Visma-Lease a Bike’s early-season form continued at Sunday’s opening stage of Paris-Nice, where Dutchman Olav Kooij claimed his third victory of the season. Kooij also takes the leader’s jersey of the first European stage race on the WorldTour calendar. Visma has tallied 10 wins so far, including Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
The Course
After Côte de Bazemont, an early Cat. 3, the route headed southwest of the start town of Les Mureaux before returning northeast to take on the second climb of the day, Côte d’Herbeville, with 66 km to go. Entering a 55-km finishing circuit, the riders would climb Bazemont and d’Herbeville again, the final ascent cresting 13 km before the finish.
🇫🇷 @ParisNice
📅 03/03🚩 Les Mureaux
🏁 Les Mureaux
🚴♂️ 158 km📺 @Eurosport_FR – 15h15#DECATHLONAG2RLAMONDIALETEAM pic.twitter.com/GXihGDvymt
— DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM (@decathlonAG2RLM) March 3, 2024
A trio of breakaways, two-thirds EF Education-Easypost, bolted right after the start gun, with Mathieu Burgaudeau of TotalEnergies becoming the first King of the Mountains on the road. By the time they hit Côte d’Herbeville I, their gap was down to 2:00. Jonas Rutsch of EF Education-EasyPost wrestled the KOM from Burgaudeau. Visma-Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek did the yeoman’s work in the peloton.
Despite their efforts, the fugitives were swept up on Bazemont II. However, Rutsch and Burgaudeu were able to scrap for the mountains points once more, with the EF Education-EasyPost man prevailing.
On the way to the final climb there was a stiff little ascent that filled the role of the intermediate sprint. The peloton picked up the pace. Matteo Jorgenson, Remco Evenepoel and Egan Bernal were the first over and then they carried on down the other side with two Lotto-Dstny chaps. They sat up.
The final climb was Côte d’Herbeville II. Soudal-QuickStep pulled until Egan Bernal made a dig and Evenepoel took it up, Primoz Roglic and Brandon McNulty taking the Belgian’s wheel.
The streamlined peloton was stretched out heading towards Les Mureaux but slowed down when Anthony Turgis lit out for glory. Around 60 riders caught Turgis just under 2 km remaining. Visma grabbed the reins but Lidl-Trek led into the penultimate left hand turn.
Mads Pedersen went long coming out of the final turn, but Olav Kooij roared around his right side to earn a hat…
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