Luke Lamperti Wins Paris-Nice Stage 1 Sprint | Cyclingnews
Luke Lamperti of EF Education-EasyPost delivered a stunning sprint victory on the opening stage of Paris-Nice today, , in Carrières-sous-Poissy. The 23-year-old American secured his first WorldTour win and his team’s first victory of the season, besting Vito Braet (Lotto-Intermarché) and Orluis Aular in a thrilling finish.
The stage, beginning in Achères, saw a breakaway group of six riders – Luke Durbridge and Patrick Gamper (Jayco-AlUla), Sébastien Grignard (Picnic PostNL), Mathis Le Berre (TotalEnergies), Casper Pedersen (Soudal Quick-Step), and Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost) – attempt to establish a lead. Though, the peloton maintained control, ultimately reabsorbing the breakaway with 34 kilometers remaining, setting the stage for a bunch sprint.
Despite being a pre-stage favorite, Biniam Girmay (NSN) found himself boxed in during the final sprint, limiting him to a fifth-place finish. Lamperti, benefiting from a well-executed lead-out by his EF Education-EasyPost teammates, capitalized on the opportunity, demonstrating his speed and tactical awareness.
This win marks a significant milestone in Lamperti’s career, representing his seventh professional victory and a successful debut at Paris-Nice. He now assumes the yellow jersey as the general classification leader, a testament to his performance on the opening day. He will wear the coveted jersey on stage 2, which is also anticipated to favor the sprinters.
The breakaway’s efforts weren’t entirely in vain. Casper Pedersen of Soudal Quick-Step secured enough points in the sprints to grab the lead in the mountain classification. Le Berre and Pedersen actively contested for the polka dot jersey throughout the stage, adding a layer of competition beyond the overall race lead.
Lamperti’s victory is particularly noteworthy as it’s his first since joining EF Education-EasyPost during the winter transfer period, having previously ridden for Soudal Quick-Step. His transition to the new team appears seamless, with immediate results.
Looking at Lamperti’s recent successes, he previously claimed stage wins in the Tour of Japan (three stages in 2023), the Czech Tour (two stages in 2025 and 2024), and a stage in the Tour de Taiwan (2022). He also achieved a strong second-place finish at the Bredene Koksijde Classic in 2025 and the Muscat Classic in 2024. These results demonstrate a consistent upward trajectory for the young American rider.
The 84th edition of Paris-Nice has begun with a bang, and Lamperti’s win sets a positive tone for EF Education-EasyPost. The team will undoubtedly look to build on this momentum as the race progresses through its challenging stages. The race continues tomorrow with a stage also expected to favor sprinters.
Lamperti’s profile shows a rider specializing in one-day races, GC competition, time trials, sprints, and hills. Born on , he currently weighs 74kg and stands at 1.80m tall. He began his career with LUX Cycling in 2019 and 2020 before moving to Trinity Racing from 2021 to 2023, and then Soudal Quick-Step in 2024 before joining EF Education-EasyPost for the 2026 season.
His palmares include a National Championship win in Luxembourg in 2021 (both ITT and Road Race) and several top-ten finishes in various European races, showcasing his versatility and potential. The win today at Paris-Nice, however, represents a significant step up in his career, marking his first victory at the WorldTour level.
The upcoming stages of Paris-Nice will test the riders with a variety of terrain, including hilly sections and potential opportunities for breakaway specialists. However, with Lamperti now in the yellow jersey, EF Education-EasyPost will be motivated to defend the lead and potentially target further stage wins.