Young Dutchman Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), 20, won the second stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe on Wednesday, a 173.4 km circuit around Le Lude. He won after a massive sprint, ahead of the Dane Mads Pederson (Trek), winner of the first stage, who consolidates his yellow jersey as leader.
In the final sprint, Pedersen launched hostilities from quite a distance, with the young Kooij in his wheel, who managed to pull him up just before the line. Frenchman Lorenzo Manzin (TotalEnergie) slipped into 3rd place.
The stage was also marked by the abandonment of Sagan about 40 km from the finish. The 2015 to 2017 world champion, who has already had a complicated start to the season, gave up the Tour of Flanders last week to try to find his legs in a less demanding race.