Key moments

France’s Jeremy Roy won his maiden pro victory in the 204-kms 5th stage of Paris-Nice in Vallon-Pont Arc on Thursday only 24 hours after finishing 150th and last in the previous stage in St Etienne.
His spectacular recovery helped the 25-year-old Frenchman, who launched the decisive move after 13 kilometres, to beat his breakaway companions Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues) and Tony Martin (Columbia) thanks to a brave surge in the last eight kilometres.
The victory is a just reward for a rider who for long sacrificed his sporting career to his studies and passed a masters degree in engineering last season.
France’s Sylvain Chavanel retained his overall lead on the eve of the scary stage to the Montagne de Lure while Tony Martin took advantage of his long three-man effort to seize the polka-dot jersey on the seven climbs of a sunny day in the beautiful Ardeche region.

Three break away

The start was given to 148 riders in a sunny yet cool weather. While Garmin-Slipstream lost their third rider since the start in Steven Cozza, the first climb of the day, the Col de Juvenet (km 16) saw three riders take their chance. Jeremy Roy (FDJeux) was the first in action, followed by Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues) and Tony Martin (Columbia), who led the way at the top of the hill. The young German kept collecting points on the six following climbs to bring his tally to 43 points and take the polka-dot jersey away from Stephane Auge (Cofidis)

Martin collects points

The three regularly increased their lead, which reached 3:50 at kilometre 30, six minutes at kilometre 79 and a maximum of 6:45 in the Col de Benas, the first 1st cat climb of this edition (km 111). While the Quick Step and Astana teams kept a close watch at the front of the peloton, Belgium’s Philippe Gilbert (Silence Lotto) called it quits.
In the descent of the last climb, the sprinters teams – Milram, Lampre, Cervelo - took over and the gap went down. It was reduced to 5:15 in Ste Remeze for the second bonus sprint won by Roy.

Roy goes

In the last 20 kilometres, the sprinters teams gave up the chase and the Quick Step took over to protect Sylvain Chavanel’s yellow jersey. The trio’s lead was cut down to four minutes with 20 kms to go and to 3:20 five kilometres later. Voeckler tested his breakaway companions with a surge 14 kms from the finish but in vain. Martin also tried his luck twice, also unsuccessfully.
The right move came from Roy, who struck with seven kilometres to go. Voeckler did not budge at first and reacted too late, finishing in the wheel of the FDJeux rider, who won his first pro victory.
Martin was third and content with the polka dot jersey. Henrich Haussler (Cervelo) took the peloton sprint 2:33 behind.
Sylvain Chavanel retained his overall lead with a six seconds leads over Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank).

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"I came really close last year on the Tour de France, and now I won on Paris-Nice, also one of the greatest stage races in the world. It’s fabulous. Yesterday I was knackered, I finished last hoping to save some strength for today. Today, I felt a little bit better, I had good legs and I gave it a try. On the first climb I nearly dropped out and I felt better and better. In the finale, they attacked each other and I took advantage of this little game. I gave it my all and it’s a dream come true.
For my first three pro seasons, I had a special programme to allow me to keep studying. I only raced on weekends. I’m not a great champion, just a good little pro, so it was not too hard to conciliate cycling and studies."

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