‘It’s the last day of racing so you just give it your all’ – Per Strand Hagenes closes out the year with solo win in Paris-Tours

The early breakaway (Image credit: A.S.O./Gaëtan Flamme)

The 120th edition of Paris-Tours rolled out of Chartres for 216km of racing across the French countryside, with 10 off-road farmyard sectors littering the final third of racing to make one of the toughest semi-Classics of the year.

What to read next

Despite the flat start to the race, it didn’t take long for a group to get away, and a fair large one at that, with 12 riders going up the road after less than 10km. The group included the likes of Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek), Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Yves Lampaert (Soudal-QuickStep), but the peloton were clearly not entirely happy with a group of that size and strength going away, and they were initially kept on a tight leash, gaining just 25 seconds after 20km out front.

After some will-they-won’t-they, however, the break was finally given a little more leeway, and pulled out a gap of two minutes, eventually growing to three as the situation held steady for the first 120km of racing. In such a long race, many riders and teams were saving as much as possible for the pointy end of the course with the off-road sectors and punchy climbs.

Martijn Rasenberg (Unibet Rose Rockets) was the first rider to drop out of the lead group after an untimely puncture, and he was absorbed by the peloton to make it 11 riders in the lead.

With 80km to go, the peloton were standing to ramp up their pace, with Visma-Lease a Bike and Netcompany Ineos on the front, bringing the gap down to two minutes. With 76km to go, a handful of riders came down in a crash in the middle of the bunch, including Aimé De Gendt (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Rayan Boulahoite (TotalEnergies) who stayed down the longest whilst the other riders got going again.

The first chemin de vigne sector passed without major incident, but the second saw Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) puncture and take a quick bike change, but even though it was a speedy swap, he still had to chase back on.

The gap dropped below a minute for the first time with 50km to go, shortly before a mass crash hit the peloton – on a tarmac stretch – with multiple riders veering off onto the grass verge. Plenty of big names and potential contenders were involved, including Dorian Godon (Netcompany Ineos) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Intermarché), and several of the worst-affected riders stayed down, not able to continue.

The bunch had been going at full pelt at the time of the crash, though, so rather than slow up as they hit the next sector, they had no choice but to push on and the gap to the leaders kept falling.

Up front, unaffected by the crash, a group of five forged on from the break to go clear of the rest of the group, but the bunch were hot on their heels at this point as the carnage of the sectors had riders spread across the road.

The acceleration in the bunch saw the remainder of the break caught and the gap down to 25 seconds, but a resettling on the next long tarmac stretch saw the gap go out again and the five leaders had a gap of a minute with 40km to go. The five leaders were Lampaert, Bissegger, Matis Louvel (NSN), Storm Ingebrigtsen (Uno-X Mobility) and Julius van den Berg (Picnic PostNL).

With such strength in the lead group, they were working well to try and survive as long as possible, dropping Ingebrigtsen in the process, but the peloton was pushing equally hard to bring them back, with Lewis Askey (NSN) particularly active as the gap fell below 20 seconds with 25km to go. There had been a big split in the peloton, leaving fewer than 30 riders in the main chase, but things regrouped slightly with some dropped riders coming back.

However, this didn’t last long as the next big push saw Pierre Gautherat (Decathlon CMA CGM) attack on a climb to not only reel the four leaders back in with 21km, but go clear himself onto the penultimate gravel sector. The counter-attacks were rolling behind Gautherat, who was dangling about 10 seconds ahead of the bunch, but it took a while for anyone to definitely catch him – that came with 14km to go when Per Stand Hagenes (Visma-Lease a Bike) dragged himself and Gautherat’s teammate Rasmus Pedersen up to the leader.

The rest of the peloton rejoined the front of the race shortly after, with a big regrouping on the final gravel sector, 11km from the finish line in Tours. The attacks certainly didn’t stop there, though, with various moves coming and going before a reduced group of 11 finally formed in the lead with 5km to go.

It was a cagey finale, with riders gambling between long-range attack attempts but also trying to save something for a possible sprint. Four riders – Strand Hagens, Skujiņš, Stuyven and Florian Senechal (Alpecin-Premier Tech) – broke off the front, rolling constant attacks, and it was a final big acceleration from Skujiņš with 1.3km to go that Strand Hagenes launched off of to go solo towards the line.

Stuyven was the quickest to react, finding himself in a desperate late chase between the leader and the chasers, but he couldn’t quite reel the Visma in, and just about held off the pursuing group to grab second as Laporte sprinted to third.

Paris-Tours marks the last major one-day race of the season, with Visma-Lease a Bike claiming their 51st victory of 2026.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Position

Rider (Country) Team

Time Gap

1

Per Strand Hagenes (Nor) Visma-Lease a Bike

04:31:46

2

Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

00:00:02

3

Christophe Laporte (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike

Row 2 – Cell 2

4

Matys Grisel (Fra) Lotto-Intermarché

Row 3 – Cell 2

5

Jonas Abrahamsen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility

Row 4 – Cell 2

6

Paul Lapeira (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM

Row 5 – Cell 2

7

Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United

Row 6 – Cell 2

8

Lewis Askey (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

Row 7 – Cell 2

9

Florian Senechal (Fra) Alpecin-Premier Tech

Row 8 – Cell 2

10

Toms Skujins (Lat) Lidl-Trek

00:00:09

11

Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen (Den) Decathlon CMA CGM

00:00:12

12

Fabio Christen (Swi) Pinarello-Q36.5

00:00:28

13

Alexis Renard (Fra) Cofidis

00:00:36

14

Matis Louvel (Fra) NSN Cycling Team

Row 13 – Cell 2

15

Axel Huens (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United

Row 14 – Cell 2

16

Pepijn Reinderink (Ned) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 15 – Cell 2

17

Victor Papon (Fra) Nice Metropole Cote D’Azur

Row 16 – Cell 2

18

Adam Ťoupalík (Cze) Unibet Rose Rockets

Row 17 – Cell 2

19

Aime De Gendt (Bel) Pinarello-Q36.5

Row 18 – Cell 2

20

Maxime Vezie (Fra) Cic Pro Cycling Academy

Row 19 – Cell 2

21

Pierre Gautherat (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM

Row 20 – Cell 2

22

Romain Gregoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United

00:00:39

23

Riley Sheehan (USA) NSN Cycling Team

00:00:55

24

Maxime Jarnet (Fra) Van Rysel Roubaix

Row 23 – Cell 2

25

Julius Van Den Berg (Ned) Picnic PostNL

Row 24 – Cell 2

26

Yves Lampaert (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

00:00:58

27

Jenno Berckmoes (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché

00:01:13

28

Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) NSN Cycling Team

Row 27 – Cell 2

29

Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 28 – Cell 2

30

Killian Theot (Fra) Van Rysel Roubaix

Row 29 – Cell 2

31

Mike Teunissen (Ned) XDS Astana

Row 30 – Cell 2

32

Davide Ballerini (Ita) XDS Astana

Row 31 – Cell 2

33

Boje Patrick Frydkjær (Den) Lidl-Trek

Row 32 – Cell 2

34

Sergi Darder Gari (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Row 33 – Cell 2

35

Michiel Lambrecht (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 34 – Cell 2

36

Javier Ibañez Beltran De Salazar (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Row 35 – Cell 2

37

Stefan Bissegger (Swi) Decathlon CMA CGM

Row 36 – Cell 2

38

Axel Bouquet (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 37 – Cell 2

39

Bastien Tronchon (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United

Row 38 – Cell 2

40

Yohann Simon (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

00:01:16

41

Sjoerd Bax (Ned) Pinarello-Q36.5

Row 40 – Cell 2

42

Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling

00:01:20

43

Roy Hoogendoorn (Ned) Picnic PostNL

00:01:30

44

Edward Theuns (Bel) Lidl-Trek

Row 43 – Cell 2

45

Erik Nordsaeter Resell (Nor) Uno-X Mobility

Row 44 – Cell 2

46

Søren Wærenskjold (Nor) Uno-X Mobility

Row 45 – Cell 2

47

Romain Cardis (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 46 – Cell 2

48

Sente Sentjens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech

Row 47 – Cell 2

49

Lenaic Langella (Fra) Cic Pro Cycling Academy

00:01:53

50

Clement Izquierdo (Fra) Cofidis

Row 49 – Cell 2

51

Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché

00:01:58

52

Lander Loockx (Bel) Unibet Rose Rockets

Row 51 – Cell 2

53

Joseph Brookes (GBr) Cofidis

Row 52 – Cell 2

54

Pierre Thierry (Fra) Totalenergies

Row 53 – Cell 2

55

Stefan Küng (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 54 – Cell 2

56

Ben Turner (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers

Row 55 – Cell 2

57

Andrew Oscar Chamberlain (Aus) Decathlon CMA CGM

Row 56 – Cell 2

58

Blume William Levy (Den) Uno-X Mobility

00:02:01

59

Florian Dauphin (Fra) Totalenergies

00:02:07

60

Emmanuel Houcou (Fra) Pinarello-Q36.5

00:02:10

61

John Degenkolb (Ger) Picnic PostNL

00:02:19

62

Simon Goossens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech

Row 61 – Cell 2

63

Hugo Scala Jr. (USA) Modern Adventure

Row 62 – Cell 2

64

Fred Wright (GBr) Pinarello-Q36.5

Row 63 – Cell 2

65

Lucas Beneteau (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 64 – Cell 2

66

Thomas Champion (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 65 – Cell 2

67

Dorian Godon (Fra) Ineos Grenadiers

Row 66 – Cell 2

68

Viktor Soenens (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 67 – Cell 2

69

Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 68 – Cell 2

70

Lennert Belmans (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech

Row 69 – Cell 2

71

Pietro Mattio (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike

Row 70 – Cell 2

72

Kim Alexander Heiduk (Ger) Ineos Grenadiers

Row 71 – Cell 2

73

Niels Driesen (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché

Row 72 – Cell 2

74

Davide Toneatti (Ita) XDS Astana

Row 73 – Cell 2

75

Axel Mariault (Fra) Cic Pro Cycling Academy

00:02:54

76

Baptiste Gillet (Fra) Nice Metropole Cote D’Azur

00:04:07

77

Paul Ourselin (Fra) Cofidis

00:04:14

78

Fabian Weiss (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling

00:04:26

79

Joppe Heremans (Bel) Van Rysel Roubaix

00:05:24

80

Mathias Vacek (Cze) Lidl-Trek

00:07:01

81

Ben Oliver (NZl) Modern Adventure

Row 80 – Cell 2

82

Léandre Lozouet (Fra) Cic Pro Cycling Academy

Row 81 – Cell 2

83

Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Lotto-Intermarché

Row 82 – Cell 2

84

Arnaud Tendon (Swi) Van Rysel Roubaix

Row 83 – Cell 2

85

Antoine Raugel (Fra) Van Rysel Roubaix

Row 84 – Cell 2

86

Elias Maris (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 85 – Cell 2

87

Brem Deman (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 86 – Cell 2

88

Maël Guegan (Fra) Cic Pro Cycling Academy

Row 87 – Cell 2

89

Noa Isidore (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM

Row 88 – Cell 2

90

Storm Ingebrigtsen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility

Row 89 – Cell 2

91

Ian Lopez De San Roman (USA) Modern Adventure

Row 90 – Cell 2

92

Martijn Rasenberg (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets

00:07:26

93

Jonas Geens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech

Row 92 – Cell 2

94

Lennes Jacobs (Bel) Picnic PostNL

Row 93 – Cell 2

95

Simon Guglielmi (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

00:07:41

96

Clément Davy (Fra) Nice Metropole Cote D’Azur

Row 95 – Cell 2

97

Jakob Söderqvist (Swe) Lidl-Trek

00:09:59

98

Cameron Rogers (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers

Row 97 – Cell 2

99

Håkon Eiksund Øksnes (Nor) Uno-X Mobility

Row 98 – Cell 2

100

Timo Kielich (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike

Row 99 – Cell 2

101

Jonas Rutsch (Ger) Lotto-Intermarché

00:10:41

102

Estanislao Calabuig (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Row 101 – Cell 2

103

Elliot Rowe (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike

Row 102 – Cell 2

104

Brody Mcdonald (USA) Modern Adventure

Row 103 – Cell 2

105

Daniel Smajkic Årnes (Nor) Van Rysel Roubaix

Row 104 – Cell 2

106

Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) NSN Cycling Team

Row 105 – Cell 2

107

Gorka Sorarrain Agirrezabala (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Row 106 – Cell 2

108

Ward Vanhoof (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 107 – Cell 2

109

Mathieu Kockelmann (Lux) Lotto-Intermarché

00:11:39

110

Tom Mainguenaud (Fra) Nice Metropole Cote D’Azur

Row 109 – Cell 2

111

Matteo Vercher (Fra) Totalenergies

Row 110 – Cell 2

112

Tim Naberman (Ned) Picnic PostNL

Row 111 – Cell 2

113

Tobias Svendsen Foss (Nor) Ineos Grenadiers

Row 112 – Cell 2

114

Iker Villar Galdeano (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Row 113 – Cell 2

115

Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United

Row 114 – Cell 2

116

Clément Russo (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United

Row 115 – Cell 2

117

Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Row 116 – Cell 2

118

Louis Hardouin (Fra) Van Rysel Roubaix

00:11:58

119

Ceriel Desal (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

00:15:16

120

Jason Tesson (Fra) Totalenergies

00:15:23

121

Mathias Sanlaville (Fra) Cic Pro Cycling Academy

00:15:52

122

Carter Guichard (NZl) Nice Metropole Cote D’Azur

00:16:43

123

Jaakko Hänninen (Fin) Nice Metropole Cote D’Azur

Row 122 – Cell 2

124

Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike

00:17:11

125

Tyler Stites (USA) Modern Adventure

Row 124 – Cell 2

126

Kristian Egholm (Den) Lidl-Trek

Row 125 – Cell 2

127

Lorenzo De Longhi (Ita) Cofidis

Row 126 – Cell 2

128

Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 127 – Cell 2