San Bennett took a dominant sprint win in this, the first stage of the Paris-Nice, one that was quite attacked in the hilly section of the day but still it all came down to a bunch sprint, with no leadout dominating Bennett still had the extra advantage, taking the win in front of Arnaud Démare and Mads Pedersen.
Positive: Bennett taking a big win, Benoot getting a couple seconds of bonifications in the IS.
Negative: Porte crashing out of the race, a blow to Ineos, Kristoff, Nizzolo, Bouhanni and Bol were the big names missing out on the sprint.
The Route
A day for the pure sprinters. Amilly isn't an unknown to this race, as this will be the 5th time the race will have a finish here since 2008, Sonny Colbrelli won the last time the race came here in a day blasted by rain and wind, and that's the only thing that can prevent a bunch sprint tomorrow.
The finish isn't very technical but it isn't simple, with a 90º corner with 3Km to go, a 180º with 1.8 to go and a pinch point with 1.1Km to go. The final straight is 400 meters long, it's a tiny bit downhill, will be a very fast sprint.
The Weather
Some wind from the northeast, it shouldn't be important, will be cold aswell but yes normal weather, the sprinter will be covered.
The Favourites
It's going to be another fast day and this one there's even less of a doubt a bunch sprint will occur. But tomorrow there won't be any difference between those who like the climbs and those who don't, it'll be a pure sprint and the favourites well they'll be the exact same today.
The man to beat is Sam Bennett, he didn't have his leadout do a vital job today in the final kilometer but he had no problems getting around and taking a dominant win, tomorrow the sprint will be even more suited to him being in a slight downward tilt, but it will also mean that finding the right timing will be tricky and some other sprinters can come from behind and surprise. The leadout won't be as vital for tomorrow, I reckon launching the sprint from 250 meters to go a few spots down from the front is in fact the best strategy as the big men can keep their momentum into the line. His rivals, well it's the same riders but the heavyweight sprinters like Phil Bauhaus, Cees Bol, Alexander Kristoff or Mads Pedersen will surely have a good possibility of succeeding in relation to today, you have obviously Arnaud Démare in a similar situation but it won't be easy to go over Bennett.
There were some riders who had a good result today like Jasper Philipsen and Bryan Coquard, tomorrow they will struggle more to get a result like this but good timing and positioning can always do it's trick, riders like Nizzolo it's always a joker, very fast man but has struggled to get himself with the top men in these main races, you've got the Israel duo that finished in the Top10, both of them, Greipel has a very suiting finish tomorrow but his struggle to position is always there, as for Barbier he should also like it, you've got riders like Ackermann who had the best leadout today in the end but didn't have the power, would say tomorrow is better for him but he doesn't really seem to have the legs to take a win, Christophe Laporte had a better opportunity today, but he'll be lurking the Top10 tomorrow. There can be some more men getting in there like Nacer Bouhanni who missed the sprint today, Michael Matthews who went to get seconds in the IS and may be eyeing a yellow jersey in the time-trial, but they need to have their best day to fight for the win.
Prediction Time
⭐ Ackermann, Bol, Kristoff, Philipsen, Nizzolo, Greipel, Barbier, Laporte, Bouhanni
2 for 2. No reason not to, Bennett is an exceptionally consistent sprinter, very fast and with an even better suited finish, he wins.
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