Paris-Nice 2020: Schachmann wins four-up sprint to take yellow

The 1st stage is a rolling and wet out-and-back race in Plaisir. Max Schachmann outguns Dylan Teuns, Tiesj Benoot and Julian Alaphilippe at the end of an echelon-marked race. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 1st stage Paris-Nice 2020

1. Maximilian Schachmann (ger)
2. Dylan Teuns (bel) s.t.
3. Tiesj Benoot (bel) s.t.
4. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.03
5. Cees Bol (nld) + 0.15
6. Nils Politt (ger) s.t.
7. Giacomo Nizzolo (ita) s.t.
8. Sergio Higuita (col) s.t.
9. Felix Großschartner (aut) s.t.
10. Yves Lampaert (bel) s.t.

GC after stage 1
1. Maximilian Schachmann (ger)
2. Tiesj Benoot (bel) + 0.02
3. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.04
4. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.07
5. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.24
6. Rudy Molard (fra) s.t.
7. Cees Bol (nld) + 0.25
8. Nils Politt (ger) s.t.
9. Giacomo Nizzolo (ita) s.t.
10. Sergio Higuita (col) s.t.

Race report
Romain Combaud attacks from the gun, while Jonathan Hivert joins him. The duo carves out a maximum lead of more than 5 minutes.

Crosswinds split the peloton and ups the pace. Dan Martin, Richie Porte and Pierre Latour wind up in the wrong group. They do make it back into the peloton, but the leaders are caught with 80 kilometres remaining.

The peloton splits again after a crash that takes down Barguil and Bardet. A group with big names Nairo Quintana, Julian Alaphilippe, Kasper Asgreen, Zdenek Stybar and Tiesj Benoot opens up a gap of 30 seconds.

Alaphilippe pockets a time bonus of 3 seconds in the first intermediate sprint, while Benoot takes 2. The duo pushes on together, while a big group regains contact with the former leaders. Porte, Bardet and Barguil have missed the move.

Alaphilippe also wins the second intermediate sprint ahead of Benoot before they are almost caught by the first chasers on the Côte de Neauphle-le-Château. A little later Dylan Teuns and Maximilian Schachmann make the catch.

Teuns opens the sprint, but Schachmann overhauls him to power to the first leader’s jersey.

Another interesting read: route stage 1 Paris-Nice 2020.