"This jersey is a super nice reward" - Jonas Rutsch into polka-dots after breakaway escapades on stage 1 of Paris-Nice 2024

After an enthralling opening stage of Paris-Nice 2024, one of the day's three breakaway men for the day, EF Education-EasyPost's Jonas Rutsch is into the polka-dot jersey.

Although as mentioned, three men made the break, with Rutsch joined by his teammate, Stefan Bissegger, he only had to compete against Mathieu Burgaudeau for mountains points. "We hoped in the beginning that probably some more guys would join us," Rutsch admits afterwards in conversation with Eurosport. "But that wasn't really happening so yeah, we were already out there and I think we made the best out of the day."

With a team time-trial coming up at this year's Paris-Nice, Rutsch and Bissegger also managed to get some early practice in. "You could say that!" laughs the German. "It was kind of a training day, but joking aside it was super tough. It was also nervous in the peloton so at least being in the front we could avoid that stress."

"This jersey is a super nice reward," he concludes. "I didn't have it in mind first of all but I tried in the first sprint, got beaten, but then the second and third sprint I managed to win. I think we can try to keep it tomorrow."