Jason Tesson of TotalEnergies celebrates victory in the second stage of the Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine. At the finish line in Lezay, after 199 flat kilometers, the 28-year-old Frenchman beat his compatriot Milan Fretin of Cofidis, the race leader following yesterday's victory, and Norwegian Tord Gudmestad of Decathlon CMA CGM Team. First Italian was Tommaso Bessega of Team Polti VisitMalta who closed the stage in tenth place.

THE RACE - Today's stage was characterized by a breakaway featuring Frenchmen Tom Mainguenaud (Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur), Axel Bouquet (St Michel - Preference Home), Clément Dubois (Van Rysel Roubaix), Dutchman Niek Voogt (Azerion / Villa Valkenburg) and Swede Hjalmar Klyver (Lucky Sport Cycling Team).

Working together and sharing the effort, the men in the lead passed through the finish line for the first time with a one-minute advantage over the main group. Entering the final fifteen kilometers, the group however significantly increased the pace, reabsorbing all the attackers in a short time.

Subsequently, a Polti VisitMalta rider and other athletes attempted to break away, but it was Niklas Larsen (Unibet Rose Rockets) and Daniel Årnes (Van Rysel Roubaix) who chose the right moment, escaping seven kilometers from the finish line in hopes of surprising their opponents. Their courageous attack ended three kilometers from the finish, just in time to allow the sprinters to prepare for the final sprint.

FINISHING ORDER

1 Tesson Jason TotalEnergies 04:43:24

2 Fretin Milan Cofidis ,,

3 Gudmestad Tord Decathlon CMA CGM Team ,,

4 Augé Ronan Unibet Rose Rockets ,,

5 Oosterlinck Joes Van Rysel Roubaix ,,

6 George Alfred Groupama - FDJ United ,,

7 Penhoët Paul Elite Fondations Cycling Team ,,

8 McDonald Brody Modern Adventure Pro Cycling ,,

9 Manzin Lorenzo TotalEnergies ,,

10 Bessega Tommaso Team Polti VisitMalta ,,