Nice
119 km
Sunday 16 March
Top five placings of the 115-kms 7th and final stage of Paris-Nice:
1. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain, Caisse d’Epargne)
2. Maxime Monfort (Belgium, Cofidis)
3. Carlos Barredo (Spain, Quick Step)
4. Christophe Moreau (France, Agritubel)
5. Alexander Emfinkin (Russia, Quick Step)
Rebellin wins the 66th edition of Paris-Nice.
Luis Sanchez wins the 7th stage in Nice.
Luis Sanchez attacks. Winner last year in Cannes, the Spaniard can win on his own.
The leading group is now in sight for the peloton.
Lhotellerie and Benitez have been caught by Sanchez, Cunego and their companions.
Sanchez moved from the peloton, joined the Cunego group and now leads the chase behind Lhotellerie and Benitez, whose break looks doomed.
The Cunego group is only 12 seconds behind in the descent, while the peloton is but 22 seconds adrift.
Results of the second intermediate sprint in Eze:
1. Benitez 2. Lhotellerie 3. Cunego
Results at the top of the Col d’Eze (1st cat, km 99)
1. Lhotellerie
2. Benitez 5secs behind
3. Cunego 25 secs behind
4. Pineau
5. Pauriol
6. Tosatto
7. Lowe same time
Lhotellerie looks a little stuck 400 metres from the top of the Col d’Eze. Benitez is close behind...
Benitez is now on his own behind Lhotellerie, followed from a distance by Anton and a small group of five led by Pineau.
To avoid any move by Nocentini on the Col d’Eze, Rebellin rides at the front of the peloton, in the wheel of one of his Geroslteiner team-mates.
Igor Anton leads the chase, followed by Benitez.
The Col d’Eze once marked the finish of Paris-Nice and 29 stages finished at the top of the mountain pass overlooking Nice. Eddy Merckx was the first winner at the top in 1969 but the man with most stage wins on the Col d’Eze is Ireland’s Sean Kelly, with five victories.
Three kms from the top of the Col d’Eze, the Cunego group are 50 seconds behind Lhotellerie.
The chasing group comprises 11 riders: Cunego, Pauriol, Possoni, Benitez, Julich, Anton, Pineau, Dupont, Tosatto, Lowe, Losada Alguacil.
Rinaldo Nocentini’s AG2R team-mates seize the peloton reins to chase behind Lhotellerie and the Cunego group in the descent.
Results at the top of the Col de la Turbie (1st cat, km 88):
1. Lhotellerie 10 pts
2. Tosatto 8
3. Pineau 6
4. Lowe 4
5. Cunego 3
6. Benitez 2
7. Anton 1
Lhotellerie amply deserves to wear the king of the mountain’s jersey. He is first at the top of the Col de La Turbie (1st cat, km 88).
Cunego, Anton and Pineau are jittery in the chasing group and attack in turn. Their unsuccessful attacks are fatal to Vandenbroeck and Santaromita.
Three kilometres from La Turbie, Lhotellerie leads his 14 former breakaway companions by 45 seconds. The peloton 1:45 behind.
Km 84 - Lhotellerie leads the chasing group by 30 seconds. The peloton trails the leader by 1:30.
Cunego is again the only rider to react and he chases behind the polka-dot jersey holder in the climb to La Turbie.
Thanks to Cunego, the leading bunch first regrouped, but Lhotellerie struck again and now moves away on his own.
Lhotellerie attacks, followed by Albasini. The leading group splits.
With a little help form Nocentini’s AG2R team-mates, Rebellin’s Gerolsteiner are leading the chase.
Km 79 - The gap between the 15 leaders and the main bunch is down to 50 seconds.
The 15 riders in the front are Pauriol, Possoni, Benitez, Lhotellerie, Damiano Cunego (Lampre), Albasini, Julich, Anton, Pineau, Dupont, Tosatto, Lowe, Losada Alguacil, Santaromita and Van den Broeck.
Km 67 - Pauriol, Possoni and Benitez have been caught by the chasing group, led by Clement Lhotellerie. 15 riders in the front.
Km 66 -Possoni, Pauriol and Benitez missed a turn and narrowly avoided a collective crash.
Km 66 -Possoni, Pauriol and Benitez missed a turn and narrowly avoided a collective crash.
Km 57 - Rebellin orders the rest of the peloton to wait for Nocentini and Gesink to return. The main pack are 1:25 behind Pauriol, Benitez and Possoni.
Second-placed Nocentini and former yellow-jersey holder Gesink are back on their bikes, chasing behind Rebellin.
Rinaldo Nocentini and Robert Gesink have both crashed in the descent of the Col de la Porte!
Benitez has joined Pauriol and Possoni. The first chasing group, including Lhotellerie, is 15 seconds adrift.
Results at the top of the Col de la Porte (1st cat, km 51):
1. Pauriol 10 pts
2. Possoni 8 pts
3. Benitez 6 pts 15 secs behind
4. Sorensen 4 pts 30 secs behind
5. Ven den Broeck 3 pts
6. Lowe 2 pts
7. Pineau 1 pt
In the col de la Porte, Pauriol and Possoni lead with a 2Ă seconds lead over a group comprising Losada Agualcil, Albasini, Van den Broeck, Santaromita, Sorensen, Beintez, Passeron, Pineau, Tosatto, Lowe, and polka-dot jersey holder Lhotellerie. David Lopez Garcia (Caisse d’Epargne) and Igor Anton (Euskaltel) have left the peloton to chase behind the leaders.
Km 50 - As the leading group splits in several little bunches, Pauriol and Possoni lead ther way.
On the first climb, the leading group splits in two bunches. Lhotellerie is coming back fast on the leaders.
Cretskens, Grabsch and Goesinnen have been dropped by the leading group.
Polka-dot jersey holder Clement Lhotellerie surges from the peloton.
The average speed in the first hour of the stage was 41.2 kph.
Germany’s Andre Greipel and Marcel Sieberg, both from the High Road team, have given up.
The latest gap between the break and the main pack: 1:35
Bernhard Eisel (high Road) and Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) have quit. Steegmans won stage 1 and 2 of this Paris-Nice.
Km 39 - Four men have parted with the group of 35: Albasini, Charteau, Van den Broeck, Possoni.
Austria’s Bernhard Eisel (High Road) and Belgium’s Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) quit. Steegmans won stage 1 and 2 in this Paris-Nice.
Here is the composition of the leading group (four were missing from the previous one): Charteau, Losada Agualcil (Caisse d’Epargne) Lorenzetto (Lampre), Albasini, Corioni, Santaromita (Liquigas) Van den Broeck (Silence Lotto), Julich, Kolobnev, Kroon, Sorensen and Voigt (CSC), Pauriol (C.A.) Gilbert, Jegou (FDJ), Benitez, Cobo Acebo, Passeron (Saunier Duval), Pineau (Bouygues Telecom), Possoni (High Road), Huguet (Cofidis), De Maar, Flecha (Rabobank), Arrieta, Dupont (AG2R) Cretskens, Tosatto (Quick Step) Lequatre (Agritubel), Grabsch, Schroeder (Milram), Euser, Lowe, Pate, Peterson (Slipstream) Goesinnen, Hupond (Skil-Shimano)
Here is the composition of the leading group (four were missing from the previous one): Charteau, Losada Agualcil (Caisse d’Epargne) Lorenzetto (Lampre), Albasini, Corioni, Santaromita (Liquigas) Van den Broeck (Silence Lotto), Julich, Kolobnev, Kroon, Sorensen and Voigt (CSC), Pauriol (C.A.) Gilbert, Jegou (FDJ), Benitez, Cobo Acebo, Passeron (Saunier Duval), Pineau (Bouygues Telecom), Possoni (High Road), Huguet (Cofidis), De Maar, Flecha (Rabobank), Arrieta, Dupont (AG2R) Cretskens, Tosatto (Quick Step) Lequatre (Agritubel), Grabsch, Schroeder (Milram), Euser, Lowe, Pate, Peterson (Slipstream) Goesinnen, Hupond (Skil-Shimano)
Km 30 - The peloton trails the leading group by 1:05.
Here is the composition of the leading group: Charteau, Losada Agualcil (Caisse d’Epargne) Lorenzetto (Lampre), Albasini, Corioni, Santaromita (Liquigas) Van den Broeck (Silence Lotto), Julich, Kolobnev, Kroon, Sorensen and Voigt (CSC), Pauriol (C.A.) Gilbert, Jegou (FDJ), Benitez, Cobo Acebo, Passeron (Saunier Duval), Pineau (Bouygues Telecom), Possoni (High Road), Huguet (Cofidis), De Maar, Flecha (Rabobank), Arrieta, Dupont (AG2R) Tosatto (Quick Step) Lequatre (Agritubel), Schroeder (Milram), Lowe, Pate, Peterson (Slipstream) Hupond (Skil-Shimano)
Results of the first intermediate sprint in Plan du Var (km 18.5):
1. Trent Lowe (Slipstream) 3 pts
2. Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano) 2 pts
3. Chris Sorensen (CSC) 1 pt
Km 17.5 - Lead goes up to 40 secs.
Km 14.5 - The group of 35 lead the bunch by 30 seconds.
Km 11 - The 35 riders in the front lead the peloton by 20 seconds.
A group of about 30 riders broke clear of the main pack.
Dutchman Servais Knaven (High Road) is the first to attack but he is quickly brought back into the peloton.
France’s David Moncoutie (Cofidis) has given up.
1973 - Raymond Poulidor beat Joop Zoetemelk by 4 secs
1972 – Raymond Poulidor beat Eddy Merckx by 6 secs
1990 – Miguel Indurain beat Stephen Roche by 8 secs
Rinaldo Nocentini’s AG2R team chief Vincent Lavenu reviews his options for www.letour.fr:
« When you’re three seconds behind, you have every right to believe in your chances even if we’re aware that Rebellin is not a rookie and that it will not be easy. Rinaldo and Rebellin are the same type of riders, punchers, good climbers, solid and skilled. We’ll have chances in the intermediate sprints, even though it will be hard in the first as the sprinters should still be with us. On the second sprint, we’ll have to see whether there is a breakaway. There is also bonus to be grabbed on the finish line. The other option is to drop Rebellin. We will have to adapt to circumstances, knowing that Gerolsteiner have their plan too. »
The last ten stage winners in Nice were:
1998 – Christophe Capelle 1999 – Tom Steels 2000 – Tom Steels 2001 – Farbizio Guidi 2002 – Robbie McEwen 2003 – David Bernabeu 2004 – Alexandre Vinokourov 2005 – Alejandro Valverde. 2006 – Markus Zberg. 2007 – Alberto Contador.
Km 51 – Col de la Porte (1st cat)
Km 88 – La Turbie (1st cat)
Km 105.5 – Col d’Eze (1st cat)
Km 51 – Col de la Porte (1st cat)
Km 88 – La Turbie (1st cat)
Km 105.5 – Col d’Eze (1st cat)
The start has been given to 122 riders.
Km 18.5 – Plan du Var
Km 107.5 – Eze
Welcome on the 115-kms 7th and final stage of Paris-Nice. With only three seconds between Italians Davide Rebellin and Rinaldo Nocentini, we are in for an exciting day.
The route of the 7th stage of Paris-Nice was altered after stones fell on the road between kilometres 88 and 97 of the initial itinerary. As a result, the stage length was cut down to 115 kms. A little hill between La Turbie and the col d’Eze disappears from the course. The start will still be given at around 13:30.
