Tadej Pogacar won cycling's Paris-Nice on Sunday when his solo triumph on the Riviera town's iconic Promenade des Anglais propelled the UAE Emirates rider to a crushing overall victory on his first entry to the eight-day event.
The Slovenian, a double Tour de France winner, finished alone to clinch a third individual stage on the race, bowing to the crowds as he crossed the line, with Frenchman David Gaudu ending second overall and Jonas Vingegaard in third.
"It was always my dream to win Paris-Nice," the 24-year-old Slovenian said.
"The competition here was really huge. To be alongside David Gaudu and Jonas Vingegaard on the podium is special," Pogacar said.
Pogacar has changed his schedule this season in a bid to regain the Tour de France title he let slip to Vingegaard in 2022.
He was leading going into Sunday's mountainous stage in the Nice back-country and made a solo break on the final climb
Tadej Pogacar, take a bow! ??#ParisNice pic.twitter.com/9eIk9OUsbW
— NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) March 12, 2023
"I really know these roads," said the Monaco resident.
"I knew exactly how my legs were on the final climb. I was really good with maths today. I calculated it great."
The FDJ Groupama rider Gaudu also put himself on the season's map with this performance.
"It's a super result, it's not always you can go on the podium in a World Tour stage race," said the French climber.
"Pogacar was the strongest. There was nothing much you could do."
Danish Tour de France champion Vingegaard of Jumbo came third after a mini-meltdown this week, when he lost time after attacking too hard.
"I still have to improve," he said Sunday.
STAGE WINNERS
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 2:51:02
2. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Jumbo - Visma +33
3. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama - FDJ "
4. Simon Yates (GBR) Team Jayco - AlUla "
5. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Movistar Team "
6. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education - EasyPost +43
7. Pavel Sivakov (FRA) INEOS Grenadiers "
8. Romain Bardet (FRA) Team DSM "
9. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious "
10. Gino Mäder (SUI) Bahrain Victorious "
11. David De La Cruz (ESP) Astana - Qazaqstan Team +2:49
12. Kévin Geniets (LUX) Groupama - FDJ "
13. Søren Kragh (DEN) Alpecin - Deceuninck "
14. Rudy Molard (FRA) Groupama - FDJ "
15. Matteo Sobrero (ITA) Team Jayco - AlUla "
16. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA) AG2R - Citroën Team "
17. Nicholas Schultz (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech "
18. Daniel Martínez (COL) INEOS Grenadiers "
19. Kobe Goossens (BEL) Intermarché - Circus - Wanty "
20. Lucas Hamilton (AUS) Team Jayco - AlUla "
OVERALL LEADERS
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 24:01:38
2. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama - FDJ +53
3. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Jumbo - Visma +1:39
4. Simon Yates (GBR) Team Jayco - AlUla +2:14
5. Gino Mäder (SUI) Bahrain Victorious +2:56
6. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education - EasyPost +3:17
7. Romain Bardet (FRA) Team DSM +3:19
8. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Movistar Team "
9. Pavel Sivakov (FRA) INEOS Grenadiers +4:05
10. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious +4:56
11. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA) AG2R - Citroën Team +7:28
12. David De La Cruz (ESP) Astana - Qazaqstan Team +9:18
13. Kobe Goossens (BEL) Intermarché - Circus - Wanty +10:01
14. Pierre Latour (FRA) TotalEnergies +10:03
15. Clément Berthet (FRA) AG2R - Citroën Team +11:46
16. Lilian Calmejane (FRA) Intermarché - Circus - Wanty +14:20
17. Rudy Molard (FRA) Groupama - FDJ +14:38
18. Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Team Arkéa - Samsic +14:52
19. Bob Jungels (LUX) BORA - hansgrohe +14:55
20. Chris Harper (AUS) Team Jayco - AlUla +17:22