INDIANAPOLIS — Simon Pagenaud had perhaps as good an explanation as any for how he won the 103rd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

“This race chooses its winners,” Pagenaud said after holding off Alexander Rossi in a frantic finish. “Today, I was the chosen one.”

Also helping Pagenaud was his uncanny ability to anticipate Rossi’s moves. That allowed him to hold off Rossi, who won the race in 2016 and who said he was driving at “eleven-tenths” during the final 12 laps, trying to wrest away the lead.

“Nothing else matters here but winning,” said a disappointed Rossi, who came up just two-tenths of a second short. “I know that. This one will be hard to get over.”