Stage 3 – Team Time Trial
Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire → Pouilly-sur-Loire, 23.5 km
Stage 3 of Paris–Nice delivered the first decisive moment of the race, as the peloton tackled a 23.5-kilometre team time trial along the Loire Valley. On a flat but technical course between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Pouilly-sur-Loire, it was INEOS Grenadiers who proved strongest, taking the stage victory after a tightly contested afternoon against the clock.
Early benchmarks on a fast course
After two sprint stages, the race against the clock was expected to create the first meaningful gaps in the general classification. The course followed the Loire River on mostly exposed roads, punctuated by a series of roundabouts and sweeping bends that required precise coordination from each team.
Early starters such as Groupama–FDJ and Team Jayco AlUla established the first reference times, but it was clear the fastest rides would come later in the day as the strongest time-trial squads rolled down the start ramp.
The pace intensified when UAE Team Emirates XRG briefly set the fastest time, only to see their mark quickly surpassed by Team Visma | Lease a Bike, one of the discipline’s traditional powerhouses.
Lidl-Trek raise the bar
The benchmark continued to fall as Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team produced a smooth and disciplined performance to move into the lead. But the most convincing challenge came from Lidl-Trek, whose well-drilled lineup powered through the intermediate splits with impressive speed.
Their ride looked strong enough to secure the stage, and when they stopped the clock they held the fastest time of the day, putting significant pressure on the remaining contenders.
INEOS deliver the winning ride
Among the final teams on the road, INEOS Grenadiers executed a near-perfect run. Driven by their time-trial specialists, including the powerful young Brit Joshua Tarling, the team maintained a relentless tempo throughout the 23.5-kilometre route.
Riding with excellent cohesion, the squad kept a steady rotation and crossed the line with four riders together to stop the clock in 26:40, narrowly beating Lidl-Trek by two seconds. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team completed the podium for the stage, a further 11 seconds behind.
The victory was an important statement for INEOS Grenadiers, whose collective performance demonstrated the depth of their roster and their renewed ambition in stage racing.
GC shake-up and a new leader
Despite missing out on the stage win by a narrow margin, Lidl-Trek still emerged as one of the day’s biggest winners. Their strong ride helped propel Juan Ayuso into the yellow jersey, thanks to time bonuses accumulated in the opening stages.
Behind him, the tight margins of the team time trial left several contenders clustered within seconds, setting up a closely contested general classification heading into the hillier stages later in the week.
What it means for the race
Stage 3 reshaped the early dynamics of Paris–Nice:
- INEOS Grenadiers confirmed themselves as one of the strongest collective units in the race.
- Juan Ayuso moved into the overall lead and underlined his status as a major contender.
- Several GC hopefuls conceded small but potentially significant time before the race reaches more demanding terrain.
With the race now finely balanced, attention turns to the coming stages where the climbs of central France will begin to test the overall contenders and determine who can truly challenge for victory in the Race to the Sun.
Results
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