Paris-Nice cycling 2021 - Cees Bol wins Stage 2 as Michael Matthews takes overall race lead

ByJames Walker-Roberts

Updated 08/03/2021 at 23:10 GMT

Stage 2 of Paris-Nice came down to a sprint finish and Cees Bol (Team DSM) timed his effort to perfection to secure victory. Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) came home in fifth and lost the overall yellow race leader's jersey to Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange), who finished the race in third place.

Cees Bol (Team DSM) won Stage 2 of Paris-Nice with a powerful sprint to the line.

Bol held off Stage 1 winner Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and surged clear to finish ahead of Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) and Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange).

Matthews takes the overall lead while Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) was among several riders who fell in a crash inside the final kilometre.

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"It's the best feeling,” said Bol. "I had a bit of a struggle at the start of the season - I wasn't so good until now - but we kept believing and today, with superb help from my team-mates, we smashed it.

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"We went well through the last corner. I was close to being boxed in but Nils Eekhoff recognised the moment and kept the door open for me. I found a good wheel.

"The guys from Trek did a strong lead-out but I started my sprint at the right moment and had the power to hold it to the line."

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Matthews holds the overall lead by four seconds ahead of Pedersen after taking five bonus seconds during the day and a further four on the line.

But neither could match Bol in the closing straight as he powered home. Pedersen was led out with around 600m to go by Jasper Stuyven before Bol made his move and showed his strength to get to the front of the pack.

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