Stage 1: Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, 8.9 km ITT Full Results and Report
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Scenery from the pan flat 8.9 km ITT in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer | 
Filippo Ganna (ITA/Team Sky) won the 8.9 km Stage 1 ITT in 10:05, 9s faster than Sebastian Langeveld (Ned/EF Education First) | 
Filippo Ganna (ITA/Team Sky) post-ride | 
15th Thibaut Pinot (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) + 27s in his first appearance of the eyar | 
30th Tony Gallopin (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) + 37s | 
59th Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Deceuninck-QuickStep) + 51s | 
Your Stage 1 ITT winner, Filippo Ganna (ITA/Team Sky) | 
Nice race leader's jersey! | 
After the finish, stage winner Filippo Ganna said: “I’ve started the new season on a high note. It was a fast course. When I saw that it was a bit windy, I realized I had to do it seriously. We joke before the start that I had to ride one pursuit of 4km and straight after that, another one. To have the leader’s jersey in the first stage race I do this year is very important and beautiful. We have a good team to defend the jersey as long as I can.” |
Stage 2: Istres to La Ciotat, 195.6km Full Results and Report
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The jersey winner's at the Stage 2 start in Istres to La Ciotat, 195.6km | 
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The photo finish from Stage 2 | 
Eduard PRADES (MOV) wins Stage 2 in La Ciotat ahead of 2nd Tony GALLOPIN (ALM), 3rd Gorka IZAGUIRRE (AST), off the screen on the right. Prades launched a courageous, powerful sprint from the last place of a 10-man group including big names such as Tony Gallopin (ALM, 2nd), Gorka Izagirre (AST, 3rd), Thibaut Pinot and David Gaudu (GFC), an attack formed into the final slopes with 15km left. Having suffered to join that group, Edu saved all of his energies for one only attack: the final sprint, where he claimed his 11th pro success. | 
Your Stage 2 winner, Eduard PRADES (MOV): "It's a dream for me. Changing teams, reaching the WorldTour and achieving a victory so early in the season with your new squad is amazing. It gives me confidence, and it helps the whole team - I feel like I'm paying them back for the effort they took to bring me here and put that confidence on my shoulders. It was a difficult sprint, but I knew I was a fast guy compared to the others, even if some rivals like Gorka Izagirre could make things hard for me. I tried to wait to the very last possible moment, launch my sprint from behind, and fortunately, it all turned out well. I want to savour this victory, it's not easy at all to claim a win and less so in the early season. Also, races here in France are always like a classic, people doesn't think about tomorrow when they attack, so it's more fierce. My next goals? For the time being, I just want to enjoy this and go day-by-day. We're close to the top contenders, yet we must take things easier and not get too obsessed about the GC - let's see how far I can reach." | 
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New race leader, Gorka IZAGUIRRE (AST) by 2s over Thibaut PINOT |
Stage 3: Aubagne to Circuit du Castellet, 185.8km Full Results and Report
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Race leader, Gorka Izagirre (AST): “It’s been a very difficult day. I saved myself well, but Groupama-FDJ were up there with three riders and they massacred me! I believe it’ll be another difficult day tomorrow because the gaps are very tight. Now Tony Gallopin will be another rider to watch out closely because he is only two seconds down.” | 
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Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Deceuninck-QuickStep) wins Stage 3 in 4:25:10 ahead of 2nd Toms Skujins (Lat/Trek-Segafredo) and 3rd Tony Gallopin (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) | 
Stage winner Philippe Gilbert said: “It was a pretty fast sprint coming after a tight curve. I managed to get a good position and I launched my sprint 120 metres before the end. It was the right timing. I came to the Tour de La Provence to add racing miles, that’s why I didn’t try anything before and put all my eggs in the basket of a sprint finish. In a cycling season, there’s always the question on when to get the first win. A victory delivers confidence, rest and serenity. It’s my first one on a car racing circuit but I knew Le Castellet thanks to having trained here with BMC before a Team Time Trial World Championship. I’m delighted to leave it with the sweetness of a victory.” | 
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Your Stage 3 winner, Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Deceuninck-QuickStep) and his boys | 
Podium from a distance |
Stage 4: Avignon to Aix-en-Provence, 173.3km Full Results and Report
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The break | 
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Stage 4 on the way from Avignon to Aix-en-Provence | 
John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo) wins stage 4 ahead of 2nd Simon Clarke (Aus/EF Education First), 3rd Anthony Maldonado (Fra/St Michel-Auber 93), 4th Tony Gallopin (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) | 
Your Stage 4 winner, John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo): “The first victory is always very important and it’s good when it comes as early as in the second race of the season. I’m very happy. We had a strong race as a team in all four stages. We were already second yesterday [with Toms Skujins] and today we take the win, not only me, but the whole team. It’s a fantastic victory that motivates me for the next races.” | 
The tight GC podium: 2nd Simon Clarke (Aus/EF Education First) same time, 1st Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa/Astana) 13:18:06, 3rd Tony Gallopin (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) + 1s | 
Overall winner Gorka Izagirre said: “I’m very happy, very very happy. It’s been a very demanding and stressful finale but we made it. Mission accomplished. It’s a very big victory. I’m normally a team worker. I’m glad I got confidence from the team to ride for myself.” | 
Big weekend for Astana. They've won at Colombia, Oman, Murcia and Provence this weekend. |
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