Paris-Nice 2025 Stage 5 - Lenny Martinez leaps to glory, as Matteo Jorgenson retakes race lead from Jonas Vingegaard

A series of punchy climbs on Stage 5 of Paris-Nice saw Frenchman Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) hit out to glory at the top of the last one, taking a first major victory for his new team in front of a rapturous local crowd. With it came a podium place, and the lead in the best young rider’s competition.

Yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) suffered a crash early on in the stage and appeared to struggle throughout the day. The Danish rider lost ground towards the finish, conceding 27 seconds (including bonuses) and the overall lead to his team-mate, Matteo Jorgenson.

The second-longest stage of the week started with a ferocious, protracted battle for the break, which resulted in just two riders going up the road. In the end, only Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers), for the second time in two days, and Thibaud Gruel (Groupama FDJ) were able to get away, as the first 150km of racing were completed at a rapid 46kph. A crash for Vingegaard, while going uphill on one of the early climbs, and not seen on camera, caused him difficulties for the duration of the stage, which he spent most of near the back of the bunch.

A succession of short, steep climbs in the final 50km of the stage whittled down the peloton to a fraction of its size. The middle one, the Cote de Sibuze, again saw Tobias Foss set out in search of his Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Swift. They rode together for a spell, before the Norwegian was forced to go it alone for the final two hills.

The peloton would not be stopped, however, and it was a case of history repeating as Foss was swallowed up on the approach to the wall-like final ascent.

The Cote Saint-Andre was witness to a war of attrition, as its ever-steepening gradients saw off riders one at a time. Jorgenson rode a continuously hard pace without ever putting in any serious accelerations before there were just a handful of riders left at the front.

The punchiest proved to be Martinez. At 100m from the finish he came off the American’s wheel and surged to glory. Astana’s Clement Champoussin was runner-up, with Jorgenson taking third and four valuable bonus second. He now leads the general classification by 22 seconds from his team-mate Vingegaard. Martinez is up to fifth place, and second in the young rider standings.

Friday's Stage 6 should be another one for the sprinters, before the race concludes in Nice at the weekend.

"That was just incredible. Everybody did a great job today, and on the final climb I knew I wanted to be up there with 150m to go. I had to just go for it and go for it. I accelerated and was able to raise my arms and enjoy it. I said to myself I really had to go for the win. I knew it was possible; I believed in it, and it's brilliant. We're going to give everything towards the weekend, maybe even climb one or two places in the GC. It's nice to have a stage win, rather than just be there."

1. Matteo Jorgenson 16'27'26"
2. Jonas Vingegaard +22"
3. Florian Lipowitz +36"
4. Joao Almeida +40"
5. Lenny Martinez +55"

So not a terrible day, as miserable as he looks, for Vingegaard, nor for Joao Almeida, even though he could not quite keep up with the fastest on the day. The rider who fared the worst in terms of position in the top 10 was Skjelmose, who drops to sixth and concedes the white jersey to Florian Lipowitz, who also takes his place on the podium. Still a very open race.

TOP FIVE ON THE STAGE
1. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) 4'36'23"
2. Clement Champoussin (XDS-Astana) +3''
3. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) +3''
4. Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana) +3''
5. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +6''

One of just two riders who could stay with Jorgenson all the way up the hill. In the final 100m he hit out and positively flew to the line. Clément Champoussin clawed his way back and came round his team-mate for second place, while Jorgenson hung on for third and valuable bonuses. Vingegaard was way down.

300M TO GO: SHEFFIELD ON JORGENSON'S WHEEL
Until he loses it. Lenny Martinez comes round, with the Astana leader, Harold Tejada clinging on.

700M TO GO: JORGENSON HITS THE FRONT
Just riding, not accelerating. Skjelmose is suffering down the line. Almeida has gone backwards. Alaphilippe is hanging in nicely.

This is where it gets super steep. Vingegaard starts to swing. The door is beginning to open. Jorgenson could retake yellow here.

Josh Tarling gives it a pull then does the same. Zingle for Visma takes over. It's already super steep.

Maybe two dozen left in the front group now.

And it's that man, Mads Pedersen going full pelt, into the wind, keeping Mattias Skjelmose in the perfect position.

But listen, fair play. He gave it a go, and you can't say more than that.

Campenaerts is riding like we know he can. Matteo Jorgenson is there and so, for the first time in a while, is Jonas Vingegaard.

This is where it's going to go off.

Pederson was looking to set up Skjelmose but he took the four himself, as the young rider's race is looking quite competitive between those two.

But you suspect that's all he's going to get today, as he's just seen his lead reduced to less than half a minute. Which is not to slight him, as the peloton are looking increasingly determined. Even if he gets to the bottom of the final climb with 30 seconds it won't be enough, you'd think. "They're just going to blast past him" says Sean Kelly.

Just a bit of an acceleration allows him to roll off the front and steal a few seconds.

Not a lot, but not nothing. Visma are starting to take control, while Vingegaard is beginning to move up.

Alaphilippe has his eye on this stage, and suddenly the bunch is beginning to stretch. Also attacking is Kevin Geniets of Groupama FDJ, followed by Florian Lipowitz. Pederson is hanging on. Vingegaard is some way down the bunch.