Paris-Nice 2025 Stage 8 recap - Magnus Sheffield powers to stage win as runner-up Matteo Jorgenson takes overall victory

Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) ghosted away from the bunch before powering to victory in the closing kilometres of the last stage of Paris-Nice.

Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the yellow jersey, fought to get on terms but in the end had to settle for stage runner-up and back-to-back Paris-Nice overall crowns.   

After a week of cold, wind, rain and snow, finally some sunshine for the riders, as Paris-Nice reached its conclusion on the Cote d’Azur. Typically a punchy stage, this year the parcours for the final act contained more climbing packed into fewer climbs.

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) showed he is becoming an all-round force to be reckoned with, as he went about securing the points jersey the hard way. After making a break for it on the Col de la Portes, only to be brought back before the summit, the Dane broke clear again on the descent, building himself a sizeable lead.

The finish line he had in mind was the intermediate sprint at Col d’Eze, which is what he told Felix Gall and Aleksandr Vlasov when they broke out of the bunch and bridged across to him. He would support their stage-hunting endeavours if they were prepared to help him stay away as long as he needed.

Ineos Grenadiers had something to say about that. With Jorgenson isolated on the climbs. The British team controlled affairs in the peloton, before allowing Sheffield to slip slide away on the descent of the Cote de Peille. He quickly caught up with Gall, Pedersen and Vlasov, and began working in their engine room.

Although his overall lead was never really threatened by those around him, on Col d’Eze, Jorgenson decided attack was the best form of defence. He made it within sight of Sheffield and Pedersen, before the Lidl-Trek rider found enough in the tank to get himself over the top and mathematically guarantee the green jersey.

Sheffield and Pedersen rode up to the final climb, the short but steep Col de Quatre Chemins, together. Jorgenson was close enough that it looked as if he might be able to snatch the stage from under his compatriot's nose, but he never pulled closer than ten seconds.

Sheffield had enough in hand over the top, and rode the kilometres of descent smoothly enough to allow him to cruise through the old town and celebrate as he crossed the line.

A relieved Jorgenson would "sleep for a week" after relieving himself of four months of pressure to retain his title.

Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe) did enough to keep the white jersey and finish on the podium. Despite not adding to his tally after Thursday, Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) finished as the King of the Mountains.

1. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) 26'26''42"
2. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe) +1'15"
3. Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'58"
4. Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) +2'17"
5. Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) +3'03"
6. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +3'57"
7. Clement Champoussin (Astana) +4'00"
8. Harold Tejada (Astana) +4'53"
9. Tobias Foss (Ineos Grenadiers) +4'59"
10. Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quickstep) +5'26

So not just the win for Sheffield but he picked up a couple of GC places as well. Fine week for him.

TOP 5 ON THE STAGE
1. Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) 2'48'37"
2. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) +29''
3. Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +35''
4. Michael Storer (Tudor) +1'01''
5. Clément Champoussin (XDS Astana) +1'01''

A very good week for Ineos Grenadiers, whose fortunes may be on the upturn.

A 1-2 on the stage for the USA.

He knows. He's shown steel and is about to secure that first big, big win of his career, at just 22. Big for his team, too, which hasn't won here since 2018.

Nice and the Mediterranean just below him. The time gap sees to have come down by eight seconds or so in the last kilometre.

That's where the camera's been, but Sheffield must have been matching him, because the time hasn't come down at all - if anything it's ticked up.

Nineteen seconds to the good. He should just have to keep it clean on the descent to keep Jorgenson and Gall at bay. The yellow jersey is a great descender and he'll know these roads like the back of his hand.

Not in trouble for yellow but drifting away from the front of the race. Gall is riding away from him and Sheffield is looking increasingly good for the stage as the road rears up into the teens. Behind Arensman pushes on. Did he read my last update? (No.)

It took some of the best climbers in the world and gradients of 9% to get rid of him. The white jersey group is a minute and Sheffield is beginning to threaten his team-mate's podium place.

It's just 3.3km, but it's a brute of a slope, especially towards the top. Sheffield quickly says goodbye to Pedersen, knowing he'll need a really good ride here to fend off Jorgenson. The yellow jersey doesn't look too fussed about attacking yet, though.

For the yellow jersey? Or a team car? He may not have completely given up on the stage win, but I think the next climb is going to be a bridge too far for him. He and Sheffield have 16 seconds in hand as they approach.

He wouldn't be completely without a win from the week, if you count the TTT, but I'm not sure he does. Finishing with your hands up on the Promenade des Anglais is how it's done. He's in complete control of the yellow jersey, with Lipowitz unable to put up much of a fight. He's better off looking after what he's got, I think.

That's all the points he needs, a buffer of 17 over Jorgenson, to secure the green. Tremendous effort.

Seems the best form of defence is attack, and the rest can't stay with him. Sheffield has made it to the front but Jorgenson has them in his sights already. It could be heartbreak for Pedersen.

Having lost it to Sheffield provisionally. Tobias Foss follows this one.

And as a consequence his Ineos team-mates have knocked things off in the bunch, which has seen the gap between them and the front stretch back out to almost a minute. Someone else will have to do it, they're saying.