Strand Hagenes’ momentum prevails in Paris – Tours

The Paris-Toursa race popularly known as ‘The Sprinters Classic‘, on this occasion he had little prominence for the fastest and finest men in the platoon. This time, all the attention went to the classics, the strongest and most muscular men. And, especially, the Norwegian Per Strand Hagenes (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)whose attack one kilometer from the finish line earned him his fifth professional victory.

With 217 km ahead and a winding and demanding terrain due to its numerous heights, the race was presented with carat names such as Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS), Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Intermarché) or the French champion Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ).

The fight to form the escape did not let up from the starting flag. After 40km underway, a fairly large group of 12 runnersamong which were Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) or Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon). After the race, the group disintegrated as they faced the challenges of the test and the peloton approached them.

‘Palo’ after ‘palo’

The main hostilities broke out after the final 26 km, when the Belgian Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto Intermarché) launched a powerful attack from which he stayed Tim Merlier. With the smallest main group (25 runners), with 10 left, the local Pierre Gautherat (Decathlon) He attacked on the curved terrain and five runners opened a small gap, although he did not prosper until the end.

Nevertheless, Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek) He unleashed an important ax blow that he finally gave up, but the one who took advantage of it was Per Strand Hagenes. The Norwegian from Visma, nothing more than braking or going with the wheel, continued it with a power worthy of his teammate Wout van Aert and it was unattainable for Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) and the group sprint that his partner won Christophe Laporte to finish third.

Fifth professional victory for Per Strand Hagenes, the second this season after the one achieved in May in the Antwerp Port Epicto put an end to a special year in which he played his first Tour de France.