Paris-Nice 2026, March 8-15

[Bolder]

But why could Ayuso have challenged him? I know it's usual for a young rider or a rider in a new team to become a shiny object for cycling fans, but let's stick to the facts. When has Ayuso ever been able to challenge Vingegaard?

He probably would have been on the podium, but Ayuso isn't exactly known for his consistency.

Ayuso would have had a chance either yesterday or today, pretty sure he was in good form and with a lot of prove. Sadly we'll never know.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

It is odd, no? Normally he's pack fodder at this point. At least the Giro comes before the Tour.

He was also flying in early 2024, when he absolutely obliterated everyone in Gran Camiño and (more impressively) Tirreno.

 

[theyoungest]

It is odd, no? Normally he's pack fodder at this point. At least the Giro comes before the Tour.

I suppose you're kidding, because Vingegaard is always good in the early season. Maybe in that Paris-Nice he lost to Pogi he wasn't that good... but still second only to Pogi.

 

[RedheadDane]

I suppose you're kidding, because Vingegaard is always good in the early season. Maybe in that Paris-Nice he lost to Pogi he wasn't that good... but still second only to Pogi.

Nope:

Paris - Nice 2023 Stage 8 results

Tadej PogaÄar is the winner of Paris - Nice 2023, before David Gaudu and Jonas Vingegaard. The stage from Nice to Nice was won by Tadej PogaÄar.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[canina82]

Vingegaard's base level is better than everyone's ceilling.

 

[theyoungest]

Nope:

Paris - Nice 2023 Stage 8 results

Tadej PogaÄar is the winner of Paris - Nice 2023, before David Gaudu and Jonas Vingegaard. The stage from Nice to Nice was won by Tadej PogaÄar.

www.procyclingstats.com

Well, okay, third. Still not pack fodder though

 

[Dazed and Confused]

GC:

1	1	-	Vingegaard Jonas	Team Visma | Lease a Bike	10	16″	17:22:06
2	2	-	Martínez Daniel Felipe	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe		10″	3:22
3	3	-	Steinhauser Georg	EF Education - EasyPost			5:50
4	4	-	Vauquelin Kévin	INEOS Grenadiers			6:09
5	6	▲1	Martinez Lenny	Bahrain - Victorious			7:37
6	8	▲2	Soler Marc	UAE Team Emirates - XRG			8:15
7	10	▲3	Izagirre Ion	Cofidis			9:02
8	12	▲4	Rondel Mathys	Tudor Pro Cycling Team			10:06
9	13	▲4	Baudin Alex	EF Education - EasyPost			10:16
10	14	▲4	Onley Oscar	INEOS Grenadiers			11:23

Solo-er and Ion creeping up like eveyone else at the bottom half.

 

[Netserk]

It is odd, no? Normally he's pack fodder at this point. At least the Giro comes before the Tour.

that hasnt been the case the past three years

it wasnt exactly ordinary conditions in pn last year before his crash

 

[Brullnux]

It is odd, no? Normally he's pack fodder at this point. At least the Giro comes before the Tour.

He was pretty bad last season but in 2024 he was dominant in March and 2023 he walked Itzulia. In 2022 he was somewhere in the middle, came 2nd to Pogacar in Tirreno-Adriatico and then mostly unimpressive in Itzulia. I wouldn't say it's strange, it's just different to last year.

 

[Squire]

But why could Ayuso have challenged him? I know it's usual for a young rider or a rider in a new team to become a shiny object for cycling fans, but let's stick to the facts. When has Ayuso ever been able to challenge Vingegaard?

He probably would have been on the podium, but Ayuso isn't exactly known for his consistency.

Putting similar amounts of time into the same guys on similar climbs in Algarve, for one. Looking equal to or better than Seixas, who also crushed some of these guys in Ardèche.

It's of course completely valid to think Vingegaard would still win solo here, he is Vingegaard after all. And it's completely valid to think Seixas wouldn't have followed him either. It's just my intuition that on current form, Ayuso would be more likely to be able to follow close enough that they would be two guys at the finish, instead of just squirming around with Steinhauser and VPP. And I think 'he has never beaten him' is a bit of lazy argumentation which doesn't take context into consideration. It's not like this was Plateau de Beille. Vingegaard and Ayuso have raced against each other exactly once before in a one-week stage race.

 

[Red Rick]

Fail to drop everyone on a 6-7% climb in massive headwinds in February/March twice and everyone thinks you only show up for the Grand Tours again.

 

[canina82]

Fail to drop everyone on a 6-7% climb in massive headwinds in February/March twice and everyone thinks you only show up for the Grand Tours again.

Conveniently your forgot to say Almeida (who won the stage) was also climbing against a headwind and pulling the chasing group.

 

[Extinction]

Fingers crossed that Vingo has a smooth run to the Tour. He looks like he's back to building that form that made Pogacar suffer.

 

[Oldman]

Well Colombia is also one of the wettest countries in the world and Bogota gets as much sunshine as Reykjavik and just slightly more than Manchester.
Because of the altitude it also doesn't get particulary hot either.

Have you looked at a map of Colombia? It goes from an altitude of 0' to 19,500'. Many climate zones....

 

[Sciatic]

I guess it’s too much to think that we could just look at and discuss PN on its own terms rather than as a yardstick for the GTs. Though it’s a shame Vingegaard’s main competitors crashed out, it’s still been entertaining racing these past two days. The Dauphine has been treated like Tour prep and predictor for a long time but I like that PN and Tirreno have their own identities separate races from the GTs.

 

[Red Rick]

Conveniently your forgot to say Almeida (who won the stage) was also climbing against a headwind and pulling the chasing group.

I never claimed Almeida doesn't do *** outside of Grand Tours.