A chaotic and painfully close dash for the line that decided stage 2 of the Étoile de Bessèges-Tour du Gard was narrowly won by young Luxembourg sprinter Mathieu Kockelmann (Lotto-Intermarché) ahead of leading favourite Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets).
Kockelmann had a long wait after the finish while commissaires deliberated whether he or the Dutch sprint star was the winner, but finally the 22-year-old got the nod for the second victory of his incipient career.
How it unfolded
A fast start despite persistently rainy weather saw four riders get away early, namely Samuel Lerouz (TotalEnergies), Tendon, Axel Bouquet (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) and Maël Guégan (CIC Pro Cycling Academy).
Tendon’s 1:17 gap on GC made him the best placed of the quartet and he quickly became the overall leader on the road as their advantage soared to over three minutes at the foot of the first of three small ascents of the day, the Côte de Clarensac. However, the much older Lerouz, a former Étoile stage winner back in 2024 amongst other wins on French soil, looked to be the most dangerous on paper.
Multiple teams kept the chase momentum moving, with Unibet Rose Rockets, riding for Dylan Groenewegen, lending overall leaders Flanders Baloise a hand. As the last classified climb of the day, the Côte de Montagnac, loomed through the murky low clouds and heavy rain,…
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