Place Name: Avenue De Provence
Address: 20 Avenue De Provence, 30320 Marguerittes, France
Details: February 6, 2025
The riders take on two different climbs, each done twice on a figure eight style route. Neither the Côte de Montagnac or the Côte Cabrières are particularly difficult but the second time up Côte Cabrières tops out just 8.3KM from the finish which could put some of the pure sprinters into trouble if they are out of position.
The race left Domessargues and it wasn't long before a break got established. A few familiar faces from yesterday got involved today including Victor Vercouillie of Flanders-Baloise, Axandre Van Petegem of Wagner-Bazin WB, and Maël Guégan of CIC-U Nantes. They were joined by Louis Kitzki of Alpecin-Deceuninck and Yohann Simon of St. Michel-Preference Home-Auber93 and the group of five had 3 minutes 30 seconds with 90KM to go. Van Petegem took maximum Mountains points over the Côte Cabrières for the first time with 70.5KM to go but their lead was down to 2 minutes 20 seconds with Soudal Quickstep and Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe doing the pace making behind. Other teams started to come to the front with 35KM to go to get into position for the twisting and undulating roads before the Côte Cabrières.
The bunch descended a gorgeous road down to a bridge over Le Gardon river into Saint-Nicolas de Campagnac. By the bottom, the break was within 20 seconds and within reach. At 17KM to go, a car nearly came on to the road as the peloton were passing by. Fortunately, it stopped and went in reverse but it did cause a crash halfway down the bunch that sent a few riders into the ditch. The peloton strung out as the speed increased up the twisting and narrow Côte Cabrières with 12KM to race. Ineos instigated a move just under 10KM from the finish but it was marked by the sprint teams and brought back quickly. The break were caught on the descent 5KM from the line.
Soudal Quickstep led through Saint-Gervasy to get on to the main road but Ineos and EF-Education EasyPost got a run up the side of the peloton with 1KM led by Marijn van den Berg and got a small gap within the final 500M. Ben Turner of Ineos gave an incredible turn at the front as the last man before Axel Laurance started his sprint. Laurance was challenged by Madis Mihkels of EF-Education EasyPost but a rush from behind brought up the pure sprinters and they flew passed Laurance and Mihkels in the last 100M. Søren Wærenskjold of Uno-X Mobility was the fastest to the line, giving Uno-X Mobility their first win of the season. Arnaud Démare of Arkéa-B&B Hotels took second and Paul Magnier of Soudal Quickstep came in third. Laurance managed to hang on for fifth with Mihkels dropping to seventh.
Tags: Etoile de Bessèges, 2025, February, Stage 2, Etoile de Bessèges 2025, Domessargues, Marguerittes, Victor Vercouillie, Axandre Van Petegem, Maël Guégan, Louis Kitzki, Yohann Simon, Marijn van den Berg, Ben Turner, Axel Laurance, Madis Mihkels, Søren Wærenskjold, Arnaud Démare, Paul Magnier