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Nielsen Powles (EF Education-EasyPost) picked up where he left off last year with a win at Sunday’s GP La Marseillaise.
The American sensation hit a solo with 13km to go in the tough hilly classic to deliver his first win for the season and carry on the momentum from his year-end victory in Japan last summer.
Valentin Feron (Total Energy) and Brent van Moor (Lotto-Dustney) chased down the target with more than a minute back.
The win is the third of Paules’ pro career and an early confidence booster for the 26-year-old, as he last year vowed to turn chances into results more regularly in 2023.
Powles impressed throughout last summer but struggled to find the winning moves until he picked up his one win of the season at the 2022-final Japan Cup. The sixth year WorldTour Pro also came within 13 seconds of wearing yellow at the Tour de France.
“There is a lot of satisfaction and motivation for the future. I am very happy to have finally put the ball in the goal,” said Paules at the end of his third race in 2023.
“I’ve been trying many times this year and physically I felt able to produce so many results, but in bike racing, you have to make sure everything goes well and comes together on the right day. I’m very happy.” I am sure it finally came together for me today.
💥💥💥 Nielsen Poules wins Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille 🥇
He enlivened the climbs, attacked on the final climb and rode an amazing solo TT over the line.
Congratulations, Nielsen! pic.twitter.com/assMc4vsgl
– EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) January 29, 2023
The French season-opener around Marseille usually comes down to sprinters versus climbers and breakaway performers, and Sunday proved to be the latter.
Powless ran away with a bunch of 1o others in the last hour of racing, and the group worked together to fend off the chasing peloton on the downwind incline.
Powles was active throughout the final and was one of the most dangerous in the escape.
He made his crucial move just outside with 13 km to go and hung in the eye-line of the chase group through the fast, wide tarmac in Marseille.
The Florida-born Poles only maintained his gap of 20-30 seconds during the final 10km, but the chase flattened out, allowing the American rider to roar to victory as he filled the frame in the finish photo with an advantage of 1:15. gave.
The result caps a standout opening to the season for EF Education-EasyPost after Marin van den Berg won in Mallorca and Mikel Honoré took the KOM jersey at the Tour Down Under.
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