French champion Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) wins the 195-kms first stage of Paris-Nice.

and Orica Greenedge stil lead the way, followed by Cannondale riders.

The Australian team are leading the way, probably for Leigh Howard.

The Boonen, Kittel group are losing ground: 53 seconds with 3 kms to go. Offredo keeps leading the peloton.

... and the Boonen, Kittel group is now 45 seconds behind the leading peloton. Offredo is still leading the peloton, followed by Europcar riders.

FDJ now takes the reins of the peloton to launch the sprint for Nacer Bouhanni (7 kms to go)

... and the gap between the two bunches is 30 seconds.

Following his puncture, Marcel Kittel, one of the leading favourites in case of a mass sprint, is in the second bunch.

... and the 37-strong second part of the peloton is 35 seconds behind the leading bunch.

Marcel Kittel (ARG) just suffered a mechanical problem.

BMC's Amael Moinard is leading the way ahead of world champion Philippe Gilbert and Tejay Van Garderen. The BMC are trying to make the best of the echelon.

Rein Taaramae and Tom Boonen are among the riders trapped in the second part of the split peloton.

Km 172 - Talabardon and Lindeman have been reined in. As soon as the junction took place, the peloton split.

...and Lindeman and Talabardon lead the peloton by 30 seconds.

With 30 kms to go, Romain Sicard was caught by the main bunch.

Romain Sicard (EUS) has been dropped by his breakaway companions shortly before the sprint (Km 162). The peloton lies 50 seconds behind Lindeman and Talabardon.

Elia Viviani (CAN) was held at the back by a mechanical problem.

Result of the sprint in La Madeleine-sur-Loing (km 162):
1. Lindeman  3 points, 3 secs
2. Talabardon 2 points, 2 secs
3. Sicard 1 points, 1 sec

A pile-up at the crash involved several riders. The only seirously hurt seemed to be Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana), who was limping on the pavement.

Km 157 - Sicard, Lindeman and Talabardon only lead the peloton by 1:30.

The average speed after four hours in the stage is 38.75 kph.

FDJ join Europcar in the chase with 40 kms to go before the finish line. Of course, French champion Nacer Bouhanni is one of the leading favourites in case of a bunch sprint, especially as he can count on a formidable lead-out train with Yoann Offredo, William Bonnet and Geoffrey Soupe.

Only 2:15 left for the break as the peloton tackles the final loop around Nemours.

A half-stage of Paris-Nice finished in Nemours in 1980 and was won by Serge Parsani. 

Romain Sicard (EUS), Bert-Jan Lideman (VCD) and Yannick Talabardon (SOJ) are now in Nemours fort the first time before a last 45-kms loop around town.

The Norwegian spent some time on the tarmac but is now back in the race.

Km 140 - The lead of the three escapees is no down to 3:30.

Olympic bronze-medallist Alexander Kristoff (KAT) crashed heavily at kilometre 138.

Rui Costa, the Movistar team leader, has given up with a wrist injury after his crash at kilometre 127.

Km 140 - Sicard, Talabardon and Lindeman lead the bunch by four minutes.

Following are the fast men within 10 seconds of the Yellow Jersey:
Geoffrey Soupe (2 secs), Borut Bozic (3 secs), Sebastien Turgot (4 secs), Elia Viviani (5 secs), Wiliam Bonnet (6 secs), Tom Boonen (7 secs), Jose Joaquin Rojas  (8 secs), Alessandro Petacchi (8 secs), Mark Renshaw (8 secs), Heinrich Haussler (9 secs), Marcel Kittel (9 secs), Nacer Bouhanni (10 secs).

Km 127 - A crash took place in the peloton involving Rui Costa (MOV), Tony Gallopin (RLT), Lucas Haedo (CAN) and Samuel Dumoulin (ALT). They were all quickly back on their bike.

Km 119.5 - At the top of the climb, the lead of the three escapees is 4:50.

Dutchman Bert-Jan Lindeman (VCD) will hold the first polka-dot jersey in this Paris-Nice. Last year, the best climber's jersey was won by another Vacansoleil rider, Frederik Veuchelen.

Result in Cote de Buthiers (km 119.5, 4th cat.)

1. Lindeman 4 points

2. Talabardon 2 pts

3. Sicard 1 pt

The overall average speed after three hours or riding was 38.4 kph.

Result of the first intermediate sprint in Malesherbes (km 115)
1. Lindeman 3 points, 3 secs
2. Talabardon2 points, 2 secs
3. Sicard 2 points, 2 secs

The peloton is led by the Argos Shimano team-mates of German sprinter Marcel Kittel and the Europcar team-mates of Yellow Jersey holder Damien Gaudin.

Km 100 - The gap between the break and tje peloton is 5:00

Km 94 - Sicard, Lindemand and Talabardon now lead the bunch by 4:55.

Weakened by flu since the prologue, Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ) just called it quits.

Sojasun's team-director Nicolas Guille told www.lefour.fr that the main goal of Yannick Talabardon's break was to go for the polka-dot jersey: "Our main goal today was the polka-dot jersey. There is only one climb today and there is none tomorrow so it's a good opportunity to seize the jersey and keep it for two days. We had a good prologue as well and it was important for our morale to start this Paris-Nice well and hope to remain in this positive spiral."

Km 83 - The chase gains momentum as the three escapees now only lead the peloton by 5:45.

The break is in Etampes (km 91) start of the first stage of Paris-Nice in 2005. Tom Boonen won that stage.  Etampes was also the start of the last stage of the 2008 Tour de France.

FDJ team director Thierry Bricaud told www.letour.fr that French champion Nacer Bouhanni was in great shape and looking forward to a mass sprint: "We focus on the stage win. Nacer feels really well. We hope he'll go for the win in the finale. If we need to chase, we will, but other teams are also interested in a sprint finish."

The average speed after two hours in the race was 39.7 kph.

The weather is cool with a temperature on the race at 12 degrees and a brilliant sunshine.

Km75 - The gap between Sicard, Talabardon and Lindeman remains stable at 7:05.

The 31-year-old Talabardon has been a pro since 2002. His most recent victory in the pro ranks was Paris-Troyes in 2009.

The race is in Dourdan (km 70), home of the Paris-Nice prologue in 1971 and 1972.  Eddy Merckx was the winner both times.

Under-23 road world champion in 2009, the Frenchman also won the Tour de l'Avenir that year. Seen as the great prospect for French cycling at that stage, he joined team Euskaltel in the pro ranks but has since been hampered by a lingering leg injury.

Pro with Vacansoleil since last season, Bert-Jan Lindeman, 23, has won one race in the professional ranks, the Profronde van Drenthe last year. He was also third in the Dutch road championship behind Niki Terpstra and Lars Boom.

Km 60 - The gap between the three escapees and the peloton is 6:30. Europcar are leading the chase.

The peloton is in Saint-Arnoult (Km 61), start of the first stage of Paris-Nice won by Greg Henderson in 2010 and start of the Paris-Tours classic from 2001 to 2008.

The peloton is in Rambouillet (km 50) which was the start of the final stage in the last Tour de France.

Km 42 - The lead of Romain Sicard (EUS), Bertjan Lindeman (VCD) and Yannick Talabardon(SOJ) goes up to 7:20.

Another Nemours-born celebrity is Jean-Francois Pescheux, ASO's competitions director.

Nemours-born motrocyclist Cyril Despres, the five times Dakar rally winner, paid a friendly visit to www.letour.fr. He will be at the finish to greet the riders. 

Km 30 - The latest gap between the three and the peloton is 6:15.

Andy Flickinger told www.letour.fr that the Yellow Jersey would not be easy to defend because of bonifications at the finish: "So far, so good. There are three men in the front and the best placed overall is 12 sec behind and there are only six seconds of bonifications to be taken in the intermediate sprints. Then everything will depend on the attitude of sprinters at the finish. Bouhanni and Boonen are not far in the GC, but we also have Sebastien Turgot who can do well. Obviously with...

Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ) is sick with flu : "He nearly didn't start the prologue yesterday. He really is not in great shape. We'll take it day by day," team director Thierry Bricaud told www.letour.fr

Km 17 - The gap reaches 6:50 between Sicard, Lindeman, Talabardon and the peloton.

Km 8 - The three lead the peloton by 4:15.

Paris-born Talabardon tweeted today (‏@TalabardonY) that he was excited to ride a stage entirely taking place in his native region of Ile-de-France: "It's rare enough to be mentioned", he wrote.

On the gun, Romain Sicard (EUS), Bertjan Lindeman (VCD) and Yannick Talabardon (SOJ) broke clear. They now lead the bunch by 1:25.

The start was given at 11:26 to 184 riders.

Baden Cooke ‏@badencooke
Blue skies over Paris. Pretty happy about that. First time back at Paris-Nice in about 8 years for me.

Romain Lemarchand ‏@RLemarchand
First stage of Paris-Nice today (195km) with a finish in Nemours, the town in which I'm licensed.

David Millar ‏@millarmind
Nothing like feeling amazing in a prologue and finishing 82nd. Good times!

In l'Equipe, Philippe Bouvet reviews the reasons why Sylvain Chavanel can win Paris-Nice:
"He is the best placed of the favourites at the end of the short and winding prologue in which he managed to find his way like an eel. And since the race is often decided by seconds, the ones taken off his direct rivals (5 secs on Gesink, 8 secs on Porte, 10 sec on Van Garderen) are not a detail."
But Bouvet also mentions the reasons why Sylvain Chavanel will NOT win the Race to the Sun:

Thanks to his victory in the prologue, Damien Gaudin will ride the 195 kms to Nemours in the Yellow Jersey. The Frenchman (Europcar) leads compatriot Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma Quick Step) and Dutchman Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) by one second.
While Chavanel will be holding the green jersey on the roads of Ile de France, the best young rider's white jersey is on the back of 21-year-old Dutchman Wilco Kelderman, who leads France's Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ) and Tony Gallopin (RLT).

The peloton are heading towards the real start. The 184 riders have taken off from St Germain-en-Laye near the Camp des Loges, Paris Saint-Germain training centre.

Km 119.5: Cote de Buthiers (4th cat.)

Km 115: Malesherbes
Km 162: La Madeleine-sur-Loing

The weather is sunny at the start and the sun will shine throughout the day according to weather forecasts.

Welcome on the 195-kms first stage of Paris-Nice between St Germain-en-Laye and Nemours.