Matteo Jorgenson aiming to 'set the bar higher' and target a Grand Tour after securing second Paris-Nice title

American explained that targeting a win in one of the sport's biggest three-week races was now the logical next step in his career

Matteo Jorgenson
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The sky is his limit, that was the message from Visma-Lease a Bike after watching Matteo Jorgenson roll across the finish line on a sun drenched Promenade des Anglais to complete a second consecutive overall victory at Paris-Nice.

After a dominant week which epitomised controlled and measured racing, Jorgenson secured the yellow jersey with a gutsy ride to the finish after launching a huge attack on the slopes of the Col d’Èze. The Idaho native then time trialled into the streets of Nice and tore along the seafront with the aim of catching fellow American Magnus Sheffield, but it wasn’t to be as Sheffield sealed a first-ever victory at WorldTour level.

One of the best riders in the world

Matteo Jorgenson

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jorgenson revealed in his winners' press conference that he had initially been asked to target Tirreno-Adriatico by team management. He explained that he briefly considered it before pushing back and insisting that he was given the opportunity to return to a race which he is beginning to make his own.

"I was told by Grischa [Niermann, Visma-Lease a Bike’s Head of Racing] that Jonas wanted to come here to Paris-Nice, and that it was more logical that I'd ride Tirreno," he said. "It was just before we started winter training that I called Grischa and told him that Tirreno didn’t give me the same feeling as Paris-Nice and that I was not motivated to work through the winter for Tirreno. So I asked if it was possible to come here, with Jonas, and fortunately they both agreed."

Meanwhile Jorgenson’s sports director Frans Maasens couldn’t hide his delight as staff from other teams passed him at the finish and called out messages of congratulations. The Dutchman beamed as he reflected on the week, telling Cycling Weekly that Jorgenson had underlined his status as "one of the best riders in the world."

"You saw it everywhere last year," he said. "I think he did some great efforts in the Tour and showed that he can ride the Classics. Of course, it was a big disappointment with the crash of Jonas, but it also makes it a bit easier that you then have one leader. I think everyone has seen that Matteo was the best rider in the race."

"Definitely he can play a bigger role in Grand Tours," Maasens added. "But winning the Tour, I don't say that, but he's a very good, very talented rider and we will see much more from him in the next few years."

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Tom Thewlis
News and Features Writer

After previously working in higher education, Tom joined Cycling Weekly in 2022 and hasn't looked back. He's been covering professional cycling ever since; reporting on the ground from some of the sport's biggest races and events, including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships. His earliest memory of a bike race is watching the Tour on holiday in the early 2000's in the south of France - he even made it on to the podium in Pau afterwards. His favourite place that cycling has taken him is Montréal in Canada.

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