With a big advantage it was France's Julien Epaillard who speeded to victory in today's 1.45m Longines Ranking class in St Tropez. The French show jumping rider conquered the class aboard Usual Suspect d'Auge (Jarnac). The pair was over two seconds faster as compatriot Mathieu Billot with Bad Boy du Bobois (Nabab de Rêve).
"I had a bit of luck," says Epaillard after the class. "I almost had a fence down, but luckily it stayed on top. I guess this pressured the other combinations a bit." Together with Tal Milstein Stables' reference, Icarus (Douglas) Marlon Modolo Zanotelli completed the stage.
The pair was followed by Jean Luc Mourier with KWPN-mare, Fionapina Colada (Berlin). The top five was completed by Dutch Maikel van der Vleuten aboard Idi Utopia (Quasimodo Z).