Romain Bardet won the La Drome Classic race.
Last year's race was cancelled due to snow but this year it was cold and wet as the riders set off on a 198km course which started and finished in Valence in France.
Attacking in numbers was the order of the day in the early part of this 189kms race and after forty kilometres, some thirty six riders were in a lead group, 1.15 ahead of the peloton.
With 108kms to go, this group was brought to heel and new attacks started but as the race approached the eighty one kilometres left mark, all forays had been dealt with.
The attacks did not stop and another eighteen riders in Serry, Brambilla, Alaphilippe, Bernaudeau, Gautier, Hupond, Barguil, Zoidl, Felline, Courteille, Domont, Hermans, Baugnies, Gerard, Jones, Slik, Giraud and Delfosse went away quickly taking a lead of 1.30.
With less than fifty kilometres to go, there was a fracturing of the lead group and Serry, Barguil, Zoidl, Courteille, Giraud & Delfosse got free.
They led until the closing kilometres when AG2R's Romain Bardet got awat and took the win in 4.39.00, nine seconds ahead of Seb Delfosse of the Wallonie-Bruxelles team, Gianni Meersman of Omega Pharma Quick Step, Kreder, Fonseca, Cherel, Bakelandts, Barguil, Gilbert and Federigo.