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Tim Merlier wins degree 1 of Paris-Great
Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) wins degree 1 of Paris-Great 2025(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Tim Merlier within the yellow jersey of race chief(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Magnus Sheffield in the most productive younger rider’s jersey(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Alexandre Delettre of TotalEnergies leads the mountains classification(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures) Samuel Fernandez Garcia (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) used to be awarded probably the most combative rider prize(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Workforce Visma-Rent a Motorcycle holding Jonas Vingegaard in place(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Julian Alaphilippe in his new Tudor colors(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)The peloton right through degree 1(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)The woods are nonetheless naked in France on degree 1 of Paris-Great(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Alexandre Delettre (TotalEnergies), Taco Van der Hoorn (Intermarche-Wanty) and Samuel Fernandez (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) within the breakaway(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Paris-Great degree 1(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Jonas Vingegaard carrying a different helmet (Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Matteo Jorgenson and Jonas Vingegaard earlier than degree 1(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Jonas Vingegaard with particular helmet and glasses(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)Matteo Jorgenson and Jonas Vingegaard earlier than degree 1(Symbol credit score: Getty Pictures)
Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) persisted his flying begin to the season with victory at the opening day of Paris-Great, dominating the degree 1 dash in Le Perray-en-Yvelines to take the primary yellow jersey.
Arnaud Démare (Arkéa-B&B Lodges) took 2nd however used to be well-beaten via Merlier, who celebrated his 5th victory of 2025, with Alberto Dainese (Tudor) sprinting to 3rd position.
It used to be some distance from a easy end for Merlier and the sprinters to navigate with the overall 20 kilometres seeing a number of assaults introduced over undulating terrain. Alternatively, the closing workforce that escaped up the street with Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), Matteo Trentin (Tudor) and Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) provide may just most effective make it to the two.4km to move mark.
With that trio reeled in, a messy lead-out started with out a workforce taking authority after the an important ultimate right-hand nook with 700 metres last. Merlier wasn’t immediately on his lead-out guy, Bert Van Lerberghe’s wheel, however he used to be nonetheless in putting distance, and when he unfolded at the left-hand facet of the street, nobody may just fit his brutal best velocity.
“It’s always nice to start a stage race and again take victory in Paris-Nice. I’m very proud of it,” mentioned Merlier post-race earlier than highlighting the difficult finale to the degree after the destroy used to be reeled in early.
“I think from 70km to go, Visma started to make the bunch really nervous and there was some attacking from Julian [Alaphilippe] and on the second climb for the bonifications, so the bunch was really nervous. “We organised it once more, the others closed the space, and the workforce introduced me in a great spot closing kilometre, then Bert did an ideal lead-out.”
How it unfolded
One of the most iconic stage races on the calendar, Paris-Nice, kicked off for its 83rd edition from Le Perray-en-Yvelines, 50km southwest of France’s capital city, with 156.1km and a likely sprint finish in store.
It didn’t take long for the break of the day to form, with Alexandre Delettre (TotalEnergies) and Samuel Fernández (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) attacking away just 2km after the neutral start finished.
They were joined by breakaway specialist Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty), who countered to make it a trio in front. Quickly, they had established more than a two-minute lead.
With the two big favourites for the day, Merlier and Mads Pedersen, Soudal-QuickStep and Lidl-Trek came to the front of the peloton to ensure the gap didn’t get out of control.
The gap was kept so tight that Van der Hoorn pulled the pin on his effort, knowing the break had chance. He was reabsorbed into the bunch with 60km to go, with his two fellow escapees only lasting 10km longer until they were also caught.
With no one to chase, the peloton was nervous for the next 35km and the remainder of the day, resulting in a minor crash for three Ineos Grenadiers riders, who quickly returned to the peloton.
The nerves ramped up again at the next crucial moment with 25km to go, when a crucial left turn into the foot of the final categorised climb – Côte de Villiers-Saint-Frédéric (1.2 km at 6.8%) – sparked an all-out sprint from the GC teams to stay in prime position.
Visma-Lease a Bike led the peloton and were well placed when Julian Alaphilipped (Tudor) launched the first attack. Matteo Jorgenson followed for the Dutch team and kept the former two-time world champion at bay. However, the attacks were far from over.
There were more attacks as the strung-out bunch raced towards Les Mesnuls, where bonus seconds were available. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) blinked first, launching out of the peloton with Jorgenson again following.
The Visma rider was closely marked by two American compatriots, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), however the bonuses were decided in a final sprint.
Jorgenson was unable to hold off a charging Jhonatan Narváez who took the maximum six seconds for UAE, with four going to the American and the final two going to Ineos Grenadiers’ Magnus Sheffield.
Without a sprinter, Ineos were keen to split things and attacked first with Tobias Foss and then Tarling in the final 7km. The Welshman has Trentin for company and Skjelmose bridged across for Lidl-Trek, who had been marking several moves for their sprinter, Mads Pedersen.
Visma, Soudal-QuickStep and Arkéa all worked to bring them back, catching the trio inside the final 2.5 kilometres. Then full focus turned to the sprint, where Merlier was easily the fastest and exploded away from the opposition to open Paris-Nice with a bang.
Results
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