UAE Team Emirates take victory in rain-affected team time-trial at Paris-Nice 2024, Brandon McNulty into Maillot Jaune

UAE Team Emirates have emerged with victory in the team time-trial at Paris-Nice 2024 as a mid-stage shower effected the efforts of rivals such as Soudal - Quick-Step and BORA - hansgrohe.

The lesser-spotted team time-trial, something of a lost art in modern cycling. The first team to reach the finish line in this one were Israel - Premier Tech setting a benchmark time of 33:03.

Their time didn't last long though as the next team to finish, Alpecin-Deceuninck, immediately went 16 seconds quicker.

Next across the line was the Astana Qazaqstan Team and it was another marked improvement as they clocked the best time so far at 32:02, with Lotto Dstny not quite able to continue the run of improved times as they finished 19 seconds slower.

Arkea-B&B Hotels also couldn't match the Astana time, crossing the line 33 seconds slower.

The first team to beat the time of Astana was actually UAE Team Emirates, led home by Finn Fisher-Black in 31:23. Team Jayco AlUla then sandwiched themselves in between with their effort of 31:38.

INEOS Grenadiers pushed and set a decent time but couldn't challenge UAE with their effort of 31:45. EF Education-EasyPost were a little better though, 31:43.  

With the rain beginning to fall shortly after, Lidl-Trek and Bahrain - Victorious seemed to have been affected as they clocked slightly disappointing times 32:38 and 32:05 respectively.

Soudal - Quick-Step were flying at the intermediate check, 17 seconds quicker than UAE. At the finish line however, a 38 second swing saw them finish 21 seconds down.

BORA - hansgrohe also were quicker than UAE at the intermediate, but they too were well down by the finish line, 52 seconds on UAE.

Visma were 38 seconds slower and Groupama-FDJ couldn't pull any magic out of the hat either as the stage win went to UAE Team Emirates.