American Lamperti sprints to 2026 Paris-Nice opening stage win

American rider Luke Lamperti won a bunch sprint on stage 1 of the Paris-Nice on Sunday after a late fall split the peloton in the run up.

The eight-day event known as 'the race to the sun' ends March 15 in Nice after crossing a broad variety of terrains including tough mountains.

Lamperti, of the Education First team, beat the Belgian Vito Braet and the Venezuelan Orluis Aular was third on the hilly opening 170km run.

Monday's stage is a flat 187km flat run, followed by a team time-trial, then four more hilly runs and one mountain slog.

Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard is the favourite to win the overall with Spaniard Juan Ayuso and Ineos new recruit Oscar Onley among other fancied riders.

2026 Paris-Nice Stage 1 Top 10

1  Lamperti Luke EF Education-EasyPost 03:45:17
2  Braet Vito Lotto-Intermarché + 00
3  Aular Orluis Movistar Team + 00
4  Fretin Milan Cofidis + 00
5  Girmay Biniam NSN Cycling Team + 00
6  Plowright Jensen Alpecin-Premier Tech + 00
7  Teunissen Mike XDS Astana Team + 00
8  Løland Sakarias Koller Uno-X Mobility + 00
9  Zingle Axel Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 00
10  Donaldson Robert Team Jayco-AlUla + 00