Cycling news - Kwiatkowski takes Paris-Nice lead as Cort snatches breakaway stage win

Cort was part of a breakaway that managed to stay clear of the peloton, and he outsmarted Thomas de Gendt when he launched his sprint with 700m to go.

“It’s amazing to win a stage here,” Cort said after the stage. “I was not officially planning to make the break, but I felt like it I was feeling good in the first K, so I thought, why not get in the break?

“It’s my first victory so I’m really happy, and with the team, the season is going very well.”

The undulating terrain of the stage meant that Dylan Groenewegen was unable to hold onto his overall lead, with Kwiatkowski finish the day in tenth to take the overall lead.

“We knew it was going to be a tough stage for Groenewegen, for sure,” said Kwiatkowski. “We were expecting fireworks in the final. I have to say it was a really strong breakaway. I could only fight for taking the yellow but not really for the stage victory, but I’m really happy about it.”

“The crucial part of the race is definitely tomorrow, the time trial, and the stage atop Turini and also Nice. It’s going to be exciting. It’s always great to start as last man in time trial [as overall leader], to have all the splits.”