An all-French podium in the second stage of the Tour du Poitou Charentes, the Jonzac - Gond Pontouvre of 175.5 kilometers: national champion Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R) precedes in a sprint Arnaud Demare (Arkea B&B) and Benjamin Thomas of Cofidis. Beaten yesterday in a photofinish by Jason Tesson (Total Energies) who today is 5th behind Lidl Trek's Spanish talent Hector Alvarez, Demare must settle for second place again but this time takes the satisfaction of jumping to the top of the overall standings thanks to sprint bonifications.

The intermediate sprint bonifications allow the day's most combative Gabriele Raccagni (Polti VisitMalta) to climb to 5th place in the GC after a long breakaway with three Parkhotel Valkenburg riders: Martijn Rasenberg, Nils Sinschek and Mathis Avondts. On a final downhill section 10 km from the finish, Rasenberg attacked alone but was caught with 3 km to go. Raccagni's teammate sprinter, Giovanni Lonardi, is the best-placed Italian today (6th) with Luca Colnaghi and Enrico Zanoncello (VF Bardiani Csf Faizanè) also in the top-10 in eighth and ninth positions. Tomorrow's anticipated ITT is on the program.

HERE IS THE TOP TEN

stage standings...

1 Godon Dorian Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 04:10:26

2 Démare Arnaud ARKEA-B&B HOTELS + 00

3 Thomas Benjamin Cofidis + 00

4 Álvarez Héctor Lidl-Trek Future Racing + 00

5 Tesson Jason Team TotalEnergies + 00

6 Lonardi Giovanni Team Polti VisitMalta + 00

7 Augé Ronan CIC U Nantes + 00

8 Colnaghi Luca VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizan + 00

9 Zanoncello Enrico VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizan + 00

10 Bloem Joren Unibet Tietema Rockets + 00

... and GC

1 Démare Arnaud Arkéa - B&B Hotels 8:28:27

2 Godon Dorian Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 0:02

3 Tesson Jason Team TotalEnergies ,,

4 Bower Lewis Groupama - FDJ 0:03

5 Raccagni Gabriele Team Polti VisitMalta 0:05

6 Mouris Wessel Unibet Tietema Rockets 0:07

7 Bloem Joren Unibet Tietema Rockets 0:08

8 Thomas Benjamin Cofidis ,,

9 Álvarez Héctor Lidl - Trek Future Racing 0:12

10 Colnaghi Luca VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizan ,,