German champion Maximilian Schachmann (Bora) won the first stage of Paris-Nice on Sunday in Plaisir, in the Yvelines, and at the same time donned the leader's jersey.
Schachmann settled in the sprint a group of four runners, including Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck), in the opening stage of the event marked by preventive measures linked to the coronavirus, among others the limitation of contact with runners for the public and media.
Barguil and Bardet blocked by a fall
Behind the German champion, Belgian Dylan Teuns (Bahrain) took second place and his compatriot Tiesj Benoot (Sunweb) third on this rainy day. A fall in the first 50 kilometers delayed the champion of France Warren Barguil and Romain Bardet, who gave up more than two and a half minutes at the end of the 154 km course west of Paris.
Schachmann, who is 26 years old, won last year in particular three stages of the Tour of the Basque Country. He finished second in the recent Tour d'Algarve in Portugal, only second to the Belgian Remco Evenepoel. On Monday, the second stage links Chevreuse (Yvelines) to Chalette-sur-Loing (Loiret), on a route of 166.5 kilometers favorable to sprinters.
- Julian Alaphilippe
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