Norwegian Per Strand Hagenes on Sunday won the 120th edition of the Paris-Tours one-day classic, one of the oldest races on cycling's calendar.
The race was first run in 1896, the same year as the first Paris-Roubaix and seven years before the inaugural Tour de France.
Hagenes escaped from an 11-strong group just before the final kilometre of the 216km race, which these days starts about 80km southwest of Paris in Chartres.
The 23-year-old held on to win by two seconds from Belgian Jasper Stuyven and Frenchman Christophe Laporte, the 2024 winner.
Since Tour organisers ASO took over running Paris-Tours in 2018, they have changed what was once a largely flat course suited to sprinters, to include 10 bumpy, hilly, gravelly vineyard trails which make the race much less predictable.
Pre-race favourite Tim Merlier, who won three sprint stages during July's Tour, lost contact with the leaders 9km from the finish on the Rochecorbon climb.
A mass crash 50km from the finish took out many riders, with some ending up in a field, including Anthony Turgis who emerged with his face bloodied.
Latest stories
Digital World Bill Gates warns cyberattacks most imminent AI threat
Bill Gates on Sunday warned that unregulated artificial intelligence poses a growing threat and predicted an escalation in AI-powered cyberattacks...
Sports Zheng beats Andreeva to become first home player to win China Open
Zheng Qinwen became the first home winner of the China Open on Sunday as she beat Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva...
Asian Edition India's 'cockroach' leaders vow to keep up election protests
Leaders of India's youth-led "cockroach" movement on Sunday pledged to press on with protests against the country's election commissioner, hours after they were released from detention, as authorities sought to...