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 |
|---|
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• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best young • Best team |
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| Overall |
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• 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 | |
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The race
Thursday 9 March 2006| stage 4 | Saint-Etienne > Rasteau - 193 km |  |
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Hat trick for Boonen
Tom Boonen took advantage of the return of Paris-Nice to flatter terrain to snatch his third stage win in the 64th edition in Rasteau.
Already crowned in the first and second stages in St Amand-Montrond and Belleville, the Belgian world champion was again much too fast for the rest of the field in the finale, powering his way to a superb treble ahead of Australian Allan Davis – second for the third time - and Italy’s Danilo Napolitano.
It was the Quick Step-Innergetic’s leader fifth stage victory on Paris-Nice in two years.
American Floyd Landis (Phonak) retained his leader’s yellow and white jersey with a nine-second lead over Patxi Vila, the third stage winner in St Etienne.
The film of the stage
Hats off to Boonen
Intermediate sprints in the 4th stage
Km 78.5 - Chateaubourg
Km 164.5 - Valreas
Climbs 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)
Weather: sunny.
144 riders at the start.
Attacks in La Republique
The start was given at 11:47 to 144 riders. The Col de la Republique was climbed at a steady pace but several attempts took place, led notably by Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Christophe Laurent (Agritubel) Eric Leblacher (FD Jeux) and Joost Posthuma (Rabobank). Laurent reached the top in first position, ousting team-mate Nicolas Crosbie from the top of the mountain classification. In the descent, as the break ended (km 20), Jose Luis Arrieta (AG2R) broke clear, bringing along Matthew Hayman (Rabobank), Francesco Failli (Liquigas), Stéphane Augé (Cofidis) and Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom). The five, whose lead did not exceed 20 seconds were reined in at km 38.
Demonstrations
A demonstration of students had taken place peacefully in the Republique climb but the race was halted at kilometre 69 in Tournon-sur-Rhône by another unrest. France’s Renaud Dion (AG2R) was leading the main pack by 1:10 when he was stopped by demonstrators. He was allowed to start again with the same gap from km 72 before being caught at km 80. Two kms later, Leblacher had another go along with Bas Giling (T-Mobile). Their lead grew steadily to top at 5:25 at km 113.5. Floyd Landis Phonak and Patxi Vila’s Lampre-Fondital team-mates organised the chase and the gap narrowed on the Col du Deves to drop down to 3:55 at the top of the Cote d’Aleyrac (km 148).
Boonen makes it three
At the second intermediate sprint in Valreas (km 164.5) won by Leblacher ahead of Giling and Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner), the duo’s lead was down to 2:45 and it was only 1:25 at the last 20-kms mark. The two were joined by Thierry Marichal at km 180 but the bunch caught the trio three kms later. Leblacher and Giling’s breakaway lasted 101 kms. The stage was set for another mass sprint finish and Boonen, despite a slight mechanical problem before the last turn, again outclassed Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros), second for the third time, and Italy’s Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital). Floyd Landis retained his overall lead with a nine-second lead over Patxi Vila Errandonea.
The winner interview
Boonen: I nearly crashed!
What happened in the finale?
Everything was fine before the final sprint. My team-mates had done a great job and suddenly my chain snapped, I nearly went over and crashed. I was unable to move up one gear but I still managed to keep pedalling and win that great sprint as you all saw.
Three stage victories must be a great satisfaction ?
Yes but I would have loved to win the prologue too ! (Note : 5th three seconds behind Bobby Julich)
Things could hardly go better for Quick Step with your wins here and Bettini’s on Tirreno-Adriatico.
For sure, things are going fine. We’re very strong. The problem is that in Milan – San Remo, which is our main goal, we won’t be alone to control the race as is the case here. We’lle be the favourite team and everybody will be out to get us. I would say that Alessadnro Petacchi retains a 60 percent chance to win Milan – San Remo while my chances are 40 percent.