Samuel Dumoulin wins 5th stage of the Etoile de Bessèges and secures first win of the season for AG2R La Mondiale.

Starting and finishing in Alès the 5th stage of the Etoile de Bessèges saw a short (69 km) yet action packed afternoon.

Cyril Bessy (Cofidis) and Rony Martias (Sojasun) broke away early on the short stage but were kept on a short leash by a peloton unwilling to grant any sustainable lead on such a short stage. Thus the lead never exceeded the one minute mark.

26 km from the finish line the breakaway duo had been reeled back in mainly due to a determined effort by Dutch team Vacansoleil-DCM.

As a result the stage ended in a bunch sprint. Veteran rider Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) outwitted two times stage winner Bryan Coquard (Europcar) to claim the stage while Mathieu Drujon (Big Mat-Auber 93) made it an all-French podium.

Jerôme Cousin (Europcar) easily defended his leader’s jersey going into tonight’s 9.7 km ITT in Alès.