FDJ’s Arnaud Démare claimed the opening stage victory at this season’s Paris-Nice race in a photo finish sprint over Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida).
The Frenchman also won the last year’s opening stage and stage two in 2016. With the today’s opening stage victory, the champion was able to earn a 10 second bonus. 4 seconds ahead of Izagirre in the overall classification and 6 seconds ahead of Laporte .
Wooooowwww…
De combien de millimètres ? / How many millimeters? #ParisNice pic.twitter.com/mi65Pnki6s— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 4, 2018
“I thought I was second, I wasn’t expecting it so when they told me I’d won it was an explosion of joy. I was sure I was second, I threw my bike more in despair than anything,” Démare said.
“At the end you’re not lucid at all, so when they told me I’d won it was extraordinary. It’s my first win, and to do it like that… it burned, it burned, but I never gave up. I’m super happy to win in front of my fan club and my family who are here. It’s perfect.”
Sadly, a sudden crash in the first 2.5 kilometers reduced the competition by taking out several big names, some of them include Katusha-Alpecin’s Ilnur Zakarin and Astana’s Jakob Fuglsang.
First Stage Results
Paris-Nice 2018, opening stage: Chatou to Meudon, 135 kilometers
Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, in 3-07-39
Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida
Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis
Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto-Soudal
Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, all same time
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2 secs
Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing
Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott
Ion Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida, at same time
? Étape/Stage 1 – Le debrief ??/??
?? An amazing performance by Démare despite a steep finish ?
?? Et une arrivée à Vierzon demain qui s’annonce serrée ! ?#ParisNice pic.twitter.com/MGExj1ewcE— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 4, 2018
General classification so far
Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, in 3-07-29
Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida, at 4 secs
Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, at 6 secs
Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 10 secs
Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb, at 10 secs
Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, at 10 secs
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 12 secs
Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing, at 12 secs
Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott, at 12 secs
Ion Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida, at same time, at 12 secs
