Key moments
Stage summary06.03.2013 in 16:48Talansky, the new face of American cycling
American cycling still has a bright future ahead as Andrew Talansky showed when he surged in the final stretch of the third stage of Paris-Nice in Brioude to take the reins of the Race to the Sun. It was actually a race in the rain on the 170.5 kilometres from Chatel-Guyon and the Miami-born Talansky displayed his all-round skills to outsprint a group of seven escapees, who held the peloton at bay in the final ten kilometers.
The final second category climb was decisive but in its...
interview06.03.2013 in 17:49Elia Viviani: "The green jersey is my new focus"
Italy's Elia Viviani swapped his yellow jersey for the green one and is intent on fighting hard to keep the garment which befits a sprinter like him.
interview06.03.2013 in 17:12Talansky: "I think it's possible"
The fourth leader of Paris-Nice in four days, Andrew Talansky made it clear he had no intention to relinquish the Yellow Jersey and even contemplates keeping it all the way up Col d'Eze.
read moreSporting stakes05.03.2013 in 18:31Here's to the punchers...
After two mass sprints, punchers will hope the first hills in this Paris-Nice will give them their turn in the limelight at the end of a shorter 170.5-kms third stage to Brioude. With only one 4th category bump in the first three stages of this edition, the two third category ascents and the second category Cote de Muvagnat 15 km from the finish line might boost ambitions and lead escapees to be more determined than they were so far in the race. Vacansoleil riders have been in all the break...
read moreNewsflashes
Jersey wearers after the stage 7
- green jerseyCHAVANEL S.OPQ
- polka-dot jerseyTSCHOPP J.IAM
- white jerseyTALANSKY A.GRS
- teamKATUSHA TEAMKAT
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Andrew Talansky (GRS) took the Yellow Jersey, with a three seconds lead over Andriy Grivko (AST).
Top five results in the 170.5-kms third stage of Paris-Nice between Chatel-Guyon and Brioude:
1. Andrew Talansky (U.S., GRS)
2. David Malacarne (Italy, EUC)
3. Gorka Iazaguirre (Spain, EUS)
4. David Lopez Garcia (Spain, SKY)
5. Richie Porte (Australia, SKY)
American Andrew Talansky (GRS) wisn the 170.5-kms third stage between Chatel-Guyon and Brioude.
As the seven hold the bunch at bay, Malacarne attacks.
Aware that he can seize the yellow jersey, Chavanel takes his turn to chase behind the break as Viviani is now 2:35 adrift.
World champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) is working very hard to bridge the gap with the seven escapees.
Unlike previously stated, Chavanel is in the main peloton chasing behind the seven escapees.
Green jersey holder Borut Bozic and France's Sylvain Chavanel are trapped in a bunch at the back.
... as David Lopez Garcia stopped to wait for Richie Porte (SKY), who comes back on the leading group with Andrew Talansky (GRS).
Grivko has been joined in the lead by local favourite Romain Bardet (ALT), David Lopez Garcia (SKY), Gorka Izaguirre (EUS) and David Malacarne (EUC).
Ukraine's Andriy Grivko (AST) led the way at full speed in the descent with Vasili Kiryienka (SKY) but the Belarus rider crashed (Km 159)
The Italian Yellow Jersey holder reached the top of Cote de Mauvagnat (Km 155) 1:22 behind the leaders.
Three Team Sky riders are now leading the bunch after reeling Iglinskiy in.
Kazakh Maxim Iglinskiy (AST) attacks one kilometre from the summit. The 2012 Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner is the second Astana rider to attack on the last climb.
With 18 kms to go, Elia Viviani (CAN) is losing ground.
... and Team Sky are now leading the way as the bunch tackle the last 2nd category climb, Cote de Mauvagnat.
Stege 2 winner Marcel Kittel has been dropped as the road is going up.
Ivan Basso (CAN), who has been leading Elia Viviani all day, just punctured. But the former Giro winner is quickly back in the race.
Km 148 - The peloton is making it back on the four escapees.
As the race tackles the last climb, the gap is under 30 seconds.
Impressive work by Tom Boonen and his team-mates. Philippe Gilbert's BMC are not far either.
Km 142.5 - On the sprint line, Minard, Christensen, Vuillermoz and Keizer lead the bunch by 1:15.
Brioude was the start of a stage to Aurillac in the 2008 Tour de France, won by Luis Leon Sanchez.
Result of the second intermediate sprint in Brioude (Km 142.5)
1. Christensen 3 points, 3 secs
2. Minard 2 points, 2 secs
3. Vuillermoz 1 point, 1 sec.
... for the leading four and the gap has now gone down to two minutes. Maxime Monfort (RLT) is leading the peloton.
Two RadioShack riders have now taken their turn at the front of the peloton.
Tom Boonen (OPQ) still sets the tempo at the front of the bunch, making these Paris-Nice stages a great preparation for the upcoming classics.
... and the gap goes under three minutes - 2:50
The average speed in the third hour of the stage was 39.8 kph. The overall average speed so far is 40.7 kph.
Like yesterday, Omega Pharma Quick Step are taking their share of the chase and Tom Boonen is again hyperactive in the front.
Vacansoleil team director Hilaire Van der Schueren told ww.letour.fr that the polka-dot jersey was one of his team's objectives but not the only one: "It was our first goal because we are here to do the race and for the publicity. But our main goal is to win a stage. Yesterday we tried to create echelons but we failed as the FDJ team reacted well. We are going to see how it works now with the break. We don't know whether it will still be ahead in the last climb but we have several options in...
Km 103 - The four escapees lead the peloton by 3:20.
Result at the top of the 3rd category Cote de la Foret de la Comte (km 95.5)
1. Keizer 4 points
2. Vuillermoz 2 points
3. Minard 1 point
The peloton 3:40 behind
Dutch team Vacansoleil made the Paris-Nice polka-dot jersey a speciality. They won it last year with Frederik Veuchelen and held it throughout the race expect for one day. They kept it this year with Bert-Jan Lindeman and Martijn Keizer is now well placed to keep it in the family…
1. Keizer 4 points
2. Vuillermoz 2 points
3. Christensen1 point
The average speed after two hours in the stage is 41.15 kph.
Km 80 - Minard, Christensen, Keizer and Vuillermoz lead the peloton by 3:50.
Orica-Greenedge Team director Lionel Marie told www.letour.fr that the Australian team was probably counting more on Swiss Michael Albasini than on Simon Gerrans for the general classification on this Paris-Nice. "It's Simon's return race after Australia and even though his condition is very good, he's here to prepare for the Ardennes classics and especially Liege-Bastogne-Liege which is one of his main objectives this season. So for the GC here, I would go more for Albasini than Gerrans",...
Km 65 - The lead of the breakaway group is stable at 4:05.
Km 48 - Christensen, Minard, Keizer and Vuilermoz lead the peloton by four minutes.
The average speed on the first hour of the stage was 43.7 kph.
Sky team director on this Paris-Nice, Servais Knaven is 42 today. www.letour.fr wishes a happy birthday to the 2001 Paris-Roubaix winner.
KM 36 - The gap between Minard, Christensen, Vuillermoz, Keizer and the peloton goes up again: 3:00
On the sprint line (Km 34), the peloton is trailing the break by 2:40.
Result of the first intermediate sprint in Joze (Km 34):
1. Christensen 3 points, 3 secs
2. Vuillermoz 2 points, 2 secs
3. Keizer 1 points, 1 sec
Km 25 - Minard, Keizer, Christensen and Vuillermoz lead the bunch by 3:10. Cannondale are leading the peloton.
Neo-pro Alexis Vuillermoz (SOJ) is better known as a mountain bike specialist. With several French cross-country titles in the youth ranks, he was silver medallist at the under-23 worlds in 2009. He rides in his first World Tour race.
Mads Christensen (TST), 28, was already in a break yesterday. A multiple Danish TT champion in the junior ranks, he was the best climber in the 2012 Tour of the Basque country.
Martijn Keizer (VCD), 24, was Dutch time trial champion several times in the youth ranks. He won the Boucles de l'Aulne in 2011. In 2013, he finished 9th in the time trial of the Ruta del Sol.
Sebastien Minard (ALM), 30, won a stage in the 2005 Tour de l'Avenir and scored his best win to date in Paris-Camembert in 2010.
Km 20 - The four escapees led the main pack 2:45
Km 14 - Keizer, Minard, Vuillermoz and Christensen lead the peloton by 2:15.
KM 11 - The four lead the peloton by 55 seconds.
Such a break was to be expected. Since the start, there was a Vacansoleil rider in every move while AG2R and Sojasun also placed riders in the breaks of stage 1 and 2. As for Mads Christensen, he was already an escapee yesterday.
KM 7 - The four escapees now lead the peloton by 20 seconds.
Four riders broke clear at kilometer 3. They were Martijn Keizer (VCD), Sébastien Minard (ALM) , Mads Christensen (TST) and Alexis Vuillermoz (SOJ).
The start was given at 11:57 to 176 riders.
L'Equipe gives details about the extent of Nacer Bouhanni's injuries. He was sent to a hospital in Clermont-Ferrand for further X-ray checks. Diagnosis: eight stitches to the upper lip, two broken teeth, facial wounds and bruised ribs. His participation to Milan-San Remo in ten days is in doubt.
Brioude-born Romain Bardet told Radio France Bleu Auvergne: "It's a great emotion to ride on home roads. I hope my knowledge of the terrain will help my team-mates do well on this treacherous...
ELIA VIVIANI @eliaviviani
#ParisNice stage 3 rain and first climbs! Rainy day, lucky day? We'll see…
jose joaquin rojas @jjrojillas
A typical Paris-Nice day with cold and rain all day, we'll have to keep a brave face and give it our best shot!
PHILIPPE GILBERT @PhilippeGilbert
Stage 3! Some rain today! And a nice final. Technical !
Romain Bardet @romainbardet
Playing at home today! Rain and small Auvergne roads should provide...
Omega Pharma Quick Step keep their six seconds lead over teams Blanco and Europcar.
Last in Elia Viviani's collection of jerseys is the best young rider's white. But the garment will be on the back of Wilco Kelderman (BLA) in stage 3. The Dutchman lies 10 seconds adrift, level on time with France's Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ).
With only one climb since the start of this Paris-Nice, Bert-Jan Lindeman (VCD) retains the polka-dot jersey ahead of Yannick Talabardon (SOJ) and Romain Sicard (EUS). But his garment will be seriously contested today on the three climbs on the menu of stage 3.
Elia Viviani (CAN) also leads the points classification on 55 points, ahead of Slovenian Borut Bozic (AST), on 43 points, while previous leader Sylvain Chavanel (OPQ) now lies third on 38 points. Bozic will wear the jersey between Chatel-Guyon and Brioude.
Elia Viviani (CAN) seized the reins in the general classification thanks to his second place in stage 2 behind Marcel Kittel and his victory in the last intermediate sprint in Cerilly. The Italian puts an end to the French rule on this Paris-Nice and leads two home riders, Sylvain Chavanel by seven seconds and prologue winner Damien Gaudin by eight.
Km 85: Col de Potey (3rd cat.)
Km 95.5: Cote de la Foret de la Comte (3rd cat)
Km 155: Cote de Mauvagnat (2nd cat)
Km 34: Joze
Km 142.5: Brioude
176 riders are heading towards the real start. Jose Ivan Guttierez (MOV) did not start.
It is rainings cats and dogs at the start in Chatel-Guyon. But the rain has stopped on the finish line in Brioude. Still clouds will be hanging over the peloton all day.
Welcome on the 170.5-kms third stage of Paris-Nice between Chatel-Guyon and Brioude.