Olav Kooij won the first stage of Paris-Nice, starting and finishing in Les Mureaux over 157.7 km.

Once the day's breakaway resumes, with Rutsch, Burgadeau and Bissegger as protagonists, the big names move in with 12 km to go. But on the Cote d'Herbevue the attempts of Remco Evenepoel, followed by a brilliant Egan Bernal and Primoz Roglic, were unsuccessful.

At the finish line Pedersen anticipates the sprint but Kooij overtakes him and takes the victory and the lead in the general classification. Closing the day's podium is Laurence Pithie, third.

Arrival order:

1 KOOIJ Olav Team Visma | Lease a Bike 3:36:28

2 PEDERSEN Mads Lidl - Trek ,,

3 PITHIE Laurence Groupama - FDJ ,,

4 EEKHOFF Nils Team dsm-firmenich PostNL ,,

5 MIHKELS Madis Intermarché - Wanty ,,

6 MATTHEWS Michael Team Jayco AlUla ,,

7 TRENTIN Matteo Tudor Pro Cycling Team ,,

8 SKJELMOSE Mattias Lidl - Trek ,,

9 DUJARDIN Sandy TotalEnergies ,,

10 GROVES Kaden Alpecin - Deceuninck,,

General ranking:

1 KOOIJ Olav Team Visma | Lease a Bike 3:36:18

2 PEDERSEN Mads Lidl - Trek 0:04

3 JORGENSON Matteo Team Visma | Lease a Bike,,

4 PITHIE Laurence Groupama - FDJ 0:06

5 EVENEPOEL Remco Soudal - Quick Step ,,

6 BERNAL Egan INEOS Grenadiers 0:08

7 EEKHOFF Nils Team dsm-firmenich PostNL 0:10

8 MIHKELS Madis Intermarché - Wanty ,,

9 MATTHEWS Michael Team Jayco AlUla ,,

10 TRENTIN Matteo Tudor Pro Cycling Team ,,

Photo Sprint Cycling