Paris-Nice 2024: Evenepoel takes the final stage, but can't shake off overall winner Jorgenson
Sebastian Lindner
· 10.03.2024
The final stage of Paris-Nice once again turned many things upside down - first and foremost the overall standings, which were won by a 24-year-old American in Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike). He was still four seconds behind his compatriot Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) in second place before the 109-kilometre section through the mountains around Nice. But he was beaten when Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) attacked for the third time on the fourth climb of the day, breaking up the group of favourites once and for all. Only Jorgenson was ultimately able to follow the Belgian and stayed on his wheel until the finish.
Bora-Hansgrohe: Primoz Roglic suffers a slump - Aleksandr Vlasov makes up ground
Evenepoel then secured the stage win without a fight, but had to give way to Jorgenson in the final classification, with McNulty finishing third. Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) suffered another setback, losing four minutes on the stage and only finishing ninth overall with obvious problems in the cold and wet weather. Aleksandr Vlasov did damage limitation for Bora, finishing third on the day and thus moving up to fifth in the final classification.
Evenepoel: "Three times full throttle - Matteo deserves it"
Evenepoel was happy with his position in the end. "I tried three times at full throttle and only Matteo was able to keep up," said the Belgian in the winner's interview. "So he deserved it. I rode all-out on the Cote de Peille and was already at the end there. That's why I can and must be satisfied with this result." As a small bonus on top, the 24-year-old also took the points classification, which he managed to snatch from Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and the mountains jersey. It was only at the last classification that he ended the dreams of Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies), Cristian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan) and Vlasov, who all still had a chance of taking the points jersey.
Jorgenson: "I never thought I could do it"
For Jorgenson, the overall victory at the 82nd edition of Paris-Nice is the biggest success of his career. Previously, he had only won one stage of the Tour of Oman (2.Pro) and thus also the stage race. "I never thought I could do it," said the winner, who lives in Nice, still looking perplexed during his first interview. "It couldn't have gone better, not today and not all week. I was so nervous and felt pressure for the first time in my life. And then to ride with someone like Remco ..."
Jorgenson, who switched to Visma before the season, spoke of a "complicated situation" before the race. "So much could happen, I didn't know what to expect. That's why I tried to be prepared for everything." That obviously worked well. Now it is important for him to "keep his feet on the ground." The last American to win Paris-Nice was Floyd Landis in 2006.
Paris-Nice 2024 - Results: The top 10 of stage 8
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) 2:50:03
- Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:00
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) +0:50
- Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) +1:39
- Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) +1:39
- Samuele Battistella (Astana Qazaqstan) +2:13
- Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) +2:13
- Felix Gall (Decathlon - AG2R La Mondiale) +2:13
- Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) +2:13
- Luke Plapp (Team Jayco-AlUla) +2:13
The final standings in the overall standings
- Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) 27:50:23
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) +0:30
- Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) +1:47
- Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) +2:22
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) +2:57
- Luke Plapp (Team Jayco-AlUla) +3:08
- Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) +4:03
- Wilco Kelderman (Visma | Lease a Bike) +4:04
- Felix Gall (Decathlon - AG2R La Mondiale) +4:35
- Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) +5:33
How the 8th stage of Paris-Nice 2024 went
It was still not really nice on the last stage around Nice, but the weather had improved. Sun and rain alternated, and the thermometer climbed into double figures at times.
Nevertheless, some of the riders didn't want to torture themselves over the original 109-kilometre route, because five 1st and 2nd category climbs were still on the programme, as well as the intermediate sprint on the Col d'Eze, the local mountain of Paris-Nice. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Elmar Reinders (Team Jayco-AlUla) and Madis Mikhels (Intermarche-Wanty) did not even start, and in the first few kilometres the two-time stage winner Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) also lost hope of a good finish.
Campenaerts has big plans
But there was an early breakaway group. Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ), Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) and Johan Jacobs (Movistar), who had been on the run for a long time yesterday, attacked in the first few kilometres. But his companions were obviously too slow for the former European time trial champion Campenaerts. First Pithie dropped back, then the Belgian left Jacobs behind and set off on his own.
Behind them, several groups formed on the first climb of the day to the Cote de Levens (2nd category). The starting point was the attack by Scaroni, who had not yet given up the fight for the mountain jersey. After 21 kilometres, he crossed the first classification in second place behind Campenaerts, scoring two points for his efforts, and was thus only eight behind Bugaudeau in the mountains jersey.
Buitrago out after crashing in the downhill race
Twelve riders went in pursuit of Campenaerts, among them Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious). Presumably he should have been a relay station in the finale for captain Santiago Buitrago, but he crashed on the descent together with Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) and Kevin Geniets (Groupama-FDJ). While Rodriguez climbed back on his bike after a long treatment break, the other two had to call it a day.
Meanwhile, Campenaerts had already tackled the climb to the Cote de Chauteauneuf (2nd category) and also crossed this mountain in first place. A good minute later, the 14 riders around Scaroni arrived, further reducing Burgaudeau's lead. The Frenchman, on the other hand, was far behind the peloton and was not to collect any more points on this day.
Evenepoel turns up the heat
Up to the Cote de Berre-les-Alpes (2nd category), the chasers were collected by the peloton, making Campenaerts the last remaining breakaway rider. However, he also only managed a few seconds over the summit and was caught at the end of the descent. Scaroni came second again at the top, just two points behind Burgaudeau.
This meant that the Cote de Peille, the first climb of the 1st category, was just around the corner. Right at the bottom, Evenepoel attacked with 46 kilometres to go. The Belgian didn't follow through, but immediately thinned the group down to eleven riders. In addition to Scaroni, the group included McNulty and his helper Großschartner, Roglic and Vlasov, Jorgenson and team-mate Wilco Kelderman, Skjelmose and the Jayco-AlUla duo Luke Plapp and Chris Harper.
Vlasov in the middle of the fight for the mountain jersey
Three kilometres before the summit, Evenepoel attacked for the third time. Jorgenson was immediately on his rear wheel, McNulty and Vlasov formed a second duo behind him, but this was broken up shortly afterwards after the Russian made the jump to the front. Scaroni then reached the mountain classification in fourth place after a feat of strength, which earned him two points and tied him on points with Burgaudeau. However, Vlasov also got involved in the battle for the jersey, taking ten points for first place on the Cote de Peille and thus only nine points behind the leader - with 20 points still up for grabs in the final mountain classification.
The leading trio took a 25-second lead on the chasers McNulty, Skjelmose, Plapp, Roglic and Scaroni into the descent. With 30 kilometres to go, the lead had doubled to 1:20 minutes at the Col d'Eze. Jorgenson secured the bonus seconds ahead of Evenepoel. In the group behind, Roglic had to let his fellow riders go
Evenepoel catches the competition for the polka dot jersey
At the latest when the clock stopped at the foot of the Col des Quatre-Chemins (1st category) twelve kilometres before the end of the tour at just under two minutes, it was clear that the trio had to decide the day's and overall victory among themselves, especially as the chasers were caught by the third group around Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Felix Gall (Decathlon - Ag2R La Mondiale).
One and a half kilometres before the summit, Vlasov had to let his two companions go, which is why he also lost his shares in the mountain classification. With 20 points on the final climb, Evenepoel was still three points ahead of Scaroni and Burgaudeau.
Jorgenson concedes victory without a fight
The last nine kilometres to the finish were downhill. On the descent, the two no longer hurt each other. Jorgenson let Evenepoel have his way in the sprint for the stage win. Vlasov took another 50 seconds off the leader by the finish and had to bury his last hopes of a podium finish. Skjelmose and McNulty finished behind him. Before Roglic reached the finish four minutes behind, several groups made it to the finish.
