"Joao Almeida is obviously going to be our main guy" - Brandon McNulty into race lead at Paris-Nice but plays down talk of GC success

Continuing his impressive start to 2024, Brandon McNulty is the new race leader at Paris-Nice 2024 after a brilliant team time-trial effort from UAE Team Emirates on stage 3.

"It's a bit surprising, I didn't really expect to be in it," McNulty admits sheepishly in his post-stage interview having not been the man to cross the line first from his team. "I figured it would be Finn Fisher-Black but they said it was me so I'll take it. It's nice wear the jersey in a stage race like this."

Having won the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana and worn the leaders' jersey at the UAE Tour, McNulty has now led every stage race he's ridden so far in 2024. "It was really tough. The first half was quite heavy, not fast roads with a lot of climbing but we used our riders well and still had five left fast section back in the tailwind," he recaps.

"It was really tough all day though, there wasn't really a place to rest but yeah, we did good," the American concludes. "Joao Almeida is obviously going to be our main guy, I'll just see how we go. I was sick in the UAE so I don't really know how I'm feeling but hopefully tomorrow will be okay."