Cycling: At the start of the French road bike season, Aurélien Paret-Peintre celebrated the greatest success of his career. The 24-year-old wins the 42nd Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise ahead of his compatriots Thomas Boudat and Bryan Coquard.
B&B Hotels p/b KTM convinces in Marseille
The wheels are rolling again! Despite the ongoing corona pandemic, the road bike season started today for many professionals. As so often, the French were able to present themselves in good form at the Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise. But before that happened, the breakaways dominated the race. Due to the tracking work of the UAE Team Emirates, however, the fugitives did not really have a realistic chance. The wind also played an important role. The peloton was decimated by the climbs. Also John Degenkolb (Lotto – Soudal) had to give up in one of those little mountains just before the finish. Only a small peloton remained. Almost all the men from B&B Hotels p/b KTM were represented there.
Aurélien Paret-Peintre celebrates his greatest success
The exciting final sprint then culminated in a three-way battle to the finish line. After Matteo Trentin (UAE) was much too early in the wind, six professionals passed him. But the winner was not visible to the human eye without slow motion. It was only in the repetition that we could see that Aurélien Paret-Peintre (AG2R – Citroën). Thomas Boudat (Arkea Samsic) and Bryan coquard (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) crossed the finish line. The 24-year-old Frenchman is thus celebrating the greatest success of his career. And the B&B Hotels p/b KTM team will be annoyed that they didn't take advantage of the numerical superiority.
Meanwhile, in France AG2R's Aurélien Paret-Peintre won in photo finish.#GPLM2021 pic.twitter.com/oOSRFQpKIx
— daniel mcmahon (@cyclingreporter) January 31, 2021