Paris-Nice: Soudal Quick-Step puts on a strong TTT

The team time trial returned after three decades at Paris-Nice, but with a novel format, the organisers deciding to take the time of the first rider of each team at the finish to determine the winner of this 32.2km stage held over the undulating terrain around Dampierre-en-Burly.
Unfortunately for our squad, we were disadvantaged from the start, as Mauro Schmid had to say goodbye to the race due to sickness, meaning that only six Soudal Quick-Step riders took on the challenging course of stage 3. Despite this important setback, our guys still produced a solid time trial, setting the seventh-fastest time at the finish – 34:34 – where Kasper Asgreen crossed the line first.
“I am proud of the guys and of the way they rode. Tim Declercq suffered after two hard days of hard pulling, and also for our other Tim (Merlier) it wasn’t an easy day. So, basically, considering this and Mauro having to pull out of the race through sickness, we were in four riders for 80% of the stage. That’s why everyone can be satisfied with their effort, even if it’s not reflected in the final classification”, explained sports director Tom Steels.
Photo credit: ©Alex Broadway / Getty Images
Race details
1 |
Magnus Cort Nielsen EF Education-EasyPost |
7:53:41 |
2 |
Nathan Van Hooydonck Jumbo-Visma |
0:01 |
3 |
Michael Matthews Team Jayco AlUla |
0:03 |
4 |
Jan Tratnik Jumbo-Visma |
0:03 |
5 |
Jonas Vingegaard Rasmussen Jumbo-Visma |
0:03 |
6 |
Simon Yates Team Jayco AlUla |
0:07 |
7 |
Neilson Powless EF Education-EasyPost |
0:08 |
8 |
Tobias Foss Jumbo-Visma |
0:08 |
9 |
Kelland O'Brien Team Jayco AlUla |
0:11 |
10 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
0:14 |
22 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:42 |
24 |
Yves Lampaert
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:46 |
62 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
1:32 |
72 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
1:42 |
74 |
Florian Sénéchal
Soudal - Quick Step |
1:45 |
134 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
9:07 |
1 |
Mads Pedersen Trek - Segafredo |
24 pt |
2 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
19 pt |
3 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
15 pt |
4 |
Michael Matthews Team Jayco AlUla |
14 pt |
5 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
12 pt |
6 |
Sam Bennett BORA - hansgrohe |
12 pt |
7 |
Magnus Cort Nielsen EF Education-EasyPost |
9 pt |
8 |
Daniel McLay Team Arkéa Samsic |
7 pt |
9 |
Arnaud De Lie Lotto Dstny |
6 pt |
10 |
Lionel Taminiaux Alpecin-Deceuninck |
6 pt |
1 |
Jonas Gregaard Wilsly Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
8 pt |
2 |
Neilson Powless EF Education-EasyPost |
3 pt |
3 |
Paul Ourselin TotalEnergies |
3 pt |
4 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
2 pt |
5 |
Nils Politt BORA - hansgrohe |
2 pt |
6 |
Domen Novak UAE Team Emirates |
2 pt |
7 |
Arnaud Démare Groupama - FDJ |
1 pt |
8 |
Jacopo Mosca Trek - Segafredo |
1 pt |
9 |
Senne Leysen Alpecin-Deceuninck |
1 pt |
10 |
Søren Wærenskjold Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
-2 pt |
1 |
Kelland O'Brien Team Jayco AlUla |
7:53:52 |
2 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
0:03 |
3 |
Stefan Bissegger EF Education-EasyPost |
0:06 |
4 |
Mattias Skjelmose Jensen Trek - Segafredo |
0:37 |
5 |
Matteo Jorgenson Movistar Team |
0:42 |
6 |
Kevin Vermaerke Team DSM |
0:44 |
7 |
Fred Wright Bahrain - Victorious |
1:01 |
8 |
Matthew Dinham Team DSM |
1:01 |
9 |
Arnaud De Lie Lotto Dstny |
1:13 |
10 |
Kévin Vauquelin Team Arkéa Samsic |
1:17 |
1 | Jumbo-Visma | 22:33:22 |
2 | EF Education-EasyPost | 0:01 |
3 | Team Jayco AlUla | 0:04 |
4 | Groupama - FDJ | 0:14 |
5 | UAE Team Emirates | 0:23 |
6 | BORA - hansgrohe | 0:25 |
7 | Soudal - Quick Step | 0:39 |
8 | Trek - Segafredo | 0:45 |
9 | Bahrain - Victorious | 0:47 |
10 | Team DSM | 0:48 |