As it happened: Bunch sprint decides opening stage of Paris-Nice

Hello and welcome to the first stage of Paris-Nice!

It’s time for one of the highlights of the Spring, and first top tier week-long stage race of the season - Paris-Nice.

As followers of past Paris-Nice editions will know, the race does not, as its name suggests, actually start in Paris. Instead we’re in Le Perray-en-Yvelines, a commune lying south-west of the capital, for an out-and-back circuit stage.

The riders are waiting in the Le Perray-en-Yvelines neutralised zone as we speak, and will start riding any moment. 

Conditions out there are cloudy, but dry.

157KM TO GO

And they're off!

The parcours is mostly flat, and so teams of sprinters will want to control things for a bunch finish, and therefore not let too strong a group get away. But there are enough hills throughout the day to encourage opportunists to try and get into the day’s break.

One of the determining factors to how a Paris-Nice takes shape is how much the wind blows in the opening stages, given how often crosswinds have blown past editions up and put an early end to some riders’ GC bids. 

Today, there is no wind - fortunate for GC riders hoping for a straightforward day, but unfortunate for spectators hoping for carnage.

We have our first attackers. Alexandre Delettre and Samuel Fernández are up the road.

They've been joined by Taco van der Hoorn.

150KM TO GO

That trio have a lead of 30 seconds. This could be the break of the day.

It is indeed. The peloton has sat up and allowed the three riders to build a lead. 

Already their lead has grown to 2-30.

It’s heartening to see Taco van der Hoorn in the break again. The Dutch rider had established himself as a breakaway specialist à la Thomas De Gendt, his powerful engine and resilient attitude bringing him victories in races like the Giro d’Italia, BinckBank Tour, Brussels Cycling Classic, and very nearly at the Tour de France.

But he’s been struggling for form and fitness for a while following the lingering effects of a concussion suffered almost two years ago. Getting into the break today suggests he’s on the road to recovery.

Here's a first look at the peloton today, being led by Soudal-QuickStep.

Soudal-QuickStep are working for Tim Merlier, the hot favourite for the victory today. The Belgian has started the season on fire, with four wins already under his belt from the UAE Tour and AlUla Tour, and is the standout sprinter on the Paris-Nice startlist.

140KM TO GO

Soudal are controlling things enough to keep the gap at 2 minutes. 

Merlier has just got back into the peloton, having had a mechanical to deal with. He’ll be grateful to get any such misfortune out the way with at this early stage of the race, rather than in the sprint finale.

130KM TO GO

2-25 now for the three leaders. Their lead has gone up a bit, but is being tightly controlled by the peloton. 

The leaders are approaching the foot of Côte de Villiers-Saint-Frédéric, the first of the day’s three official climbs. There are mountain points to compete for, and thus a place on the podium this afternoon.

The gap has fallen a lot as they ride up this climb, down to about 1-30.

COTE DE VILLIERS-SAINT-FREDERIC

Delettre is the early candidate to be in polka-dot colours tomorrow. He took the maximum points at the top of the climb, ahead of Fernández and Van der Hoorn.

120KM TO GO

They're now done descending that climb, and the gap has grown back out again, to 2-10.

Also pulling at the front along with Soudal-QuickStep are Lidl-Trek, working for their sprinter Mads Pedersen. Pedersen has made a winning start to his season at Tour de la Provence, where he won a stage and the GC, but was further down in the purer bunch sprints. His team may look to put the purer sprinters under pressure today on the hilly terrain.

Today isn’t set to have any impact on the GC race, but looking ahead, Jonas Vingegaard is the overwhelming favourite for the victory. 

He already has a stage race title to his name this year from Volta ao Algarve, which was the sixth time he has claimed overall victory in his last seven week-long stage race appearances. 

110KM TO GO

The gap has come down again, to 1-30. The break is being kept on a tight leash. 

The peloton continues to make inroads. They're now just 1-10 behind. 

The break and now the peloton are familiarising themselves with the finish, as they pass through the finish line for the first time. They will return back here in Le Perray-en-Yvelines after just over 100km of racing, for a likely bunch sprint finish.

100KM TO GO

It certainly does seem that this breakaway will be competing for the win. They now have only 1 minute on the peloton, as we enter the final 100km. 

Here's Soudal-QuickStep and Lidl-Trek pulling at the front of the peloton.

While Merlier and Pedersen’s teams are the most prominent, there are many other sprinters in with a shout of claiming victory today.

As the most prolific team of 2025, UAE Team Emirates are a threat in most races they compete in, and in Juan Sebastián Molano they have one of the leading candidates for a sprint. The Colombian was one of Merlier’s biggest challengers at the AlUla Tour, finishing second and third behind him in the sprint finishes, and will hope to get the edge over him this time.

90KM TO GO

1-20 now between the leaders and the peloton. They'll be climbing again soon, with the Côte des 17 Tournants (1.2 km à 5.5%) coming up in a few kilometres.

Based on history, Arkéa - B&B Hotels’ Arnaud Démare is another to watch. The Frenchman has won three times at Paris-Nice in the past - but not since 2018. His form is encouraging though, having twice sprinted for runner-up finishes at Etoile de Bessèges.

CÔTE DES 17 TOURNANTS

The riders are up and over the modest challenge of the Côte des 17 Tournants. 

Once again Delettre went over the climb first, ahead of Fernández then Van der Hoorn.

The virtual KOM classification is therefore as follows:

Delettre 6

Fernández 4

Van der Hoorn 2

80KM TO GO

There is still one more official climb, but it's not until close to the finish. Will the leading trio still be out front by then? It's looking a bit of a tall order - they are only 1-10 ahead of the peloton.

That's fallen even more now, to just 34 seconds. 

Here are the three leaders up the road earlier, as they were passing the finish line for the first time.

Although the gap is down, the mood is relaxed in the peloton. Julian Alaphilippe is one of several having a chat towards the back.

Returning to the contenders for the stage win today, Alexander Kristoff is another to watch. Both he and Démare are on 98 career wins, and as things have gone so far this season, the Norwegian looks more likely to reach the hallowed 100 mark sooner based on his start to the season. He already has a victory to his name from Vuelta a Andalucia.

70KM TO GO

The peloton has eased up, and thus the gap has grown a little, to 50 seconds. 

Another sprinter approaching a career landmark number of victories is Fabio Jakobsen. He has, however, been stranded on 49 wins for almost a year, having not added to that tally since the opening stage of last year’s Tour of Turkey.

He looked better at the UAE Tour though, getting in the mix for a 5th and 6th place finish, and still hopes to rediscover his best form.

The pace is up again, and consequently the gap is down again. It's now at 17 seconds - the catch might be made soon if they keep this up. 

Perhaps anticipating that the catch will soon be made, Fernández has attacked out of the break.

Van der Hoorn has sat up and allowed himself to be reabsorbed into the peloton, but Delettre has latched onto Fernández's wheel.

60KM TO GO

That duo is surviving for at least a little longer. Their gap has grown a bit to 30 seconds. 

The peloton has the duo in their sights.

Again the peloton has eased, and allowed the gap to back up to 20 seconds. They seem to be reluctant to bring them back too soon, and open themselves up to counter-attacks.

50KM TO GO

But once again, the pace is back up as teams fight for position. The catch once again looks imminent.

That's it, the break has now been caught.

These final 50km could be interesting. With no break up the road, there’s a chance for new riders to attack and try to form a new break, while the rolling terrain will encourage strong puncheurs to do so. This could be difficult for the sprinters’ teams to keep controlled.

There’s been a rash towards the back of the peloton. Multiple Ineos riders are caught up in it, including Tarling, Sheffield and Watson.

All three are back up and riding together to try and rejoin the peloton.

They have a minute to make up.

It shouldn't be too hard for them to rejoin, as the pace in the peloton isn't too high.

The Ineos riders are back in the peloton. Tarling did much of the work, using his time trial skills to drag Sheffield and Watson. Watson could be sprinting for them today, having sprinted for 5th at Omloop  Ht Nieuwsblad.

40KM TO GO

No attacks out of the peloton yet since the break was caught. 

There's some tension in the peloton, as the road weaves and winds, narrows then opens.

One thing the early catch of the breakaway has done is bring bonus seconds at the top of the next climb, Côte de Villiers-Saint-Frédéric, into play for the GC contenders. The climb is about 15km away, so if the race is still together by then, we can anticipate a potential sprint between riders with their eye on the yellow jersey.

For a run down of who the main contenders for GC are likely to be, having a read of our piece analysing them.

30KM TO GO

Still no attacks from the peloton. That could change soon, when they start going uphill again. 

Big acceleration in the peloton as teams look to lead ahead of a turn into a narrow road. Visma-Lease a Bike win the battle, and have stung the peloton out.

EF Education-EasyPost and Bahrain-Victorious are challenging Visma's position at the front. 

CÔTE DE VILLIERS SAINT-FRÉDERIC

They're on the final climb now. Here's when we can anticipate attacks...

Tudor Pro Cycling seem to be setting something up for Julian Alaphilippe.

Visma have retaken control from them, but Alaphilippe is still poised. 

Alaphilippe attacks!

This is his kind of hill, short but steep.

Jorgenson is with Alaphilippe.

The pair reach the top together, with Jorgenson going over the line first.

They failed to get a gap, however. They're back in the peloton now.

The increase in pace has caused damage further down the road. Kristoff was one sprinter struggling to remain in the peloton on the climb.

20KM TO GO

The peloton is mostly all together though, albeit very strung out.

Another attack, this time from Kasper Asgreen.

That's shut down, but it seems we can expect plenty more moves over this finale.

There are still the bonus seconds to consider. The sprint for them is coming up in 8km, at the top of an unclassified climb.

Kristoff is out the back and trying to bridge up to the peloton. He has a few Uno-X iders waiting up to help him.

Kristoff is back in the peloton, thanks to help from three teammates. 

He was able to rejoin after a slowing of the pace in the peloton.

Just 4km until the bonus seconds sprint.

No single team is taking control of the peloton. It's all bunched together for now. 

That changes as the road tilts uphill. Ineos lead, with Tarling, who is stringing the peloton out. 

The top of this climb is where the time bonuses are on offer.

Buitrago attacks!

Powless, McNulty and Jorgenson have followed him.

This is a very strong group of genuine GC contenders, and they have a gap of a few seconds. 

Alalphilippe has dragged the peloton back up to them.

Counter-attack from a Groupama rider.

Now Jorgenson goes again, sprinting long for the seconds.

BONUS SECONDS SPRINT

Narváez comes past him to claim the maximum seconds, Jorgenson hangs on for 2nd. Sheffield was third

10KM TO GO

The peloton is together, but there's lots of attacks and counter-attacks being made.

There's been a crash near the back of the peloton, involving Charmig and Champoussin.

A group of 3 has gone clear now, with a gap.

It's a dangerous one - Tarling, Trentin and Skjelmose

Skjelmose is one of the top contenders for overal victory, and Tarling a huge engine to help keep this group away.

5KM TO GO

7 seconds for this trio, as they enter the final 5km.

Interestingly, Skjelmose isn't taking any turns, despite the chance to gain time. Lidl's priorty must be the stage win via a sprint, for Pedersen. 

Visma have moved to the front of the peloton, in an attempt to shut this move down.

The trio's lead is growin, to 9 seconds. 4km to go.

8 seconds, with 3km to go.

Now the gap is coming down, on a draggy road. It's just 4 seconds now.

UAE have assisted Visma in closing them down.

The catch has been made.

The sprinter teams are winding up their lead-outs with 2km to go.

Here come Soudal-QuickStep for Merlier.

1KM TO GO

Soudal lead the peloton going into the final kilometre, but it's a bit messy.

Soudal lead but Merlier is a little adrift

Here comes Merlier...

MERLIER WINS

Merlier wins, and by a country mile!

He had the squeeze through a tight gap between himself and the barrier, but once through, his lead got bigger and bigger until the finish line.

Demare was 2nd, Dainese 3rd. 

Arnaud Démare says he's dissappointed in a snap post-race interview, but 2nd place is very good result for him given the tough times he's had of late. He looks to be returning to his best.

This is Merlier's 5th win of 2025 already - which is more than any other rider (yes, that includes even Pogačar)

Merlier will therefore swap his white European champion's jersey for the yellow leader's jersey tomorrow. 

Of more significance to the GC long term, defending champion is already up to 4th overall thanks to the bonus seconds he picked up. That's 4 seconds ahead of most of his GC rivals.

One rider nowhere to be seen in the finale was Mads Pedersen, despite all the work done by Lidl-Trek for him. He was caught out of position, and ended up finishing down in 12th.

Thanks for joining us today - we'll be back tomorrow for stage two, for what's expected to be a resumption of sprint rivalries in another bunch finish.