Giacomo Nizzolo (NTT) won the second stage of Paris-Nice. He overtook Pascal Ackermann on the final stage to take his second WorldTour win of the season. According to his new boss, Bjarne Riis, this victory was due to his confidence and clean bill of health.

"I think he had a great winter. He was not plagued by injuries as in previous years. This time he got the right training and was in good condition to start the season," Riis told Cycling News.

Nizzolo had a strong start to the season, winning the Tour Down Under in January. He followed that up with second place finishes at the Race Torquay and the Couleurs Brussels Couleurs. But the Paris-Nice victory was a pivotal moment for the 31-year-old Italian. Prior to this victory, Nizzolo had never won two WorldTour races in the same season, with his last top stage win coming on the 2012 Eneco Tour. Nizzolo has always been consistent, but according to Riis, he has reached a major peak this season.

"He went to Australia and showed he already has form. He has been flying lately."

"He didn't have a lead out today. Some teams put him in the right position before the final, but in general he is in very good form. He beat Ackermann in the sprint. He was in the lead group and then he beat them. You have to be strong for that."

Nizzolo returned to the pros in 2011 with Leopard-Trek and moved up as the team changed title sponsors. After winning the points jersey twice at the Giro d'Italia, he signed with Dimension Data at the start of 2019 and the team competed for important World Tour points.

During that time, Nizzolo was often considered somewhat of an underdog in the sprints, but while his boss acknowledged that there are other fast finishers in the peloton, few can match the Italian in terms of combining endurance and pace.

"I don't think he is as fast as Ackermann, Caleb Yuan, or Sam Bennett, but he is fast and can go up. But in races like today and Kuhne, he was up there and won the sprint. He has power and that is his strength. I talked to him after his win today and he was very happy. But it's a shame he won't be in Milano-Sanremo. He can do the little climbs and get through them. You saw Bennett and Ewan.

The Paris-Nice win would be NTT Cycling's sixth win of the season, or seventh.

"I think it's my seventh win," Riis told Cycling News.

"I also won the criterium in Malaysia, but that doesn't matter. I also won the criterium in Malaysia, but that doesn't matter. Everyone is working hard and we have been pushing them"

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In any case, the team started the year with a lot of momentum, with many changes on the transfer front (12 to be exact) and Riis bringing in a new management team. When asked if the team had been pushed hard enough in the past, Riis gave a thoroughly diplomatic response, emphasizing the importance of the present over the past.

"I don't know. I don't think it's something I should comment on. What matters is that we work hard now. The work we are doing now will be reflected in the results. We want to maximize the potential we have. We're off to a good start and the spirit is good."

While Paris-Nice continues, there are also concerns about the effects of the coronavirus. The Tirreno Adriatico was scheduled to start on Tuesday, but the Italian race was removed from the calendar and Paris-Nice was spared. This situation may change as the race moves south and more people are infected with the virus. Riis, however, saluted the efforts of the race organizers.

"A lot of people are saying we can't go to Nice. From what I have seen so far, the organization of the ASO is excellent. I feel comfortable and so does the team. It is not easy to race under these circumstances, but ASO has made it a lot easier."