Lenny Martinez Snatches Final Stage Victory from Jonas Vingegaard in Paris-Nice
In a dramatic conclusion to the Paris-Nice race, French rider Lenny Martinez denied two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard a final-stage victory, though the Danish cyclist claimed the overall crown. The thrilling sprint finish in Nice capped off an eight-day event where Vingegaard showcased his dominance, securing his first Paris-Nice title with a commanding lead.
Vingegaard's Overall Triumph Amid Stage Defeat
Jonas Vingegaard had already won two stages in the prestigious race, but in Sunday's final stage, he was outmaneuvered by Lenny Martinez. The 145km eighth stage, which started and finished in Nice, featured a hilly route culminating in a two-up sprint after the pair broke away on the final climb. Vingegaard attacked 21km from the finish, with Martinez being the only rider able to stay on his wheel.
Despite cresting the final climb, the Côte du Linguador, first to seal victory in the king of the mountains competition, Vingegaard could not match Martinez's early sprint launch. "Today was almost the perfect day," Vingegaard remarked. "Of course I would have loved to win the stage as well, but Lenny was very strong, so he deserves to win." His overall winning margin of 4 minutes and 23 seconds is noted by organisers as the largest since 1939.
Vingegaard's Impressive Form and Future Ambitions
With three victories from his first eight days of racing this season, Jonas Vingegaard is in exceptional form as he eyes a Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double. Having already won two of the three Grand Tours, including the 2025 Vuelta a España and back-to-back Tour de France titles in 2022 and 2023, he has now added Paris-Nice to his accolades. This victory marks his third major one-week stage race win, following the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2023 and Tirreno-Adriatico in 2024.
In the final stage, Colombian Harold Tejada secured third place, finishing seven seconds behind the leaders. Fellow Colombian Dani Martínez, despite crashing over 50km from the finish, battled through pain to limit losses and preserve second place overall, more than four minutes behind Vingegaard. German rider Georg Steinhauser rounded out the podium, holding off Frenchman Kévin Vauquelin by six minutes.
Isaac del Toro Dominates Tirreno-Adriatico
In a parallel triumph, Mexican cyclist Isaac del Toro won the Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday, marking his second stage-race victory of the season. The UAE rider effectively secured his overall win after Saturday's penultimate stage, finishing 42 seconds ahead of Giulio Pellizzari. Del Toro rolled over the line in San Benedetto del Tronto with the peloton, despite being caught in a late crash that involved sprint rival Jasper Philipsen.
Del Toro finished the race 40 seconds ahead of American Matteo Jorgenson, with Pellizzari dropping to third after the final day. The 22-year-old also claimed the points and youth jerseys, showcasing an impressive performance over a challenging week in central Italy, marred by wet conditions and demanding mountain stages.
Exciting Finale in Tirreno-Adriatico
The final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, though more straightforward, saw Mathieu van der Poel lead a breakaway that forced a rapid pace over 142km. Jonas Abrahamsen attempted a solo victory in the final circuits but was caught with 400m remaining, allowing Jonathan Milan to power through and win the stage by a narrow margin. This victory marks Milan's third consecutive win in his home race and his sixth win of the season, having already secured points jerseys at the UAE Tour and AlUla Tour.
These results highlight a thrilling weekend in professional cycling, with top riders demonstrating skill and resilience across major European races.
