Coquard wins the sprint and Ganna maintains the lead

The French Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) was awarded the sprint the second stage of the Tour of Provence disputed between Arles and Manosque of 180.6 kilometers after which the Italian Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) kept the lead.

Coquard has regained form. If just nine days ago he put an end to a drought of wins of almost two years after scoring the second stage of the Bessegès Star, this Saturday he gave another blow on the table after winning another sprint in which he surpassed the arrival at Manosque to his compatriot Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl).

Finished in third position Gannaleader since the prologue, an individual time trial from which he emerged victorious and which has helped him stay in first position in the general classification with a two-second advantage over himself alanphilippe.

The day started with bad news for the peloton: the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) was unable to start after testing positive for coronavirus. In this way, the Tour de Provence was left without one of its favorites immediately.

There were five men who encouraged the race: Tony Hurel (St Michel-Auber), alexis gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM), kevin besson (Nice Metropole), Evaldas Siskevicius (Go Sport-Roubaix) and Paul Ourselin (Total Energies). They all starred in the day’s breakaway that ended just over two kilometers from the end, when they were hunted down by the peloton.

The quintet was left without a prize and was Coquard who took the cat to the water in a final sprint in which alanphilippe again he could not win.

On Sunday the fourth and final stage with a day of 166.1 kilometers starting in Manosque and finishing in the Montagne de Lure. There will be more options for climbers like the Colombian Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic), sixth in the second stage and still with options to win. He is tenth, 32 seconds behind. Gannaand will be able to attempt the assault on the first place in the general classification in a final day with three mountain passes, two of the third category and one of the first of 16 kilometers and a six percent difference in altitude with arrival at the finish line.

STAGE CLASSIFICATION:

1 – COQUARD Bryan (Cofidis) 4:19:42

2 – ALAPHILIPPE Julian (Quick-Step) mt

3 – GANNA Filippo (INEOS) mt

4 – LATOUR Pierre (TotalEnergies) mt

5 – DÉMARE Arnaud (Groupama) mt

6 – QUINTANA Nairo (Team Arkéa) mt

7 – WÜRTZ SCHMIDT Mads (Israel) mt

8 – JORGENSON Matteo (Movistar) mt

9 – PARET-PEINTRE Aurélien (AG2R) mt

10 – MANZIN Lorrenzo (TotalEnergies) mt