Novel Paris-Nice team chrono sees EF Education rider swap pink for yellow

It was an interesting team trial time innovation on Tuesday’s third stage of Paris-Nice that saw Jumbo-Visma take the win but EF Education-Easypost’s Magnus Cort swap pink for yellow. A Dane took over the race lead from another Dane, Mads Pedersen of Trek-Segafredo.

Teams next the start house three minutes apart in reverse order of the team classification, except race leader Mads Pedersen’s Trek-Segafredo, which headed out last. The riders who stayed together would be given the time of the first rider across the line, although “together” was sure to be up for interpretation. Those who didn’t stay together over the 32 km would have whatever time they made crossing the finish. It was expected that GC riders would be protected and then launched in the last two kilometers.

It’s TTT day @ParisNice and we’re the second team to roll down the ramp at 15:00 CET.

Today’s TTT has a twist with the time taken from the first rider to cross the line.

🇫🇷 #ParisNice pic.twitter.com/4e8opd7nWo

— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech) March 7, 2023

Lotto-Dstny was the first gang to finish at 34:58. Hugo Houle’s Israel-Premier Tech came in next at 36:27. For a long time Jayco-AlUla held the best time with 33:59.

Tadej Pogačar was only two seconds behind Mads Pedersen in the GC, but the Slovenian’s UAE-Emirates squad lost a rider after only 9 km. However, the team had the fifth fastest time at 34:18.

The Dutch Bees cracked Jayco’s mark by four seconds. For a while it looked like one of the Jumbos would take the leader’s jersey, but EF Education-Easypost’s 33:56 meant that pink-clad Magnus Cort was the one to swap over to yellow.

Four GC riders distinguished themselves before the Wednesday’s summit finish:
5) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) +0:03
6) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Jayco-AlUla) +0:07
10) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +0:14
11) David Gaudu (France/Groupama-FDJ) +0:17

2023 Paris-Nice Stage 3
1) Jumbo-Visma 33:55
2) EF Education-Easypost +0:01
3) Jayco-AlUla +0:04

2023 Paris-Nice GC
1) Magnus Cort (Denmark/EF Education-Easypost)
2) Nathan van Hooydonck (The Netherlands/Jumbo-Visma) +0:01
3) Michael Matthews (Australia/Jayco-AlUla) +0:03
88) Hugo Houle (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +2:35