Jorgenson takes his ease
March 11 th 2025 - 16:39
A year after his breakthrough victory in Paris-Nice 2024, Matteo Jorgenson is back at the top of the overall standings thanks to the performance of Visma-Lease a Bike in Tuesday’s team time-trial. After a strong collective start, the American all rounder put the hammer down on the final slopes of the day, and only Jonas Vingegaard accompanied him to set the best time of the day: 30’26’’ (56km/h). Jayco AlUla achieved the second best performance of the day with Michael Matthews and Ben O’Connor (+15’’), and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe complete the podium of the day with Aleksandr Vlasov and Florian Lipowitz (+25’’). Ineos Grenadiers had to settle for the 5th place (+33’’) and UAE Team Emirates-XRG lost 42’’. On Wednesday, the road rises towards La Loge des Gardes on a day that will see Jorgenson wear the yellow and white jersey for the first time, after he surged to victory on the very last day of last year’s edition.
After Tim Merlier’s dominant sprints on days 1 and 2, the Race to the Sun throws a very different challenge at the riders: a 28.4-km team time trial, with the format initiated in 2023 in Paris-Nice, in which each rider is credited with his actual time in the stage.
Jayco AlUla faster than Ineos Grenadiers
Julian Alaphilippe and his Tudor Pro Cycling teammates kicked off the action, but their time did not stay the top of the table for long, erased by the collective performance of Jayco AlUla, with Michael Matthews crossing the finish line in Nevers first in 30'41‘’.
Ineos Grenadiers were then expected to strike hard with rouleurs of the calibre of Joshua Tarling, Tobias Foss and Thymen Arensman to support Magnus Shefflied’s GC ambitions… But they finished 18’’ behind the provisional leaders.
The best time for Jorgenson and Vingegaard
All eyes turn then to UAE Team Emirates-XRG, victorious last year in Auxerre. This time, the collective split up on the Côte de la Pisserotte, and four kilometres later, only three were left to appear a short distance from the finish: Brandon McNulty, Joao Almeida and Jhonatan Narvaez, who settle for an average speed of 54.7 km/h.
As for Lidl-Trek, Mattias Skjelmose surged alone in the finale… and achieved a strong performance, 15’’ behind Jayco-AlUla.
But Visma-Lease a Bike, with the defending champion Matteo Jorgenson and Jonas Vingegaard, enforce their collective strength, setting the best time at the intermediate point of La Chaume des Pendus (km 14.1), before their two leaders pounce in the finale. Wheel to wheel, Matteo Jorgenson and Jonas Vingegaard finish the job in 30'26‘’, i.e. 56.0 km/h.
Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe on the podium
Most of the stronger collectives have already finished, but Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe still manage to take Aleksandr Vlasov and Florian Lipowitz to the third step of the podium, 24’’ behind the day's winners.
Tim Merlier’s Soudal Quick-Step were the last on course. The Belgian sprinter stepped aside at the bottom of the Côte de la Pisserotte and bid farewell to his yellow and white jersey.
