Dan Martin was best of the Irish riders on the opening stage of Paris-Nice. It was a tricky finale and lots of riders lost time. But Martin was up there keeping his general classification hopes firmly intact. Arnaud Demare (centre) won the stage on the uphill cobbled finish.
Arnaud Demare wins Paris-Nice 2018 stage 1
It may be known as the race to the sun but the Irish riders in Paris-Nice were forced to contend with miserable conditions today.
Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) and Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing) would both lose time in the rain.
But keeping his general classification aspirations alive was Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates).
He claimed 17th place and was among 30 riders credited with a time two seconds behind the top six on the stage.
General classification dangermen Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) and Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) were among the top six.
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But their gains on Martin were negligible. And the Irishman was happy to get through the tricky opener in one piece.
It saw the riders race 134.5km from Chatou to Meudon. There were three cat 3 climbs along the way; the final one at the finish.
That final ascent was not as severe as had been suggested. But the uphill cobbled surface made for an interesting sprint.
And it threw up a curious mix of riders fighting to be first. In the end it was the French sprinter Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) who took victory and the 10 seconds time bonus.
He won from climber Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida); Demare’s lunge at the last securing it for him in a photo-finish.
Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) was next from Wellens, Mike Teunissen (Sunweb) and Alaphilippe.
After them was the two-second gap; Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) placing 7th.
Nicolas Roche was further back; taking 88th place at 1:38. His team leader for the week Tejay Van Garderen crashed out today.
Sam Bennett, who had been unwell in Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne last weekend, finished in 146th at 5:22.
However, he should get a shot at victory on tomorrow’s flat stage; some 187.5km from Orsonville to Vierzon
Stage 1: Chatou to Meudon (134.5km)
1 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 3:07:39
2 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida
3 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
4 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
5 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
6 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors
7 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:02
8 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team
9 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott
10 Ion Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida
11 Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
12 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team
13 Robert Gesink (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
14 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
15 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
16 Esteban Chaves (Col) Mitchelton-Scott
17 Dan Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates
88 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team 0:01:38
146 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:05:22
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