Few stage race day starts are as iconic as Col des Champs, now a legendary part of the Mavic Trans-Provence story. The col would see no racing today but would make the perfect start the day before riders tackled the short but sharp Day 2.
A real mix of riding greeted the riders on Day 2 as they skirted the Mercantour National Park and enter the Maritime Alps. Everything from high Grey Earth, flat-out woods and some steeper trails made it a smorgasbord of what Mavic Trans-Provence has become known and loved for over the years.
Day 2 really showed the quintessence of Mavic Trans-Provence, with a shorter distance than Day 1, yet with less climbing with more shuttles and descending over the day made it a winner among riders.
An ominous forecast failed to materialize until late in the day as riders made their way from stage 7 to 8. The Dark Cloud Crew rolled into Guillaume at the tail end of a record late finish, getting caught in weather of their namesake, as the heavens opened delivering hail and rain in equal measure.
