Cannes
206 km
Saturday 15 March
Fifth in the stage, Rebellin is the new Paris-Nice leader.
Top five placings in the 206-kms 6th stage:
1. Sylvain Chavanel
2. Luis Sanchez
3. Bobby Julich
4. Damiano Cunego
5. Davide Rebellin
Chavanel counters and wins the stage ahead of Sanchez and Julich.
Sanchez goes for the stage win. Nocentini and Rebellin don’t try.
As the six leaders are now on the sea-front, Robert Gesink is 1:20 adrift. Rebellin or Nocentini will take the yellow jersey on the finish line.
The stage and perhaps Paris-Nice will be decided between the six riders in the lead: Davide Rebellin, Rinaldo Nocentini, Bobby Julich, Damiano Cunego, Sylvain Chavanel and Luis Sanchez.
Yellow jersey holder Robert Gesink is 1:15 behind the leading group with 4 kms to go!
The seven men in the lead are: Rebellin, Nocentini, Luis Sanchez, Cunego, Julich, Chavanel and Sorensen.
Bobby Julich has been caught with 10 kms to go by the Rebellin group, which includes Bernhard Kohl, Sylvain Chavanel, Rinaldo Nocentini and Damiano Cunego.
Gesink is 25 seconds behind the Rebellin group, accompanied by Cadel Evans and Clement Lhotellerie.
Julich is now alone in the lead but Rebellin and Sanchez lead a hell of a chase. Gesink is struggling in the descent.
Rebellin and Sanchez have caught Kohl and Kuschynski and chase Julich. Sprick has crashed too !
The fight has started in the descent and both Schleck and Chavanel have crashed!
Everybody expected him to attack in the climbs of the day... Davide Rebellin has attacked in the descent!
Results at the top of the Col du Tanneron (2nd cat, km 186):
1. Julich
2. Sprick
3. Kohl
4. Kuschynski
5. Sorensen
The peloton 40 seconds behind.
The latest attack in the peloton comes from Belgium’s Maxime Monfort.
2005 Paris-Nice winner Julich joins forces with Sprick to try and reach the Tanneron in the front. Their three former companions are 15 seconds off the pace.
Popovych now seizes the reins of the peloton and brings the pack back on Chavanel. French champion Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) is losing ground.
Spain’s David Lopez breaks from the peloton, followed by Sylvain Chavanel.
Sprick and Julich have caught Sorensen and broken away. Two men in the lead.
Sanchez brings the bunh back. Winner of last year’s stage in Cannes, the Spaniard is obviously eager to do well again this year.
Dmitry Fofonov (Credit Agricole) breaks clear from the peloton.
Chris Sorensen (CSC) has parted company with his breakaway companions and is alone in the lead.
The five escapees are six kilometers from the top of the Tanneron with a 1:55 lead over the peloton.
Quick Step riders take the baton from Caisse d’Epargne and Lampre. Steegmans is currently leading the bunch. After taking part in the break and winning two stages, the Belgian is tireless.
Like in the previous climbs, Caisse d’Epargne and Lampre are the most active teams at the front of the peloton. The lead is down to 2:20 at the bottom of the Tanneron (km 176)
Km 171: the peloton trails the five escapees by 2:45
Results of the second intermediate sprint in Montauroux (km 171):
1. Julich 3 pts, 3 secs
2. Sprick 2 pts, 2 secs
3. Sorensen 1 pt, 1 sec
Yellow jersey holder Robert Gesink punctured and took a back wheel from one of his team-mates. Two Rabobank riders are taking him back into the peloton.
The average speed in the fourth hour was the same as the stage average speed since the start: 40.2 kph
At the top of the Col de Bourigaille, the peloton was 3:35 behind the five escapees.
Results at the top of the Col de Bourigaille (2nd cat, km 154)
1. Sorensen 7 pts
2. Julich 5
3. Sprick 3
4. Kuschynski 2
5. Kohl 1
The lead goes up again on Bourigaille: 3:40
Five riders are left in the lead: Bernhard Kohl (Geroslteiner), Bobby Julich (CSC),Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Chris Sorensen (CSC), Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom)
On the Col de Bourigaille, Gert Steegmans is dropped by his breakaway companions and waits for the bunch. Ista also loses ground. Five men now in the lead.
Caisse d’Epargne and Lampre still lead the chase as the peloton tackle the Col de Bourigaille.
The peloton was a few minutes ago in Seillans (km 139.5), host of a Paris-Nice stage won by Eddy Merckx in 1970.
The lead at the top of the Col de St Arnoux is down to 3:50.
Results at the top of the Col de St Arnoux (km 134.5)
1. Sorensen 4 pts
2. Sprick 2 pts
3. Julich 1 pt
Caisse d’Epargne and Lampre are the teams leading the chase. Luis Sanchez and Damiano Cunego obviously have ambitions today.
The average speed since the start of the stage was 40.2 kph.
Km 122 - The latest gap between the seven and the peloton is exactly five minutes.
American Jason McCartney (CSC) has quit.
Results at the top of the Cote du clos d’Espargon (km 117.5, 3rd cat):
1. Sorensen 4 pts
2. Kohl 2 pts
3. Kuschynski 1 pt
The peloton 5:25 behind the seven escapees.
Skil-Shimano team director Rudi Kemna defended Lhotellerie’s choice to wait for the peloton as a tactical decision: “We’ve already won the mountain jersey and we’re very happy with it and now we’re going to defend Clement’s position in the overall standings. For sure, the other riders in the break were not too happy with his presence and it’s normal, but in the same time, I think the right decision was to wait for the peloton and for the finale,” he told www.letour.fr
As a result of Lhotellerie’s decision to wait, the break increases its lead and reaches 5:50 after 102.5 kms.
Reminder of the seven riders in the lead: Bernhard Kohl (Geroslteiner), Bobby Julich (CSC), Gert Steegmans (Quick Step), Kevin Ista (Agritubel),Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Chris Sorensen (CSC), Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom).
Polka-dot jersey holder Clement Lhotellerie, content with collecting 18 more points since the start of the stage, is now waiting for the bunch. Seven men in the lead with a 5:35 lead over the peloton.
Results at the top of the Cote du Mousteiret (3rd cat, km 96):
1. Lhotellerie 4 pts
2. Kohl 2 pts
3. Ista 1 pt
Results at the top of the Col de Luens (2nd cat, km 90.5)
1. Lhotellerie 7 pts
2. Sorensen 5 pts
3. Sprick 3 pts
4. Julich 2 pts
5. Steegmans 1 pt
Lhotellerie was first at the top of the Col de Luens (km 90.5) and collected seven more points.
Lhotellerie was first at the top of the Col de Luens (km 90.5) and collected seven more points.
Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Tyler Farrar (Slipstream) have given up.
Results at the intermediate sprint in La Garde (km 87)
1. Lhotellerie 3 pts 3 secs
2. Sorensen 2 pts 2 secs
3. Kohl 1 pt 1 sec
The peloton was 5:10 behind on the Col des Leques.
With the seven points collected on the Col des Leques, Lhotellerie now leads the best climber’s classification with 48 points. His nearest rival, Carlstrom, is 29 points behind.
Results at the top of the Col des Leques (km 73, 2nd cat):
1. Lhotellerie 7 pts
2. Julich 5 pts
3. Sorensen 3 pts
4. Sprick 2 pts
5. Kohl 1 pt
As the eight leaders tackle the first climb, the Col des Leques, Gert Steegmans is struggling. The lead of the break on the peloton is now 4:55.
Rabobank team director Erik Dekker expected a tough task ahead for his team but was confident Robert Gesink could keep his yellow jersey:
“It’s a long day, 206 kms with seven climbs but it’s different from yesterday when the climbs were at the start and we lost a few riders early on. Today, the ideal place to attack would be the last climb and that’s when our rivals have a problem because the best man on the Ventoux was Gesink and he won’t be easy to drop. Now everyday is different.
It’s a new situation for Robert to be a team leader on such a big race. He’s only 21 and he’s not a natural leader like Armstrong, but he’s coping well and we have experienced riders in the team like Moerenhout or Flecha to help him out,” he told www.letour.fr
Only two teams have not lost a rider since the start: High Road and Quick Step.
The lead of the eight escapees goes up regularly and reaches 4:30 at kilometre 50.
Two riders have given up since the start: Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Agritubel) and Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano).
Riders in the race per nation (only 21 nations remain after Japan’s Beppu, Ireland’s Leignan and Britain’s Millar quit)
France: 33 (38 at the start minus Fedrigo, Cherel, Bonnet, Di Gregorio, Dumoulin and Bichot)
Spain: 23 (27 at the start, minus Pereiro, Duran Aroca, Albizuri and Gomez Marchante)
Italy: 16 (20 at the start, minus Cioni, Bertagnolli, Gavazzi and Ghisalberti)
Netherlands: 11 (15 at the start, minus Curvers, Stamsnijder, Clement and Veelers)
Germany: 19 (12 minus Knees, Wagner and Westphal)
Belgium: 9 (11 minus Van Summeren and Aerts)
U.S.: 8
Australia: 3 (6 minus McGee, Heyman and Gerrans)
Russia: 4
Switzerland: 3
Austria: 2
Urkaine : 1 (2 minus Grivko)
Belarus, Denmark, Finland, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Norway, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia: 1
Km 36 - Casar has given up the chase and returned within the peloton. The gap with the eight escapees is 2:55.
The break includes two of the riders who played a leading role in this Paris-Nice – polka-dot jersey holder Lhotellerie and Steegmans, winner of the first two stages. It also features a former Paris-Nice winner, Bobby Julich, crowned in 2005 on the Promenade des Anglais.
The eight-man break is widening the gap with the bunch, now 1:50 adrift. Casar is chasing on his own, 50 seconds behind the leaders.
The eight escapees lead Casar by 30 seconds, while the bunch is now 50 seconds adrift.
Sandy Casar (FDJ) parts company with the main pack to try and chase behind the break.
Km 18 - The eight escapees lead the main pack by 30 seconds.
Km 16 - The following eight riders broke clear: Bernhard Kohl (Geroslteiner), Bobby Julich (CSC), Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) Clement Lhotellerie (Skil-Shimano), Kevin Ista (Agritubel),Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Chris Sorensen (CSC), Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom)
The first two riders in action are France’s Christophe Edaleine (AG2R) and Yoann Le Boulanger (FDJ), who attack at kilometre 10.5. They are caught one kilometre further.
The proloton remains compact as it reaches kilometre 6.5
The start of the 6th stage was given at 11:45 to 130 riders. With 206 kms, it is the longest stage in this Paris-Nice.
A crash took place in the bunch as it was riding towards the real start — France’s Jerome Pineau was involved.
Revealed on this Paris-Nice, Clement Lhotellerie told French daily Le Parisien-Aujourd’hui he dreamt of the Tour de France: “My team (Skil-Shimano) does not have the riders or the means to be invited on the Tour de France this year. But my ambition is to wear the same polka-dot jersey on a three weeks stage race taking place in July.”
The yellow jersey stays firmly on the shoulders of 21-year-old Dutchlman Robert Gesink, who retains his 32 seconds lead over Davide Rebellin with Rinaldo Nocentini third, 35 seconds adrift. The seven climbs of the day will be a test of Gesink and his Rabobank team’s ability to control the race. Spain’s Carlos Barredo had the best progression yesterday, shooting from 12th to 6th in the standings.
In the green jersey standings, Thor Hushovd still leads the way but Dutchman Karsten Kroon, thankls to his second place yesterday in Sisteron, is now second, 17 points behind the Norwegian.
The polka-dot jersey remains on the back of Clement Lhotellerie but 40 points are up for grabs today in the mountain competition and the young Frenchman should on his guard.
Luis Sanchez, winner of last year’s stage in Cannes, is wearing the best young rider white jersey while the yellow is on Gesink’s shoulders.
Km 73 - Col des Leques (2nd cat)
Km 90.5 – Col de Luens (2nd cat)
Km 96 – Col du Mousteiret (3rd cat)
Km 117.5 – Cote du Clos d’Espargon (3rd cat)
Km 134.5 – Col de St Arnoux ` (3rd cat)
Km 154 – Col de Bourigaille (2nd cat)
Km 186 – Col du Tanneron (2nd cat)
Km 87 – La Garde
Km 171 – Montauroux.
Cannes hosted 13 Paris-Nice stage finishes in the past and this will be the 7th in succession since 2002.
The last six winners were: 2002 – Alessandro Petacchi. 2003 – Joaquin Rodriguez. 2004 – Alexandre Vinokourov. 2005 – Joos Posthuma. 2006 – Andrey Kashechkin. 2007 – Luis Leon Sanchez.
Australia’s Simon Gerrans (Credit Agricole) and Italy’s Sergio Ghisalberti (Milram) do not start.
Welcome on the 206-kms 6th stage of Paris-Nice between Sisteron and Cannes. The weather is expected to be sunny from start to finish.
