photo credits @ Paris-Nice
Spending his first day with the yellow and white jersey, Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) was in prime position to defend his overall lead until he got caught up in a crash with 47 kilometers to go and forced to abandon.
From there, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe drove the front of the race for Dani Martinez, with only Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) managing to stick to his wheel.
The Dane eventually put the hammer down during the final kilometer with gradients up to 16%, taking his first Paris-Nice stage win of the season.
Race Highlights
It took less than 5 kilometers for the peloton to split, sending Vingegaard, Oscar Onley (Ineos Grenadiers) and Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates XRG) up the road, only to be joined by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Denz, Thornley, Van Dijke and Dani Martinez.
Second in the overall standings, Kevin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers) was in a third split that rapidly made its way back to the second group, featuring Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) and Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates XRG).
A fierce battle ensued, with the gap oscillating between 55’’ and 1’40’’ at the bottom of the Côte de la Croix des Cerisiers.
Ayuso on the ground
Vauquelin and Martinez drove the chase along the ascent, bringing the gap down to 45’’, while Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe upped the ante on the wet roads.
Shortly thereafter, Ayuso hit the deck on the downhill with 47 kilometers to go, a crash that also ensnared McNulty, causing the group to explode.
With only five riders at the front, they pushed their advantage on the ascent of the Côte de la Croix de la Libération.
Vingegaard at the summit
With 16 kilometers remaining, the leaders were still holding onto a sizable gap of 2’40’’.
With the final climb beginning with 8 kilometers to go, van Dijke set a fiery pace all the way to the flamme rouge.
As the gradient kicked dramatically, Vingegaard unleashed his attack, easily dropping his rivals, later finishing almost a minute ahead of Martinez, taking not only the stage victory, but earning himself the leader’s jersey as well, with a gap of 52’’ over his Colombian rival.
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