Published March 8, 2026 02:36PM
He was once compared to Tom Boonen by veteran Soudal Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere, at least in terms of career direction, and now Luke Lamperti is starting to really deliver on his talent.
On Sunday the 23 year old Californian registered the biggest win of his career when he seized the opening stage of Paris-Nice and, with it, the first yellow jersey.
Lamperti uncorked a superb final sprint, kicking for home with just over 200 meters to go and holding off all of his sprint rivals. Former Tour de France green jersey Biniam Girmay (NSN Pro Cycling) looked the most dangerous of those but got himself trapped up against the barriers and was unable to fully launch his sprint.
At a glance it looked like Lamperti might have drifted slightly right to impede Girmay but, as the overhead shot showed, the barriers were not actually in a straight line and protruded slightly into the roadway at precisely the point where Girmay had to back off.
Lamperti was fully legal in his sprint and the victory was his. It was a huge moment for him, his biggest success to date. It also represented the first win of the season for his EF Education-EasyPost team.
“I think it is super special,” he said. “I think it is no secret that the team has been struggling, we had a rough start to the year, But you always know it will come. It is still early and to get a victory here is super nice.
“We came here [psyched], the team rode full all day. We committed and it paid off. We have been knocking on the door but to actually get the job done is super special.
“It is also my first victory with the team, and a nice way to start.”
New team, new momentum
Lamperti highlighted his talent back in 2021 when he won the US national criterium championship at just 18 years of age. He defended that title the following two seasons, while in 2024, his first season with Soudal Quick-Step, he had number of top 7 finishes in one day events as well as fourth overall in the Deutschland Tour.
“I think a lot about what kind of rider I am,” Lamperti told Velo and others in January of that year.
“I feel like I am more of a sprinter, but I do enjoy the classics. I wouldn’t say I have the pure big power of the sprinters, so maybe the classics might suit me more in the future. We’ll find out more this year.”
Last season was quieter but a fresh start with EF Education EasyPost is already showing real promise. Third on the opening stage of the Tour de la Provence was solid, and so too ninth in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and tenth in Omloop Nieuwsblad.
Indeed the latter two results will further his feelings about what kind of rider he really is.
“I’m not a pure sprinter. I’m more of a Classics rider,” he said. “But the climbs today before the finish made it super hard and there were less sprinters.”
That helped his chances, and so too fine work by his teammates.
“It was a bit hectic before the final corner and we had to go really long,” he said, underlining that leadout man Marijn van den Berg launched very early.
“He went from far but luckily he was super strong,” he said. “He did maybe 350 meters himself to deliver me just for the last 200. So in the end I just had to do the final few meters on my own.
“Marijn was great. It was an incredible lead-out. We are quite similar. To have his belief and full commitment was super nice.
“It takes a lot of things to win in cycling. Everything has to go right, and I think it was the case today.”
‘To wear yellow will be super special’
Until Sunday, EF Education-EasyPost and Picnic PostNL were the only two men’s WorldTour teams without a win this year.
Lamperti’s success has reduced that list to just Picnic PostNL and, unsurprisingly, led to an elated social media post from team boss Jonathan Vaughters.
Vaughters was glowing about Lamperti when he and the team announced his signing back in November.
“I could see him winning a race like Gent Wevelgem,” Vaughters said then. “If you really want to dream: Milano-San Remo. Luke is good in highly technical, highly tactical races.”
That may be more a long-term possibility but, as he proved Sunday, he’s already ready to win big.
Clocking up this success boosts confidence and should make the next big result easier to come by.
“I know I have been going well and to actually get a win and get the momentum rolling, especially as a sprinter, is really important,” he said.
“For me it is the biggest win I have had in my career. It will be great for the rest of the season and, before, the Classics.”
More immediately, he will have the chance to ride as race leader on Monday’s stage two. That will be something to really savor.
“To have the jersey tomorrow, to wear the yellow jersey, will be super special,” he smiled. “My first WorldTour win, my first time wearing a WorldTour yellow jersey so a lot of firsts this week. It will be nothing but nice.”
The stage to Montargis is undulating with a trio of category 3 climbs, but has less altitude meters than Sunday’s. It concludes with a flat run in to the finish.
“When you have a jersey, you want to honour it. Tomorrow is also quite an okay stage for me on paper,” Lamperti said. “I want to hold the jersey and then we have a strong group for the TTT [on Tuesday], although it’s difficult.”
A pattern of recent US successes
What will drive him on is his pride in doing well in such a big event. He can also draw encouragement from his countrymen, who have ridden strongly in Paris-Nice.
“Matteo [Jorgenson] has won the last few years and [Magnus] Sheffield has won a stage,” he said. “So maybe it’s good luck for the Americans here!
“It’s a big race so to add a victory here is super nice for the palmares.”