The 24-year-old, the main lead-out man for Tudor’s sprinters Alberto Dainese and Arvid de Kleijn, surprised everyone with an excellent performance on the course with 14 corners in 2.3 kilometers. The Dutchman needed 2.55 minutes, leaving Cameron Scott, Julian Alaphilippe, and all the other competition in his wake.
This victory marks Dainese's breakthrough in France after two consecutive days finishing in 5th place. It stands as his first triumph of the season.
Looking back on his win, Dainese expressed his happiness, saying: “The final lap was quite intense. The first time we came into the circuit we said: 'wow, it’s gonna be hectic.'"
“Since I was a junior, I have always enjoyed climbs and technical downhills, but among the pros, you really need to be in top shape to perform well in climbs. This year I started feeling better and stronger in the finales, and I had already attempted these attacks in Bessèges and Ardèche, without success.”
“We have Matteo (Trentin) here in our group, and he knows exactly what to do in these kinds of sprint stages. He told us to stay calm till the end. Ultimately, he did an amazing pull in the final. I then had the two Duchies in front of me (Rick Pluimers and Maikel Zijlaard) who did an incredible job today.”
