Paris-Nice stage 6 cancelled due to violent winds

Paris-Nice race organisers have cancelled today's six stage of the event after violent winds brought down trees and threatened the safety of the riders.

Sam Bennett, edged out of yesterday’s sprint, and Bora Hansgrohe team-mate and compatriot Ryan Mullen will resume action tomorrow for the seventh and penultimate stage of the iconic race from Nice towards Col de la Couillole.

"The exceptionally violent winds, which notably caused several tree falls in the region, make the cancellation of the stage inevitable," race organisers said in a statement.

Bennett sits in seventh in the points classification.

Bennett got himself into position for the sprint finish at the end of yesterday’s 212.4km stage, when Mads Pedersen and Olav Kooij took to the front.

The Carrick-on-Suir native was tucked in just behind as Kooij surged to the line.

Rolf Aldag, Bora Hansgrohe sports director, later revealed he had been suffering from unspecified health issues on the race.

Mullen finished 41 seconds down on the leading group.

Bennett picked up four points to move to 16, 20 adrift of Pedersen (36), with Kooij two points further back.

In the overall classification, Tadej Pogocar’s lead over Frenchman David Gaudu remains at six seconds, with Jumbo-Visma's Jonas Vingegaard a further 40 seconds back.