The stage was animated by a breakaway of four riders. Team Jumbo-Visma also tried to get into the break of the day, but did not succeed. The battle to be part of it was immense. From the hilly start in Avignon the pace was incredibly fast. The well-cooperating breakaway riders held it up to the finish in Aix-en-Provence. Behind two more escapees, Eenkhoorn won the sprint of the peloton.

“The plan was to be part of the expected large breakaway group”, sports director Jan Boven said. “Chris Harper and debutant Gijs Leemreize, among others, made good efforts. It was really a hard battle in the first sixty kilometres. Eventually a small group went clear, so we focused on a possible sprint with Pascal. He rode a great sprint. It is too bad for him that the breakaway just made it.”

Boven looks back on a good week. “We have all taken another step. For most riders it was the first race of the season. Of course you always want to win, but we got the most out of it.”