'Alpe d'Huez sprint' Zingle, Jakobsen in 'washing machine' and yellow for Page: this happened behind winner Merlier

Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) was again unstoppable in the second stage of Paris-Nice. The Belgian top sprinter was victorious in the second bunch sprint of this French stage race, once again leaving his competitors in his wake. The other sprinters must wait even longer for a possible stage victory.

Behind Merlier, two French riders crossed the line in second and third place. In addition to Emilien Jeannièrre (TotalEnergies), who sprinted to his first WorldTour podium, was also Hugo Page (Intermarché-Wanty). However, the latter was relegated in the results after the race. The fast man also received a yellow card for deviating from his chosen line and dangering other riders.

Page's relegation meant that Mads Pedersen ended up on the podium. "It went as planned and as we wanted," said the Danish rider from Lidl-Trek. After the first stage, Pedersen was very critical of his teammates, but after the second stage, he was satisfied. "It's a nice improvement, especially in a sprint that doesn't suit me. So yes, we're happy."

The finale of the second stage was plain and simple. "This means there are no turns to reduce the peloton's speed," Pedersen analyzed his sprint. 'Then the riders are fresher, so the peloton moves -from left to right. Then, it is more difficult to control and position as a team. I am not a rider who takes risks, so these finishes are more difficult for me."

In the yellow jersey, Tim Merlier also won the second stage. 

Fabio Jakobsen also struggled with the 'washing machine effect'

The first Dutch rider in the day's results is Fabio Jakobsen, in ninth place. The Picnic PostNL sprinter was unable to get involved in the final kilometer of the race. According to the rider, this was mainly due to the 'washing machine effect.' "Everything went well until about four kilometers from the finish, when I lost a bit of John (Degenkolb, ed.) and Sean (Flynn, ed.)."

Nevertheless, Jakobsen managed to get back on the wheel of his two lead-outs in the final kilometers. "We managed to find each other again, and I think the team managed to get me into a good position. It went up a bit, making it a fair sprint. I felt good during the day, but this is what it is now."

Axel Zingle (Visma | Lease a Bike) started the sprint early: "Felt like Alpe d'Huez"

Green jersey wearer Arnaud Démare (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) seemed to be in an ideal position to start the sprint, but the French rider could not get there and finished seventh. "I took my place behind Axel Zingle. I wasn't in a good position going into the last bend. I'm a bit locked in," the sprinter said on the team's website.

Zingle, a compatriot of Démare, started his sprint very early. "The slightly uphill finish didn't seem too challenging, but after such a long sprint, it felt like Alpe d'Huez to me," the Visma I Lease a Bike rider said with a smile afterward. 'With 500 meters to go, the pace dropped a little, so I decided to launch my sprint early. When I hit the front, I realized it was still a long way to the finish. In the end, I couldn't hold on, but it was a good attempt," the cyclist said on the team's website.  

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