Paris-Nice Stage 2 – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 2 of Paris-Nice, which runs 166.5km from Chevreuse to Chalette-sur-Loing.

It should be one for the sprinters today. There are three classified climbs in the first half of the stage but the final 45km is pretty much pan flat.

It looks like it could be another windy day out there as the peloton head south down central France. Here's Lotto Soudal sprinter Caleb Ewan's opinion on the stage.

Today's stage kicks off in 20 minutes.

Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) won yesterday's opening stage after attacking late on with Dylan Teuns to catch Tiesj Benoot and Julian Alaphilippe, who had attacked earlier on. Read our report here.

Of course, the other big news of the day was the disqualification of French champion Warren Barguil. The Arkéa-Samsic man was caught in a crash mid-stage, and later drafted his team car while attempting to make it back to the peloton.

166km remaining

The stage is underway now.

162km remaining

KOM leader Jonathan Hivert (Total Direct Energie) and Jose Manuel Días (Nippo Delko One Provence) attacked from the start. They're 50 seconds up after four kilometres.

Heavy rain at the start.

Hivert and Díaz arer over a minute up the road now.

150km remaining

Hivert and Díaz have an advantage of 2:20.

Find out how to watch the race with our handy guide.

How to watch Paris-Nice – live stream, TV, results

Here's our latest pro bike feature – from one of the men who was on the attack yesterday, Tiesj Benoot.

Tiesj Benoot's Cervelo R5 - Gallery

131km remaining

Meanwhile, the break has crested the first climb of the day, a third-category hill. Hivert grabbed four more points to add to his eight from yesterday. Díaz was second but took the three points for first place over the day's first sprint point.

Some coronavirus updates related to the race coming through...

L'Equipe journalist Gaétan Scherrer has tweeted that Paris-Nice organisers ASO have been asked for a "total shutdown" of start and finish areas. The public will be prevented from accessing either.

The move comes after the French government last night reduced the maximum number of people allowed at public gatherings from 5000 to 1000.

114km remaining

The rain has stopped now and the break lies 2:35 up on the peloton as they traverse the rolling roads and hills.

The rain has now started up again as the break approaches the day's second climb. Their advantage is down to 1:45.

Our latest 'Introducing' feature is about Deceuninck-QuickStep neo-pro Ian Garrison. Read our Q&A with the American below.

Introducing: Ian Garrison

99km remaining

Hivert led Díaz over the Cote de Bouville, taking another four KOM points to extend his lead in the competition to eight points.

Race organisation have confirmed the measure reported earlier – that the race will be held 'behind closed doors' with a buffer zone between public and riders.

The two breakaway men are closing in on the third and final climb of the day, another third-category hill – the Cote du Pressoir.

And yes, it's another four points for Hivert over the top.

A shot of the two-man break in the awful conditions earlier on today.

77km remaining

The gap keeps edging down now. The break are 1:25 up on the peloton after two hours of racing.

Bora-Hansgrohe lead the peloton.

65km remaining

The peloton have really upped the pace in the last few kilometres. The break won't last long now.

And now it's over for the break, after just over 100km out front. There's only one intermediate sprint between now and the finish to fight for in any case.

60km remaining

The wind has whipped up and there's a split in the peloton as the pace was high.

Niki Terpstra (Total Direct Energie), Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) are on the wrong side of it.

55km remaining

The peloton is all back together now.

A look at the moment the break was caught.

50km remaining

A bit of a strange sight at the intermediate sprint – Peter Sagan leading out Max Schachmann. The German gets three seconds to bolster his overall lead. Sergio Higuita (EF Pro Cycling) takes two seconds, while Sagan is third.

44km remaining

Groupama-FDJ, Deceuninck-QuickStep and Bora-Hansgrohe lead the peloton.

Now it's Groupama-FDJ in control as the crosswinds threaten over the next few kilometres.

Teams are trying their best to force something in the exposed areas, but it looks like the wind isn't fierce enough to blow the race up.

33km remaining

The pace has been upped once again as the peloton enter another exposed area.

A number of riders have missed a split at the rear of the peloton.

A group of around 15-20 have dropped back.

Several small groups chase the peloton.

28km remaining

Caleb Ewan and Richie Porte have reportedly been dropped. Julian Alaphilppe has punctured and is chasing on behind his team car.

Sam Bennett is among another group to get dropped from the peloton.

The wind has really picked up here with echelons forming.

Nairo Quintana has just been caught in a crash and drops away from the lead peloton. He takes a bike from his brother and teammate Dayer. Diego Rosa drops back to try and help him get back.

Qunintana and Alaphilippe are in the same group, chasing a minute down on the lead grroup. The race has shattered.

19km remaining

Trek-Segafredo are leading the way in the lead group, riding for Vincenzo Nibali.

The lead group is only around 30-35 riders. Nibali, race leader Schachmann, Romain Bardet, Sergio Higuita and Thibaut Pinot are among the big names up there.

45 seconds between the Quintana-Alaphilippe group (the third on the road) and the leaders. Tiesj Benoot is also in that chase group.

14km remaining

World champion Mads Pedersen is among the riders driving the lead group.

Some names in the lead group: Pinot, Küng; Stuyven, Pedersen, Nibali; Vanmarcke, Higuita; Viviani; Sagan, Ackermann, Schachmann; Bardet; Matthews; Politt, Würtz Schmidt; Nizzolo

10km remaining

And now the lead group is splitting up as Sagan, Schachmann and Pedersen power on.

Sagan, Ackermann, Schachmann, Stuyven, Nibali, Higuita are among the riders in the front group.

Viviani, Bardet, Pinot, Matthews didn't make the split.

8km remaining

There's maybe ten men up front with around 20 chasing.

Quintana and Alaphilippe are 1:25 down now.

15 seconds between the first two groups.

3km remaining

Full composition of the leaders: Higuita, Pedersen, Schachmann, Nibali, Sagan, Ackermann, Pedersen, Politt, Nizzolo, Stuyven, Großschartner, Neilands, Würtz Schmidt

Pedersen drops back after his work on the front.

The final looks like being a sprint between Nizzolo, Sagan/Ackerrmann and Stuyven.

17 seconds between the front two groups.

1km remaining

Final kilometre for the lead group now.

Bora and ISN open the sprint.

Sagan leads out Ackermann.

Nizzolo comes from behind Ackermann as the German runs out of gas.

Nizzolo takes the win!

The NTT man takes victory ahead of Ackermann and Stuyven.

Nibali and Schachmann lost three seconds to Higuita at the end there as the group split during the sprint.

Quintana and Alaphilippe trail in 1:26 down.

Stage 2 result

1 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling 3:49:57

2 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe

3 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo

4 Nils Politt (Ger) Israel Start-Up Nation

5 Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (Col) EF Pro Cycling

6 Mads Schmidt Würtz (Den) Israel Start-Up Nation

7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:03

8 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe

9 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe

10 Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Start-Up Nation

General classification after stage 2

1 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 7:22:06

2 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling 0:00:15

3 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:21

4 Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (Col) EF Pro Cycling 0:00:23

5 Nils Politt (Ger) Israel Start-Up Nation 0:00:25

6 Mads Schmidt Würtz (Den) Israel Start-Up Nation 0:00:25

7 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:28

8 Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Start-Up Nation 0:00:28

9 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:28

10 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team Sunweb 0:00:38

Here's what Nizzolo had to say after the finish.

"For sure it was a stressful day with the wind and the rain. Actually we didn't expect the rain today so it was even harder to get it. I'm feeling good since the beginning of the season, and it's a really good result.

"I'm really happy. Thanks to the team, they did a great job today, they support me from the start. What can I say? I'm really happy and I look forward for the next races now."

Nizzolo wins the sprint to the line.

EF Pro Cycling had a good day. Here's team boss Jonathan Vaughters on the stage.

Race leader Max Schachmann had another good day at Paris-Nice. Here's what he had to say after the finish.

"I was quite lucky and I also have to thank my team because I didn’t expect the rain and it was cold at the beginning. They brought me up to the front several times, then in the big action, Peter made such a huge, big effort to split it up again.

"It's even better for me in GC now. I also saw that EF did a good job and Sergio [Higuita] was also in the group, so on the climbs he will be a big competitor."

And here's world champion Mads Pedersen, who put in a lot of work in the wind today.

"Steven told us in the radio a crosswind was coming up. The xw started and we went up and I think it paid off quite well, we took some seconds in the GC and Jasper finished third. A successful day.

"For my point of view it's to build form for the Classics but also to help out Nibali today and give him some more time for the GC before the climbs start. We are racing to win, we didn't win today and that's how it is, but we can be happy with today."

Our brief race report with a photo gallery and stage results are up. Click here to look.

Keep checking the site through the evening for more news and reaction from stage 2 of Paris-Nice.

That's all from us today. Come back tomorrow for more live coverage of Paris-Nice!