Paris-Nice opener almost didn't end in sprint, thanks to Visma | Lease a Bike: "Got really nervous," says winner Merlier

For a moment, the finale’s rolling hills threatened to shake things up, but in the end, the opening stage of Paris-Nice came down to a sprint. And when that happens, Tim Merlier is incredibly hard to beat. The Soudal Quick-Step rider delivered a devastatingly strong sprint, leaving his rivals far behind. However, the race had been tense, largely due to the aggressive riding of Visma | Lease a Bike.

After the finish, Merlier was visibly relieved to have reeled in his fifth win of the season. "It's always great to start a stage race like this," he said in his post-race interview. "Another victory in Paris-Nice, I’m proud of that." The day’s breakaway was never given much rope, and that wasn’t just because of the sprinters' teams. "I think from about 70 kilometers to go, things became really nervous because of Visma | Lease a Bike. There were some attacks on the climbs, like LouLou (Julian Alaphilippe, ed.), and then a second one for the bonus seconds." Alongside Alaphilippe, Matteo Jorgenson, Santiago Buitrago, and Neilson Powless also tested their legs in stage one, but none managed to get away.

After the sprint for bonus seconds, where GC riders tried to make an early move, Josh Tarling, Matteo Trentin, and Mattias Skjelmose rode off. For a moment, the race was chaotic, and a bunch sprint was far from certain. "But then we managed to calm things down, close the gap, and I was put in the perfect position in the final kilometer. Bert (Van Lerberghe, ed.) did a perfect lead-out," Merlier said.

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The best sprinter in the world? "That's not for me to say"

Merlier has been nearly unbeatable this year. Is he better than ever? "Pff, I don't know. I was really strong last year too. I think I'm at the same level," he admitted. With five wins, he now leads the victory rankings for 2025, making a strong case as the best sprinter in the world. "That’s not for me to say. I’ll leave that to you. I just try to win as much as possible and take every opportunity I get," he said humbly.

Tomorrow, Merlier will start stage two in the leader’s jersey. It will be a completely flat stage that looks tailor-made for the European champion. Stage six also presents another big sprint opportunity. There’s no shortage of opportunities. "It looks like it," Merlier laughed. "We’ll see how the weather plays out. If it’s not too cold, like today, that would be nice."

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Course and results Paris-Nice 2025 | After tough stage 1 win, Merlier strengthens his status as the favorite for stage 2

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