How Jorgenson led Visma’s big blow to the competition in Paris-Nice: "This is what resilience looks like"

It was uncertain for a while, but on Friday, Jonas Vingegaard did not start stage six of Paris-Nice. The Dane crashed hard the day before, suffering a bruised hand. Visma | Lease a Bike seemed to have lost a key player, but on Friday, they struck an important blow in the Race to the Sun. As a result, the Dutch team was in high spirits after the stage.

"We actually expected a bit more wind," team director Grischa Niermann reflected on the chaotic stage in an interview with Sporza. Even Victor Campenaerts initially thought the wind wouldn’t be strong enough to cause splits. "There was some wind, but not really enough for echelons. We just decided to give it a go, and suddenly the race exploded into a hundred pieces," said Vocsnor.

Apart from the wind, the Race to the Sun once again lacked any actual sun. Just like in previous days, Friday was another bitterly cold stage. "It was a long day, with a wind chill of around 0 degrees. From the very first kilometers, riders were waving their hands to keep warm. It wasn’t easy," said Campenaerts. Niermann also noticed how tough the conditions were. "Half the peloton was just hoping to make it to the finish. If you can keep pushing in a situation like that…"

And push they did—the Killer Bees delivered a relentless performance. But was this part of the plan? Not necessarily, though Jorgenson saw an opportunity. "He said: the descent after the third-category climb looks like the moment to attack," Niermann praised his American leader. "So we did exactly that. Kudos to Matteo and the entire team." Jorgenson ultimately finished in the same time as stage winner Mads Pedersen, making a major move in the general classification. Meanwhile, key rivals like João Almeida, Brandon McNulty, and Lenny Martinez lost significant time on Friday.

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Vingegaard had to abondon Paris-nice due to a hand-injury

"Good morale" was key to Visma’s big day, says Niermann

After Vingegaard’s withdrawal, Visma | Lease a Bike seemed set for a day of survival on Friday. Instead, it turned into a defining moment for the yellow-black squad. What was the key factor, according to team director Grischa Niermann? “Good morale,” the German coach stated. “It was a fantastic day. I’m proud of my team. This is what resilience looks like, especially after the disappointment of losing Vingegaard this morning.”

With the traditionally brutal final weekend of Paris-Nice ahead, Jorgenson is in a strong position to win the French stage race for the second consecutive year. That is now the main objective, according to Victor Campenaerts. “Now, we defend our leader’s jersey and bring the yellow jersey to Nice,” the Belgian said confidently.

To keep the yellow jersey in Nice, Jorgenson will have to navigate a modified queen stage on Saturday. Due to ongoing severe weather in France, the race organizers decided to shorten stage seven on Friday, reducing it from 147.8 kilometers to 109.3 kilometers. However, the summit finish in Auron remains on the course.

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