Kaden Hopkins continued his fine start to the season when sharing the most combative rider award in the second stage of the 2024 Essor Basque.

The award, which is given to the rider who has shown most attacking intent, was handed to Hopkins after he finished eighth in the 120km stage between Souraide and Combo.

Hopkins, who was part of a long breakaway, finished five seconds behind stage winner Gari Laignet, of SCO Dijon-Team Materiel-velo.com, and shared the combative award with his Vendee U team-mate Nicola Marcereau, who finished fifth.

After finishing eighteenth of the 147 cyclists in the opening stage, Hopkins now has a five-day break before getting back in the saddle on Friday for the 109km stage between Basse Navarre and St Palais.

Hopkins was not the only one of Bermuda’s professional cyclists on action on Sunday with Conor White taking advantage of a training camp in Spain to compete in the Social La Bescanonina.

White, who is coming of the back of a stellar 2023, which culminated in winning a bronze medal in the individual time-trial at the Pan American Games in Chile in October, has headed to Girona ahead of the start of the US cycling season to rack up the miles and took the opportunity to compete against some talented European riders.

After trying to initiate a couple of breaks during the 98km race in Girona, White eventually had to settle for eighth, just a second behind the winner, Dutchman Tim Den Braber.