Results Paris-Nice 2026 | American victory on stage 1 as EF's Luke Lamperti takes sprint win

EF Education-EasyPost do not often win sprint stages at World Tour level, however today is a big exception. A perfectly timed leadout and well executed sprint led to the victory of Luke Lamperti at the end of stage 1 of Paris-Nice.

Six riders formed the day's breakaway, featuring Luke Durbridge, Mathis Le Berre, Sebastien Grignard, Patrick Gamper, Casper Pedersen and Max Walker. A group without too much firepower which would ordinarily worry the peloton, but with good tactics which allowed them to maintain their gap well into the finale.

A day for the sprinters but with some climbing in the mix... The final circuit featured a climb of 500 meters at 11% summitting with 11 kilometers to go. NSN took responsibility for a lot of the chase, but often ahead of the climbs there would be fighting for positioning which would cut the gap. However, in the final ascent the group still remained in front. Mathis Le Berre attacked in front but was later caught by four of his other group companions; whilst the peloton still had a deficit of 25 seconds.

Ewen Costiou attacked in the climb, but the GC riders kept their powder dry and so the gaps weren't maintained. Visma put on a chase with Axel Zingle behind in the peloton; but a relatively compact peloton still rode quickly towards the surviving riders out front. The catch was only made just outside 1 kilometer to go with Grignard surviving until late in the day.

EF managed to get to the front into the final corner, with Marijn van den Berg leading out Biniam Girmay into a chaotic sprint. The American took the victory, with Biniam Girmay blocked in the barriers. Vito Braet and Orluis Aular finished second and third on the day.