Tour de la Provence wrapped up with a bunch sprint Sunday, and Phil Bauhaus scored the first win for his newly renamed Bahrain-Victorious team [insert pun here] in the frantic gallop for the line.
Iván Sosa finished safely in the bunch to secure the classification. Julian Alaphilippe prevented an Ineos Grenadiers one-two on GC with a wily grab for bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint, allowing him to claw back time on Egan Bernal and move up to second overall having started the day in third-place.
Sosa started the day in the leader’s jersey and just had had to remain safe and upright in the final flat stage of the race.
Alaphilippe punched early to win the intermediate sprint 10km into the stage to move up to second in the GC.
The break of four got away early and enjoyed around four minutes of a lead for much of the stage.
The peloton enjoyed an easy day in the flatlands after the Ventoux test of stage 3.
It was another chilly one in southern France and the peloton kept bundled up.
The close of the race played out on a finishing circuit which eventual winner Bauhaus said helped him and his team establish tactics for the sprint after seeing the closing kilometer ahead of the finale.
Bauhaus edged the sprint in a close contest with Davide Ballerini and Nacer Bouhanni.