Depending on their personality, other GC riders at the 2024 Paris-Nice might either be annoyed about the focus being almost completely on Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) and Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) or instead be happy to have all the attention focused elsewhere while they ride under the radar and hope for a podium.
Side note: Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) is looking very sharp, both mentally and physically, so he could be a wildcard for the win. Especially if Remglic cancels itself out.
Stage one of Paris-Nice was won by Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), but earlier in the day there were ripples, though at this stage only minor, in the General Classification.
In the final third or so of the day, once the breakaway had been caught, the KOM classification decided and teams were already jostling for position before the sprint, Evenepoel was the most active of the GC contenders while at times Roglic was absent from view.
The Belgian was alive to the moves of others at the front of the peloton and chased Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) through the late intermediate sprint to gain four bonus seconds for second place. Bernal, as mentioned – looking alert and like he's got good legs, followed for third but Roglic was nowhere to be seen.
Evenepoel further showed his intent for the week by driving on, but Jorgensen and Bernal appeared reluctant to commit. As such, that move faltered and the riders were joined by the reduced peloton.
It's the first stage, it's only four seconds – but it shows intent on Evenepoel's part and, arguably, shows an inattentiveness on Roglic's. Or it shows nothing at all and the margin between them – whichever way round it finishes – will be much greater.
Better still, they'll finish something like sixth and seventh, separated by those four seconds, and all the other GC riders who weren't continuously mentioned in the lead up take the first five places. Unlikely.
Later in the opening stage, Roglic had switched back on to the threat of Evenepoel and followed him through the final KOM marker as the Belgian looked to be trying to use the rise as a launchpad for a late solo run to the finish line.
Cancelling each other out, the main protagonists were swamped by the peloton and finished with the bunch.
Possibly the thing of greatest significance, if anything can really be drawn from this stage, is that Roglic is known for and has used to great effect bonus seconds in past stage races and Grand Tours – including those he's won. Today he came away with the same time as almost everyone else in the race, but worse than his nearest rival.
Even if the gap is only small, the first morale victory may have gone to Evenepoel. Whatever each rider feels about today's stage, let's hope for an action packed week of racing.
