4 Jours de Dunkerque / Grand Prix des Hauts de France

Stage 2: Compiègne - Laon

FR France Wednesday 17 May 2023 169.9 km

Vernon impresses in Dunkerque

Vernon impresses in Dunkerque

Ethan Vernon showed the fantastic progress he’s made since turning pro with Soudal Quick-Step, proving there’s more to him than meets the eye on the demanding uphill finish of the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque stage 2. Having won three races this year, including one at World Tour level in Romandie, Ethan produced a fantastic acceleration in the closing meters of the 1.9km climb averaging 4.1% which spiced up the finale of Wednesday’s stage to land another strong result.

It was an intense fight for victory, with the original breakaway caught just 200 meters from the line, after a fierce chase. As soon as this happened, the moves came, and Ethan Vernon was quick to react to a stinging attack of Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ). The 22-year-old Brit came with huge speed from behind, but ran out of road and eventually concluded runner-up, as the Frenchman took the victory in Laon.

“I wasn’t expecting I would sprint at the end, to be honest. When we came into the last climb I was a bit out of position, which meant I had to go deep quite early. This result is promising for the next days, because I know that with a better positioning I could have won. Shape wise I’m in a better place that I thought after sickness, so I’m happy and looking forward to the coming stages”, said Ethan, who is fourth overall before the race’s individual time trial.

 

Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images

Race details

1 Romain Grégoire
Groupama - FDJ
3:59:05
2 Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step
0:00
3 Benoît Cosnefroy
AG2R Citroën Team
0:00
4 Peter Sagan
TotalEnergies
0:00
5 Victor Lafay
Cofidis
0:00
6 Benjamin Thomas
Cofidis
0:00
7 Anthon Charmig
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
0:00
8 Paul Penhoët
Groupama - FDJ
0:00
9 Greg Van Avermaet
AG2R Citroën Team
0:00
10 Olav Kooij
Jumbo-Visma
0:00
19 Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step
0:00
30 Lars Craps
Soudal - Quick Step
0:00
34 Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step
0:00
52 Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step
0:19
61 Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step
0:41
95 Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step
2:26
1 Samuel Leroux
Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole
8:30:32
2 Olav Kooij
Jumbo-Visma
0:01
3 Romain Grégoire
Groupama - FDJ
0:01
4 Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step
0:05
5 Pier-André Coté
Human Powered Health
0:05
6 Paul Penhoët
Groupama - FDJ
0:07
7 Benoît Cosnefroy
AG2R Citroën Team
0:07
8 Logan Currie
Bolton Equities Black Spoke
0:07
9 Mathis Le Berre
Team Arkéa Samsic
0:08
10 Anthony Turgis
TotalEnergies
0:08
13 Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step
0:11
18 Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step
0:11
51 Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step
0:30
60 Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step
0:51
84 Lars Craps
Soudal - Quick Step
2:33
91 Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step
2:37
1 Olav Kooij
Jumbo-Visma
16 pt
2 Romain Grégoire
Groupama - FDJ
15 pt
3 Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step
12 pt
4 Paul Penhoët
Groupama - FDJ
12 pt
5 Max Walscheid
Cofidis
12 pt
6 Samuel Leroux
Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole
11 pt
7 Peter Sagan
TotalEnergies
10 pt
8 Benoît Cosnefroy
AG2R Citroën Team
9 pt
9 Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step
7 pt
10 Pier-André Coté
Human Powered Health
6 pt
25 Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step
1 pt
1 Tuur Dens
Team Flanders - Baloise
15 pt
2 Alex Colman
Team Flanders - Baloise
11 pt
3 Ceriel Desal
Bingoal WB
11 pt
4 Kenny Molly
Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole
9 pt
5 Damien Girard
Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur
7 pt
6 Pier-André Coté
Human Powered Health
4 pt
7 Geoffrey Soupe
TotalEnergies
3 pt
8 Logan Currie
Bolton Equities Black Spoke
2 pt
9 Olivier Le Gac
Groupama - FDJ
2 pt
10 Mathis Le Berre
Team Arkéa Samsic
1 pt
1 Olav Kooij
Jumbo-Visma
8:30:33
2 Romain Grégoire
Groupama - FDJ
0:00
3 Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step
0:04
4 Paul Penhoët
Groupama - FDJ
0:06
5 Logan Currie
Bolton Equities Black Spoke
0:06
6 Mathis Le Berre
Team Arkéa Samsic
0:07
7 Alexis Renard
Cofidis
0:10
8 Samuel Watson
Groupama - FDJ
0:10
9 Ibon Ruiz Sedano
Equipo Kern Pharma
0:10
10 Julius Johansen
Intermarché - Circus - Wanty
0:10
17 Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step
0:29
31 Lars Craps
Soudal - Quick Step
2:32
1 Groupama - FDJ 25:32:09
2 Cofidis 0:00
3 Soudal - Quick Step 0:00
4 AG2R Citroën Team 0:00
5 Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:00
6 Lotto Dstny 0:00
7 TotalEnergies 0:00
8 Team Arkéa Samsic 0:00
9 Intermarché - Circus - Wanty 0:13
9 Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00

Related items

Merlier boxed in on Dunkerque opener

Merlier boxed in on Dunkerque opener

16/05/2023 - Race report
Link