Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) snatched victory from Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) at the Classic Var one-day race in the south of France after the Norwegian rider celebrated too early on the hilltop finish.
Halland Johannessen had chased down a late attack by Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and could see the finish line. He eased up to celebrate and Martinez surged up to him and passed him just before the finish line.
Halland Johannessen could only raise his hand in disbelief and anger with himself.
Bardet finished third, in the same as Martinez and Halland Johannessen, with Canada’s Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) on his 2024 season debut.
20-year-old Martinez was in disbelief after winning the race.
“I just sprinted all the way to the line. It’s such a surprise to win,” he said. “It was a really, really hard race with the attacks. I wanted to try an attack but it was so hard I had to wait. Then he was slowing and so passed him.”
In contrast, Halland Johannessen was stunned and silent as he realised what had happened.
How it unfolded
The Classic Var is part of the traditional French early-season races, covering roads that have been used for training camps and races since the 1950s. It is followed by the two-day Tour des Alpes-Maritimes at the weekend on nearby roads.
The riders rolled out from Saint-Raphaël in warm 15C weather and the attacks to form the early break began from the very start.
Five riders got away, with Alessandro Iacchi (Corratec-Vini Fantini), Valentin Tabellion (Van Rysel-Roubaix), South Africa’s Morné Van Niekerk (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93), Maël Guégan (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) and Victor Vaneeckhoutt (Lotto-Dstny Development Team) going up the road.
Groupama-FDJ and Israel-Premier Tech picked up the chase to keep the attackers under control. A crash after 90km forced Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) to retire and reminded everyone of the dangers of the twisting country roads.
The break eventually fell apart in the hilly, final 50 kilometres and especially on the Col du Corps de Garde after 170km of racing. The peloton also began to fight for position at the front. Van Niekerk was the last to be caught as Decathlon AG2R also moved to the front and the USA’s Larry Warbasse did some vital work.
The climbs meant the peloton was soon reduced to just 40 riders and Decathlon AG2R were determined to lead the fast ride through Toulon to the foot of the Mont Faron climb. Indeed the peloton split due to the high-speed and hectic descent on wet roads. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) was one of the big-name riders absent from the front group after he was forced to stop due to a mechanical problem.
On the early slopes of Mont Faron as the road climbed out of Toulon, Romain Grégoire made the first attack for Groupama-FDJ but Woods quickly made an effort to control him.
David Gaudu continued the Groupama-FDJ team, launching attacks whenever the pace eased. It was spectacular full-gas racing.
The speed reduced the gap to just six riders: Woods, Gaudu, Martinez, Halland Johannessen, Bardet and Aurélien Paret-Peintre of Decathlon AG2R.
Gaudu made his last attack with 500 metres to go after a last hairpin bend. Bardet holds the Strava record for the climb and appeared to know it well. He waited until the final 300 metres of straight road and then powered way out of the saddle.
He got a gap but then Halland Johannessen closed the gap on him. As they dived through a late chicane, Halland Johannessen opened a gap and thought he was about to win. Then Martinez sprinted from behind to win and ruin Halland Johannessen’s day.
Results
Results powered by FirstCycling
