(Montreal) Member of a three-way breakaway, Robin Plamondon (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) rode at the head of the second stage of the 4 days of Dunkirk for nearly 120 kilometers, Wednesday, on the 184 kilometer course, between Wimereux and Abbeville.
The day after the victory of his teammate Valentin Paret-Peintre in the tenth stage of the Tour of Italy, Irishman and green jersey of the 2020 Tour de France Sam Bennett finally won the mass sprint.
The leading trio which also included Frenchman Maxime Jarnet (Van Rysel – Roubaix) and Australian Cyrus Monk (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) broke away from the peloton after the 25 kilometer mark. His lead grew to 8 minutes 30 seconds with 100 kilometers to go, before the peloton organized the chase.
The gap then narrowed and Plamondon, winner of a stage at the Tour de la Guadeloupe in 2022, lost contact with Monk 40 kilometers from the line, just like Jarnet. Now alone in the lead with a little over 2 minutes in advance, the Australian was caught in turn with 9 kilometers to go.
The sprinters’ trains then set off. Guillaume Boivin (Israel – Premier Tech) was at the forefront in the last two kilometers to position his teammate Pascal Ackermann well. The German started his sprint a little early and was the fourth to reach the finish, hitting his handlebars, frustrated at having passed so close.
Guillaume Boivin and Matisse Julien (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) finish 38e and 90e at the same time as the winner. Plamondon is for his part 119e (+5 minutes 7 seconds).
Bennett’s victory allows him to put on the leader’s jersey with a 4-second lead in the general classification over Belgian Milan Fretin (Cofidis). Boivin is 32e (+14 seconds), Julien 93e (+1 minute) and Plamondon 116e (+6 minutes 5 seconds).
The 4 Days of Dunkirk have retained their original name, even if the 2024 edition will have six stages. That of Thursday should again be a sprint at the end of the 165 kilometers between Saint-Laurent-Blangy and Bouchain. The event will conclude on Sunday in Dunkirk.