Paris-Nice organizer A.S.O. had spiced up the 2025 edition of the legendary race by making stage 3 a team time trial. The strongest teams – and not least the teams with General Classification ambitions – were eagerly awaiting this opportunity to gain valuable time advantages on the 28.4-kilometer route from Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours to Nevers. The terrain was generally flat, though it featured some rolling hills and a one-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 5.4 percent.

Tudor Pro Cycling would be the first team to leave the start ramp, followed by Team Jayco-Alula, Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale, and Ineos-Grenadiers. The time gap between the teams would be four minutes at the start point. Favorites to take the stage victory were Team Visma-Lease a Bike, featuring Jonas Vingegaard, Ineos-Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates, and Team Lidl-Trek.

Having been the first team to leave the start ramp, Tudor Pro Cycling Team unsurprisingly set the fastest time at the stage finish. The Swiss team completed the 28.4-kilometer stage in 31:32 minutes. They were later beaten by Team Jayco-Alula – their riders needed 30:41 minutes to reach the finish line.

Team Visma-Lease a Bike and Ineos-Grenadiers had now left the start ramp, while several other teams were also fighting on the route.

Jayco-Alula riders were still in the hot seat when nine teams had completed their team time trials. Lidl-Trek had finished in 30:56 minutes and were now second. Ineos-Grenadiers were third at this point with a finish time of 30:59 minutes. EF Education-EasyPost finished had the fourth-best time – their time of 31 minutes appeared a nice result for their team leader American Neilson Powless at this point.

Team Visma-Lease a Bike later set the fastest time at the finish line. Their finish time of 30:26 was impressive and a promising result for team captain Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark.

Team Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe later squeezed its way into the third spot in the finish line rankings. 

Race leader Tim Merlier and his Soudal-QuickStep teammates were the last riders on the start ramp. They were not expected to be able to defend the general classification lead of their Belgian sprint ace.

Team Visma-Lease a Bike remained the fastest team when all teams had reached the finish line. Visma-Lease a Bike won the stage 3 team time trial of Paris-Nice 2025 ahead of Team Jayco Alula, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Lidl-Trek, Ineos-Grenadiers, and EF Education-EasyPost.

Matteo Jorgenson (USA) now leads the general classification for Team Visma-Lease a Bike. He is six seconds ahead of Teammate and former Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard. 

Team Jayco-Alula’s general classification favorite Ben O’Connor is fourth in the general classification, 21 seconds behind the leader. Lidl-Trek’s Mattias Skjelmose is ninth, 36 seconds behind. Magnus Sheffield is tenth for Ineos-Grenadiers, and Neilson Powless is twelfth for EF Education-EasyPost, but with a forty second deficit. Thymen Arensman is thirteenth for Ineos-Grenadiers, while Joao Almeida is eighteenth for UAE Team Emirates.

Wednesday’s stage 4 of Paris-Nice will take the riders further south on a route from Vichy to La Loge des Gardes. The 163.4-kilometer route has been designed by race organizer A.S.O. as a battle in mountainous terrain and conclude with a category 1 climb, which features an average gradient of 7.1 percent. The route will also include one Category 2 climb and four Category 3 bumps to animate the race.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from Paris-Nice 2025.