In short
| Stage winner | Yaroslav POPOVYCH |
 (yellow jersey) |
Davide REBELLIN |
 (green jersey) |
Daniele BENNATI |
 (red polka dot jersey) |
Heinrich HAUSSLER |
 (white jersey) |
Alberto CONTADOR |
Starters' list | Time schedules
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
• Individual time• Individual points • Best young • Best climber • Best team |
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| Overall |
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• Individual time• Individual points • Best young • Best climber • Best team |
Stage by stage
| P | Sunday 11 March | 4.7 km |
| Issy-les-Moulineaux > Issy-les-Moulineaux | ||
| 1 | Monday 12 March | 186 km |
| Cloyes-sur-le-Loir > Buzançais | ||
| 2 | Tuesday 13 March | 177 km |
| Vatan > Limoges | ||
| 3 | Wednesday 14 March | 215.5 km |
| Limoges > Maurs la Jolie | ||
| 4 | Thursday 15 March | 169.5 km |
| Maurs la Jolie > Mende | ||
| 5 | Friday 16 March | 178 km |
| Sorgues > Manosque | ||
| 6 | Saturday 17 March | 200 km |
| Brignoles > Cannes | ||
| 7 | Sunday 18 March | 129.5 km |
| Nice > Nice | ||
| Total Length | 1260.2 km | |
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The race
Friday 16 March 2007| stage 5 | Sorgues > Manosque - 178 km |
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Popovych makes it two for Discovery Channel
Emulating team-mate Alberto Contador in Mende, Yaroslav Popovych gave his Discovery Channel team their second stage win in as many days thanks to a great effort between Sorgues and Manosque over 178 kms. The Ukrainian former under-23 world champion completed a successful 169-kms breakaway to take the 5th stage on his own after parting company with his former companions in the last climb. Thirteen men had gone nine kilometres after the start. Also winner of a Tour de France stage in Carcassonne last summer, Popovych retained a slim lead at the finish but not enough to dislodge Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) from the top of the overall standings.
The film of the stage
Paris-Nice Stage 5
Sorgues – Manosque (178 km)
153 riders at the start.
Sprints of the day:
Km 53.5 – St Saturnin les Apt
Km 119 – La Bastide des Jourdans
Climbs of the day:
Km 34 – Col de Murs (2nd cat)
Km 68.5 – Cote des Agnels (2nd cat)
Km 124 – Cote de Montfuron (3rd cat)
Km 145.5 – Col de la Mort d’Imbert (3rd cat)
Thirteen men break clear
The start was given at 11:50 to 153 riders. Seven teams were blood-tested before the start and all tests were negative. The stage was halted for half an hour by an accident not connected with the race. A first attempt led by France’s Frederic Bichot was quickly reined in.
At the initiative of Johan Van Summeren (Predictor Lotto), a group of 13 riders broke clear. The leading group included Nicolas Portal (Caisse d’Epargne), Ruben Perez (Euskaltel), David Zabriskie (Team-CSC), Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel), Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank), Bert Grabsch (T-Mobile), Jurgen Van de Walle (Quick Step), Hubert Dupont (AG2R), Markus Zberg (Geroslteiner), Nicolas Jalabert (Agritubel), Igor Abakoumov (Astana), Murilo Fischer (Liquigas).
At the top of the Col de Murs (Km 34), Popovych preceded Zabriskie and Van Summeren. The climb left only seven men in the front after Jalabert, Abakoumov, and later Portal, Zberg, Perez and Dupont (km 55) were dropped and caught by the peloton.
Seven left
The average speed in the first hour was 45 kph, too fast a speed for Credit Agricole’s Anthony Charteau and Pietro Caucchioli, who abandoned, along with Christophe Detilloux (FDJ) and later Eduardo Gonzalo-Ramirez (Agritubel).
Bert Grabsch was first at the top of the Cote des Agnels (2nd cat, km 68.5), ahead of Fischer and Zabriskie.
The lead stabilised around four minutes until the second intermediate sprint in La Bastide des Jourdans (km 119), won by Popovych ahead of Van Summeren and Grabsch.
Popovych was again first at the top of the 3rd category Cote de Montfuron (km 124). In the descent, the peloton, led by Rebellin’s Gerolsteiner and Lampre Fondital, reduced the gap, which fell down to three minutes at kilometre 133.
Popovych on his own
Sensing the attempt was in jeopardy, Popovych surged in the last climb, the Col de la Mort d’Imbert, and dropped his six former companions. At the top, the Ukrainian led Grabsch and Van Summeren. In the descent, the Discovery Channel rider increased his lead while Van Summeren and Van de Walle lay the arms and waited for the main pack. Zabriskie, Grabsch, Fischer and Moerenhout were also reined in 11 kms from the line.
Popovych quickly took a two-minute lead and managed to hold the peloton at bay until the finish line to give his Discovery Channel team their second win in two days. Davide Rebellin retained his overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The winner interview
Popovych: "The kind of stages I like"
Was it a planned move?Not really. In the beginning, it was very hard. I found myself in the break thinking I would work for Levi (Leipheimer) and Alberto (Contador). Little by little, I gained confidence.
Why did you attack in a finale?
I attacked because I saw that the others were tired. It’s the kind of stages I like, with bumps and changes of pace but not so hard as yesterday when the last climb was too gruelling for me.
Can you tell us what is going to be Discovery Channel’s strategy?
What we’re going to do now? I have no idea… (smile)
The newsflashes
Top five placings
1. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukraine, Discovery Channel)
2. Francisco Ventoso (Spain, Saunier Duval)
3. Samuel Dumoulin (France, AG2R)
4. David Lopez Garcia (Spain, Caisse d’Espargne)
5. Jerome Pineau (France, Bouygues Telecom)