In short
| Stage winner | Tom BOONEN |
 (yellow/white jersey) |
Floyd LANDIS |
 (green/white jersey) |
Tom BOONEN |
 (red polka dotted jersey) |
Christophe LAURENT |
 (blue jersey) |
Stefan SCHUMACHER |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best young • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best young • Best team |
Stage by stage
| P | Sunday 5 March | 4.8 km |
| Issy-les-Moulineaux > Issy-les-Moulineaux | ||
| 1 | Monday 6 March | 193 km |
| Villemandeur > Saint-Amand-Montrond | ||
| 2 | Tuesday 7 March | 200 km |
| Cerilly > Belleville | ||
| 3 | Wednesday 8 March | 168.5 km |
| Julienas > Saint-Etienne | ||
| 4 | Thursday 9 March | 193 km |
| Saint-Etienne > Rasteau | ||
| 5 | Friday 10 March | 201.5 km |
| Avignon > Digne-les-Bains | ||
| 6 | Saturday 11 March | 179 km |
| Digne-les-Bains > Cannes | ||
| 7 | Sunday 12 March | 135 km |
| Nice > Nice | ||
| Total | 1274.8 km | |
The race
Thursday 9 March 2006| stage 4 | Saint-Etienne > Rasteau - 193 km |  |
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|---|
The newsflashes
16:31Boonen beats Davis again
Boonen again beats Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) into second place. Italy’s Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital) is third ahead of Stefan Schumacher (Gerolseiner). Fifth place goes to Elia Rigotto (Milram)
16:29One more for Boonen!
Tom Boonen wins his third stage in this Paris-Nice after taking stages 1 and 2.
16:27The bunch brought back by Mattan
The bunch was borught back by Nico Mattan and Lotto Davitamon riders working for Gert Steegmans.
16:26The three caught by the main pack
Chavanel, Voeckler and Nibali have been caught by the main pack with less than two kilometres to go.
16:25Eight seconds with 4 kms to go
Chavanel and Voeckler are back on Nibali and lead the bunch by eight seconds with 4 kms to go. The Quick Step riders lead the peloton at a frantic pace.
16:23Nibali on his own
Nibali drops Chavanel and Voeckler and is on his own in the lead with five kilometres to go before the finish line.
16:22Results at the top of the Cote du Buisson
Results at the top of the Cote du Buisson (3rd category, km 184.5)
1. Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas)
2. Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis)
3. Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom)
The top three in the Cote du Buisson
The three leaders are in the Cote du Buisson (km 185), with a 10-second lead over the main bunch, led by Tom Boonen’s Quick Step-Innergetic team-mates.
16:14Marichal catches the escapees
Thierry Marichal (Cofidis) catches Leblacher and Giling at kilometre 182. The bunch is on their heels. The two had gone at kilometre 82.
16:1115 seconds with 15 kms to go
Only 15 seconds left at the last 15-kms mark. The junction is imminent.
16:10Bunch only 35 seconds adrift
The peloton was only 35 seconds behind the breakaways in Visan, at kilometre 176.
16:051:40 with 20 kms to go
Leblacher and Giling’s lead drops to 1:40 at the mark signalling the last 20 kilometres.
16:02Gap diminishes again
The duo’s lead is trimmed to 2:15 with 25 kms to go as another mass sprint finish seems more and more likely.
15:58Results of the second intermediate sprint
Results of the second intermediate sprint in Valreas (km 164.5)
1. Leblacher
2. Giling
3. Stefan Schumacher (Geroslteiner) 2:45 behind
Duo’s lead under three minutes
The lead of Eric Leblacher and Bas Giling dropped under three minutes at kilometre 162.
15:37Results at the top of the Cote d’Aleyrac
Results at the top of the Cote d’Aleyrac (2nd category, km 148)
1. Leblacher 7 pts
2. Giling 5
3. Laurent 3 pts, 3:55 behind
4. Crosbie 2
5. David Loosli (Switzerland) Lampre 1
Lead down to 4:20
The gap between the two leaders and the main pack was down to 4:20 at kilometre 138, ten kilometres before the third climb of the day, the Cote d’Aleyrac (2nd category).
15:09Clement gives in
Stef Clement stops chasing and waits for the main pack at kilometre 132.5
15:03Stef Clement chases behind the leading two
Dutchman Stef Clement (Bouygues Telecom) attacked in front of the peloton to chase behind the two leaders.
15:01Third hour average speed
The average speed in the third hour of the 4th stage was 39.1 kph for an overall average speed of 42.8 kph.
14:59Results at the top of the Col du Deves
Results at the top of the Col du Deves (3rd category, km 125.5):
1. Eric Leblacher (Fance) FD Jeux
2. Bas Giling (Netherlands) T-Mobile
3. Chistophe Laurent (France) Agritubel 4:45 behind.
Leblacher first on the Col du Deves
Eirc Leblacher ws first at the top of the Col du Deves (km 125.5) ahead of Bas Giling.
14:47The two in the Col du Deves
The leading duo of Leblacher and Giling are tackling the second climb of the day, the Col du Deves (km 125) with a 5:20 lead over the main pack.
14:38Lead reaches 5:20
Leblacher and Giling now lead the peloton by 5:20 in Allex, at kilometre 111.
14:14Lead at 3:50
Giling and Leblacher are now 3:50 ahead as the bunch enter the Drome department at kilometre 96.5.
14:10Giling one of the Dutch young guns
Giling, 23, is one of the most promising talents in the new generation of Dutch riders. He was Dutch under-23 champion in 2004 and 2nd in the under-23 Paris-Roubaix the same year, results which convinced T-Mobile to offer him his first pro contract.
14:02Gap now at 2:30
The gap bewteen Leblacher/Giling and the peloton at kilometre 90 grows to 2:30.
14:00Average speed
The average speed for the second hour of the stage was 43.4 kph and the overall average speed 44.7 kph.
13:56Leblacher and Giling lead by 1:10
The lead of the two escapees reaches 1:10 at kilometre 85.
13:49Attempt by Leblacher and Giling
Leblacher again tries to break clear alongside young Dutchman Bas Giling (T-Mobile) at kilometre 82.
13:46Dion caught at kilometre 80
Dion was caught by the chasing pack at kilometre 80.
13:45Result of the first intermediate sprint
Result of the first intermediate sprint in Chateaubourg (Km 78.5):
1. Renaud Dion (AG2R)
2. Erik Dekker (Rabobank)
3. Stefan Schumacher (Geroslteiner)
The bunch out, race resumes
The peloton were in turn allowed to resume the stage at kilometre 72, 1:10 behind Dion.
13:34New start given
Dion was allowed to start again. The bunch will start 1:10 behind the AG2R rider.
13:26Dion stopped by demonstrators
Renaud Dion was stopped by demonstrators as his lead over the main pack had grown to 1:10. He will be allowed to start again with the same gap once the demonstration is dispersed.
13:23Demonstration stops the race
A demonstration by angry students at kilometre 69.4 in Tournon sur Rhône forced the race to be stopped. Demonstrators had thrown barriers on the course.
13:19Dion attacks
At kilometre 65, Frenchman Renaud Dion (AG2R)breaks clear and quickly takes a 30-second lead over the pack.
13:09The race calms down
After a nervous start to the stage, things have calmed down and the peloton is packed, progressing much more quietly in the valley along the vineyards of the northern Cotes du Rhone.
12:59Average speed for first hour 46 kph
Average speed for the first hour : 46 kph.
12:40The five caught
End of the break. The five were caught by the bunch at kilometre 38.
12:32The five lead by 20 seconds
At kilometre 30, the lead of the five escapees reaches 20 seconds.
12:30Five men in the lead
At kilometre 28, Matthew Hayman (Rabobank), Francesco Failli (Liquigas) Sébastien Augé (Cofidis) and Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telekom) join Arrieta at the front.
12:26Arrieta insists
Arrieta insists. At kilometre 25, the AG2R Spanish rider gives it another try.
12:24Junction at km 22.5
The eight escapees were caught at kilometre 22.5.
12:23Eight men in the front
At kliometre 20, Laurent and Leblacher are joined by six riders, Nibali, Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Discovery Channel), Posthuma, Crosbie, Xavier Florencio (Bouygues Telecom) and Jose Luis Arrieta (AG2R). The peloton is nearing.
12:19Laurent leads mountain classification
By finishing first at the top of the Col de la Republique, Laurent now leads Crosbie by two points in the mountain classification.
12:18Results at the top of the Col de la Repulbique
Results at the top of the Col de la Republique (1st category)
1. Laurent 10 points
2. Leblacher 8
3. Crosbie 6
4. Nibali 4
5. Posthuma 3
6. Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) 2
7. Vicente Garcia Acosta (Caisse d’Epargne) 1
The two at the top of the Republique
Laurent and Leblacher reach the top of the Republique, followed 12 seconds behind by Crosbie, Posthuma and Nibali. The bunch is 17 seconds adrift.
12:14Leblacher and Laurent in the lead
Laurent and Leblacher attack one kilometre before the summit and drop Posthuma and Nibali. Laurent is obviously looking for points in the mountain classification. He is currently second, two points behind team-mate Nicolas Crosbie.
12:09Nibali tries again
Nibali tries to break again at kilometre 10, followed by Joos Posthuma (Rabobank), Eric Leblacher (FD Jeux) and Christophe Laurent (Agritubel). The four quickly take a 15-second lead over the main pack.
12:04The bunch back on the breakaways
The peloton has caught the breakaways. Cobo was first to stop his effort and Nibali was later caught by a group of chasers and by the main bunch.
12:00Attempt by two riders
Two riders, Juan Jose Cobo (Saunier Duval) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) surge at the start of the Col de la Republique.
11:52In the Col de la Republique
The fourth stage starts with the climb of the Col de la Publique : 12.5 kms at 4.3 percent
11:49Start given to 144 riders
The start of the 4th stage was given to 144 riders at 11:47.
11:36Climbs in the 4th stage
Km 12.5 – Col de la Republique (1st category)
Km 125.5 – Col du Deves (3rd category)
Km 149 – Cote d’Aleyrac (2nd category)
Km 184.5 – Cote de Buisson (3rd category)
Intermediate sprints in the 4th stage
Km 78.5 - Chateaubourg
Km 164.5 - Valreas
Jersey holders in the 4th stage
Overall leader (yellow and white jersey): Floyd Landis (U.S.) Phonak
Points classification leader (green and white jersey): Tom Boonen (Belgium) Quick Step-Innergetic
Best climber (polka dot jersey) Nicolas Crosbie (France) Agritubel
Best young rider (blue and white jersey): Stefan Schumacher (Germany) Gerolsteiner
Team standings: Discovery Channel
Vino only previous winner in Rasteau
Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov won the only previous Paris-Nice stage finishing in Rasteau in 2004. If it is any indication, he went on to win the race.
11:25Welcome on the fourth stage
Welcome on the fourth stage of Paris-Nice from St Etienne to Rasteau. The bunch, led by American Floyd Landis, will gradually make it to Provence and the Cotes du Rhone vineyards over 193 kms.