Rome (AFP)
Net winner on Wednesday of the Milan-Turin semi-classic, French sprinter Arnaud Démare showed that he was very fit three days before Milan-Sanremo, the first great classic of the season, which he won in 2016.
Perfectly guided by his Groupama-FDJ teammates, Démare was clearly ahead of the Australian Caleb Ewan, the Belgian Wout Van Aert and the Slovakian Peter Sagan in the sprint after 198 kilometers between Lombardy and Piedmont, in northern Italy.
"I arrive very, very well. I have really good legs, the team is extraordinary and did a magnificent job. It's perfect", summarized Démare, asked about his feelings before Milan-Sanremo.
"We are not afraid of anyone. I feel very good and we have very big ambitions, we are not going to hide it. The team is very good, too," he then added.
On a very flat course cut off from the climb to the Basilica of Superga, where Thibault Pinot won in 2018, Démare is not the only one to have sent positive signals.
Impressive winner of the Strade Bianche on Saturday, Van Aert showed with his third place that he was able to follow in the footsteps of Julian Alaphilippe, author of the Strade Bianche-Sanremo double last year.
"I'm very happy with this sprint. It's a good preparation for Saturday. In front of me, there are two world-class sprinters so I'm very happy with my race. This victory and then this 3rd place give me great confidence" , said the Belgian.
Second, Caleb Ewan said for his part "happy with his form" three days before the "Classicissima", where he took 2nd place in 2018, behind Vincenzo Nibali, who we saw on Wednesday very active at the head of peloton approaching the finish line.
© 2020 AFP