Tadej Pogačar wraps up 'dream' victory at Paris-Nice with solo stage win
Slovenian finishes 53 seconds clear of David Gaudu, with Jonas Vingegaard third and Simon Yates fourth
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Tadej Pogačar’s astonishing run of success during the open weeks of this season continued on the final day of Paris-Nice when he rode away from his GC rivals to claim solo victory on the sunny Promenade des Anglais to wrap up the overall title.
The victory was his ninth of the season in just 13 days of racing and his superiority was such that he squashed all trace of suspense from what is traditionally a high-octane and closely fought final stage in ‘the race to the sun’.
“It was always my goal and my dream to win Paris-Nice and now that I’ve done it it’s incredible,” said the UAE Team Emirates rider after cruising home 33 seconds clear of a four-man group, bowing as he crossed the line. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) led in the chasers, just ahead of David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Simon Yates (Jayco-Alula) and Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar).
This increased his overall lead to 53 seconds over Gaudu, the biggest winning margin seen at Paris-Nice since Richie Porte won the 2013 edition by 55 seconds.
“They say attack is the best defence," said Pogačar, whose home in Monaco is just a kilometres from Nice. “I really know these roads, I do a lot of training on them, I knew how my legs were and how much I could do on the final climb.
“The level of competition was huge and to be alongside Gaudu and Vingegaard on the podium is really special because they’re great riders. If I don’t win anything else till the end of the season I can be relaxed because I’ve won here,” he concluded, a sentiment that his rivals are unlikely to take as a sign of the Slovenian easing back on his racing objectives.
As is typically the case on the short final stage in the hills overlooking Nice, the action was frantic right from the start. King of the Mountains leader Jonas Gregaard instigated it with an instant attack as he searched to defend the polka-dot jersey. More riders came and went at the front over the first half of the stage, with the peloton never much more than a minute in arrears.
On the stage’s fourth ascent, the first-category Col de Peille, Bahrain Victorious climber Wout Poels bridged across to the leader and then continued ahead on his own. He led over the top and through the intermediate sprint that followed.
Behind the Dutchman, Groupama-FDJ attempted to set up Gaudu for the sprint, but Pogačar managed to avoid getting boxed in as he been three days before and sped past the Breton climber to take the four bonus available behind Poels, this little victory edging the Slovenian’s overall lead out to 14 seconds.
Coming onto the Col d’Eze, the race’s final climb, UAE’s pace on the front of the peloton quickly snuffed out the hopes of Poels. Felix Grossschartner did the initial damage on Pogačar’s behalf until Simon Yates sprang past with 19km remaining, the race leader, Gaudu and Vingegaard on his wheel. A few hundred metres later, as this quartet tackled a steep left-hand bend, Pogačar accelerated away.
Initially, none of his rivals responded. Gaudu tried to, but was quickly reeled in by Vingegaard, Yates and Jorgenson. Yet, even though this quartet collaborated, Pogačar continued to boost his advantage relentlessly. He crossed the Col d’Eze 45 seconds ahead of the foursome, gained a few more seconds on the false flat beyond and then cruised down into Nice with barely any pressure at all, milking the crowd’s applause on the finish straight, his Paris-Nice debut an absolute triumph.
2023 Paris-Nice stage eight: Nice > Nice, 118.4km
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE-Team Emirates, in 2.51-02
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma, at 33secs
3. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at same time
4. Simon Yates (GBr) Jayco AlUla, at same time
5. Matteo Jorgensen (USA) Movistar, at same time
6. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost, at 43secs
7. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) Ineos Grenadiers, at same time
8. Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at same time
9. Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious, at same time
10. Gino Mäder (Sui) Bahrain-Victorious, at same time
General classification after stage eight
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE-Team Emirates, in 24-01.38
2. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 53secs
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma, at 1-39
4. Simon Yates (GBr) Jayco AlUla, at 2-14
5. Gino Mäder (Sui) Bahrain-Victorious, 2-56
6. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost, at 3-17
7. Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at 3-19
8. Matteo Jorgensen (USA) Movistar, at same time
9. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) Ineos Grenadiers, at 4-05
10. Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious, at 4-56
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Peter Cossins has been writing about professional cycling since 1993, with his reporting appearing in numerous publications and websites including Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport and Procycling - which he edited from 2006 to 2009. Peter is the author of several books on cycling - The Monuments, his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, followed in 2015 by Alpe d’Huez, an appraisal of cycling’s greatest climb. Yellow Jersey - his celebration of the iconic Tour de France winner's jersey won the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Cycling Book of the Year Award.
-
-
Do you also play golf? Take part in this survey
Tell us what kind of golfer you are in our latest YOU & YOUR GOLF survey, for the chance to win a £250 or $300 Amazon voucher!
By Cycling Weekly • Published
-
Wrist-based versus chest strap heart sensors: which are best for cyclists? Can you trust the data?
Smartwatches and health trackers are getting ever better at measuring your heart rate - but they’re still not perfect
By Tom Epton • Published
-
How E3 showed us what Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pogačar need to do to win the Tour of Flanders
Wout van Aert might have won on Friday, but everything could change next Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Wout van Aert sprints to win from an elite trio at brutal edition of E3 Saxo Classic
Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar outpowered in finalé by Belgian
By Adam Becket • Published
-
100 days until the Tour de France: How the contenders are shaping up
How are the leading GC riders looking a century away from the biggest bike race of them all?
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'No regrets' for Tadej Pogačar after falling short of Milan-San Remo podium
UAE Team Emirates rider says the best man won on the Via Roma
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
All in for the Poggio: Nine riders to watch at Milan-San Remo 2023
Analysing the top tier of contenders for La Classicissima this weekend, plus one or two surprise packages
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Paris-Nice just first step on the road to Tour de France redemption for Tadej Pogačar
The UAE Team Emirates rider might have won the Race to the Sun but he is not taking anything for granted
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Big two becomes big three as Gaudu joins Pogačar and Vingegaard at Paris-Nice
Tadej Pogačar might have won again, but it was close, and David Gaudu could yet win Paris-Nice
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'He cracked a little bit': First blow to Tadej Pogačar at Paris-Nice as Jonas Vingegaard fades
UAE Team Emirates rider is back in yellow on French soil for the first time since stage 11 of last year's Tour de France
By Adam Becket • Published