Hoole Powers to Stage 3 Victory at Paris-Nice as Visma-Lease a Bike Finishes Second
Daan Hoole of Decathlon CMA CGM claimed victory in the Stage 3 team time trial of Paris-Nice on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, finishing the 23.5km course in 26’51’’. He bested the Visma-Lease a Bike team by a mere four seconds, according to racecenter.paris-nice.fr. This stage, running from Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire to Pouilly-sur-Loire, served as a crucial test for teams eyeing overall contention in the prestigious race.
The team time trial format saw teams competing against the clock, with individual rider times determining the final standings, rather than the time of the fourth rider to cross the finish line, as noted by cyclingflash.com. Visma-Lease a Bike started the race at 15:34, while Decathlon CMA CGM began at 15:54.
Prior to the time trial, Team Visma | Lease a Bike had a smooth run in Stage 2, with Jonas Vingegaard, their team leader, avoiding trouble and Max Kanter securing a sprint victory, teamvismaleaseabike.com reported. The team focused on conserving energy for the team time trial, a strategy outlined by sports director Marc Reef, who stated, “It was a good day. We got through the stage well and were able to save energy for tomorrow.”
The Paris-Nice team time trial also acts as a key preparation for the Tour de France, with the upcoming Grand Départ featuring a similar team time trial format in Barcelona, cyclingflash.com detailed. The course itself was described as relatively flat with gentle undulations, promising a fast-paced competition.
Several teams experienced crashes in Stage 2, but Visma-Lease a Bike successfully navigated the course, staying at the back of the peloton to preserve energy, according to Reef. The team will glance to build on this performance as Paris-Nice continues.
