The 84th edition of Paris–Nice started in Achères. On the opening day, the riders faced a 170-kilometer stage with a hilly finale. At the start, much of the attention was on Jonas Vingegaard, who was making his season debut. The 29-year-old Dane will be supported this week by Edoardo Affini, Bruno Armirail, Victor Campenaerts, Wilco Kelderman, Davide Piganzoli, and Zingle.  

A breakaway of six riders went clear early in the race, but they were never given much room. The group’s lead never exceeded two minutes. In the second part of the stage, several short climbs followed one another in quick succession. Led by Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the six early escapees were caught just before the final kilometer. A bunch sprint would decide who would take the first yellow jersey.  

Zingle was in a good position to launch his sprint but got boxed in at a crucial moment. The Frenchman ultimately had to settle for ninth place. “I was perfectly positioned, but I missed the momentum to launch,” Zingle said afterward. “Looking back, I waited a little too long, which meant I was overruled by riders coming from behind. It’s a pity, because there was a huge opportunity here for me and the team.”  

Sports director Marc Reef also reflected on the stage: “We can be satisfied that everyone reached the finish safely. It was a hectic stage. At times it was difficult to stay together as a team. Jonas was very well supported throughout the day by Edoardo and Victor. In the final kilometers, we took responsibility ourselves to close the gap to the breakaway. We had a chance to go for the win with Axel while also making sure Jonas stayed safely near the front. It’s unfortunate that Axel couldn’t do the sprint we had in mind.”