (Aut) Alpecin-Fenix
27 Roger Adria Oliveras (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
28 Michael Gogl (Aut) Team Qhubeka Assos
29 Clément Carisey (Fra) Delko
30 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
31 Pierre Latour (Fra) Total Direct Energie
32 Raul Garcia Pierna (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
33 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
34 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Total Direct Energie
35 Lukasz Owsian (Pol) Team Arkea-Samsic
36 Ivan Centrone (Lux) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
37 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
38 Johan le Bon (Fra) Cambodia Cycling Academy
39 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
40 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
41 August Jensen (Nor) Delko
42 Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
43 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
44 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
45 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
46 Morné Van Niekerk (RSA) St Michel-Auber 93
47 Dylan Kowalski (Fra) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
48 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
49 Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
50 Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
51 Cyril Barthe (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
52 Ryan Mullen (Irl) Trek-Segafredo
53 Brent Van Moer (Bel) Lotto Soudal
54 Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
55 Alex Kirsch (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
56 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
57 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
58 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
59 Samuel Leroux (Fra) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
60 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko
61 Senne Leysen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
62 Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
63 Alexys Brunel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
64 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
65 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
66 Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Soudal
67 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
68 Adrien Petit (Fra) Total Direct Energie
69 Théo Delacroix (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
70 Jens Debusschere (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
71 Valentin Tabellion (Fra) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
72 Alexandre Delettre (Fra) Delko
73 Joel Suter (Swi) Bingoal WB
74 Connor Swift (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
75 Mads Würtz Schmidt (Den) Israel Start-up Nation
76 Louis Louvet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
77 Romain Cardis (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
78 Tom Paquot (Bel) Bingoal WB
79 Simon Clarke (Aus) Team Qhubeka Assos
80 Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
81 Arjen Livyns (Bel) Bingoal WB
82 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
83 Tony Hurel (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
84 Urko Berrade Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
85 Owain Doull (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
86 Egan Bernal Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers
87 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko
88 Sam Gaze (NZl) Alpecin-Fenix
89 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
90 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
91 Quentin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
92 Fabian Lienhard (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
93 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers
94 John Degenkolb (Ger) Lotto Soudal
95 Daniel McLay (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
96 Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:37
97 Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
98 Boy van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
99 Samy Aurignac (Fra) Cambodia Cycling Academy
100 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Cofidis
101 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education-Nippo
102 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education-Nippo
103 Lars van den Berg (Ned) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:42
104 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:43
105 Alexis Renard (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation
106 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) EF Education-Nippo
107 Clément Russo (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:01:23
108 Bram Welten (Ned) Team Arkea-Samsic
109 Barry Miller (USA) Cambodia Cycling Academy 0:01:23
110 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
111 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis
112 Ludovic Robeet (Bel) Bingoal WB
113 Vojtech Repa (Cze) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:01:47
114 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:01:49
115 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:01:51
116 Anthoine Berlin (Mon) Cambodia Cycling Academy
117 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Total Direct Energie
118 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis
119 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
120 Kevin Reza (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
121 Matis Louvel (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:01:54
122 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
123 Mattias Jensen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:03
124 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Total Direct Energie
125 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Total Direct Energie
126 Frederik Wandahl (Den) Bora-Hansgrohe
127 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:03:00
128 Christopher Lamaille (Fra) Cambodia Cycling Academy 0:03:01
129 Tom Bohli (Swi) Cofidis 0:03:03
130 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
131 Jordi Meeus (Bel) Bora-Hansgrohe
132 Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
133 Maximilien Picoux (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:03:07
134 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:03:29
135 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
136 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Start-up Nation 0:03:51
137 Damien Touze (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
138 Patrick Gamper (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:05:16
139 Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:05:30
140 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:09:26
141 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
142 Boris Vallee (Bel) Bingoal WB
DNS Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education-Nippo
DNS Andreas Nielsen (Den) Team Qhubeka Assos

General Classification after Stage 2 :
1 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis 6:49:37
2 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Bingoal WB 0:00:02
3 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:04
4 Pierre Barbier (Fra) Delko 0:00:06
5 Ludovic Robeet (Bel) Bingoal WB 0:00:07
6 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:00:08
7 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
8 Tony Hurel (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:00:09
9 Alexandre Delettre (Fra) Delko 0:00:11
10 Bryan Coquard (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:00:12
11 Tim Merlier (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
12 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal WB
13 Jake Stewart (GBr) Groupama-FDJ
14 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
15 Silvan Dillier (Swi) Alpecin-Fenix
16 Roger Adria Oliveras (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
17 Jonas Rutsch (Ger) EF Education-Nippo
18 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Total Direct Energie
19 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
20 Gerben Thijssen (Bel) Lotto Soudal
21 Michael Gogl (Aut) Team Qhubeka Assos
22 Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rom) Delko
23 August Jensen (Nor) Delko
24 Tobias Bayer (Aut) Alpecin-Fenix
25 Cyril Barthe (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
26 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
27 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
28 Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto Soudal
29 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Qhubeka Assos
30 Johan le Bon (Fra) Cambodia Cycling Academy
31 Clément Carisey (Fra) Delko
32 Dylan Kowalski (Fra) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
33 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
34 Brent Van Moer (Bel) Lotto Soudal
35 Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
36 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
37 Mads Würtz Schmidt (Den) Israel Start-up Nation
38 Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
39 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko
40 Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation
41 Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
42 Pierre Latour (Fra) Total Direct Energie
43 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers
44 Jonas Koch (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
45 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
46 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
47 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
48 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education-Nippo
49 John Degenkolb (Ger) Lotto Soudal
50 Arjen Livyns (Bel) Bingoal WB
51 Raul Garcia Pierna (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
52 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
53 Emiel Vermeulen (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
54 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
55 Ryan Mullen (Irl) Trek-Segafredo
56 Fabian Lienhard (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
57 Samuel Leroux (Fra) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
58 Jens Debusschere (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
59 Romain Cardis (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
60 Owain Doull (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
61 Alexys Brunel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
62 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-Nippo
63 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
64 Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
65 Joel Suter (Swi) Bingoal WB
66 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos
67 Alex Kirsch (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
68 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
69 Jordi Meeus (Bel) Bora-Hansgrohe
70 Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
71 Jason Tesson (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
72 Senne Leysen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
73 Lukasz Owsian (Pol) Team Arkea-Samsic
74 Sean Bennett (USA) Team Qhubeka Assos
75 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
76 Daniel McLay (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
77 Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
78 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
79 Théo Delacroix (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
80 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
81 Boris Vallee (Bel) Bingoal WB
82 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
83 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko
84 Connor Swift (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
85 Bram Welten (Ned) Team Arkea-Samsic
86 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) EF Education-Nippo
87 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
88 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
89 Sam Gaze (NZl) Alpecin-Fenix
90 Damien Touze (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
91 Adrien Petit (Fra) Total Direct Energie
92 Simon Clarke (Aus) Team Qhubeka Assos
93 Ivan Centrone (Lux) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
94 Boy van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
95 Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Soudal
96 Tom Paquot (Bel) Bingoal WB
97 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
98 Morné Van Niekerk (RSA) St Michel-Auber 93
99 Valentin Tabellion (Fra) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
100 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Cofidis
101 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Total Direct Energie
102 Egan Bernal Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers
103 Samy Aurignac (Fra) Cambodia Cycling Academy
104 Quentin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
105 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education-Nippo
106 Louis Louvet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
107 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
108 Urko Berrade Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
109 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education-Nippo
110 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
111 Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
112 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis
113 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Total Direct Energie
114 Frederik Wandahl (Den) Bora-Hansgrohe
115 Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:49
116 Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
117 Lars van den Berg (Ned) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:54
118 Alexis Renard (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation 0:00:55
119 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
120 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:01:35
121 Clément Russo (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
122 Barry Miller (USA) Cambodia Cycling Academy
123 Vojtech Repa (Cze) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:01:59
124 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:02:01
125 Kevin Reza (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:02:03
126 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Total Direct Energie
127 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
128 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Total Direct Energie
129 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis
130 Matis Louvel (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:02:06
131 Mattias Jensen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:15
132 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:03:12
133 Christopher Lamaille (Fra) Cambodia Cycling Academy 0:03:13
134 Tom Bohli (Swi) Cofidis 0:03:15
135 Maximilien Picoux (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:03:16
136 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:03:41
137 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
138 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Start-up Nation 0:04:03
139 Patrick Gamper (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:05:28
140 Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:05:42
141 Anthoine Berlin (Mon) Cambodia Cycling Academy 0:08:44
142 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:09:38