Col de la Porte, La Turbie, Col d’Eze… A moutwatering trilogy for a fantastic final stage of Paris-Nice on the Promenade des Anglais. This 7th stage came as final touch after an eventful week and the terrible weather conditions. The race started at a high tempo. After the start line, Victor Hugo Pena (PHO) tried to break away but was quickly caught. His team mate Pereiro Sio (PHO) and Martinez (EUS) then took off and had a 15’’ on the peloton. They were finally caught at kilometre 8 by Contador (LSW), Verbrugghe (QST) Gustov (FAS), Moncoutié (COF), Wegelius (LIQ). At the

intermediate sprint of Levens (km 15,5), Contador beat Moncoutié and Pereiro Sio while the peloton remained 50’’ adrift. The escapees increased their lead when they made it at the top of the Côte de Duranus (Cat 2 – km 25,5) won by Moncoutié ahead of Pereiro Sio, Martinez, Contador and Verbrugghe. Behind, the peloton, still under the control of the Team CSC was 2’35’’ behind the leaders. In the downhill portion, the front riders led by Contador saw their advantage grow: 3’ at Saint-Jean-de -la-Rivière (km 30), 3’30’’ at kilometre 35. But the followers started reacting and the gap stabilised and dropped down to 2’45’’ at kilometre 42,5. Rodriguez (SDV) then broke away from the pack and moved closer to the leaders at 2’05’’. Dekker also tried to break clear and found himself 2’15’’ adrift while the peloton remained at 2’25’’. At the bottom of the Col de la Porte, Rodriguez was only at 1’40’’ from the escapees and the peloton at 2’05’’. This first category climb coast precious time to the leading men. It actually dropped down to 1’ on Rodriguez, Aerts (DVL) and Danielson (DSC) and 1’15’’ on the peloton. At the top, Moncoutié earned the maximum points ahead of Pereiro Sio, Martinez, Gustov, Verbrugghe, Contador and Wegelius with a 1’40’’ lead on the pack led by Julich (CSC) himself.

In the downhill portion, Aerts (CSC) moved closer at 1’05’’ from the leading group at the exit of Luceram (km 60). At kilometre 72, Aerts only had a 50” deficit and the peloton remained at 2’10’’. But Aerts eventually decided to stop his effort and was caught by the pack before the feeding zone (km 80).

Gomez (SDV) then tried to break away and was only 12” adrift. The Spaniard was finally caught by a peloton who was now only 10” behind in the climb up to La Turbie.
Osa (IBA) eventually caught the leaders at kilometre 89, before Moncoutié made it first at the top ahead of Verbrugghe, Pereiro Sio, Martinez, Wegelius, Contador and Osa, with a 15” advantage. Ten kilometres from the first passage on the line in Nice, the gap grew to 30’’ and then 48’’ at the intermediate sprint (km 107) won by Contador ahead of Pereiro Sio and Wegelius. 25 kilometres from the finish, the leader’s advantage was of 47”.

In the first kilometres of the climb up the Col d’Eze, Contador managed to break clear from his group. At the same moment Vinokourov did the same, taking off ahead of the yellow jersey group. His attempt finally proved to be vain. All the following riders were then to be caught by the main pack. At the top of the climb, (Cat 1- km 119), Contador made it on his own with a 25” lead on Pellizotti, Jaksche, Evans (DVL), Voigt, Valverde, and Julich.

15 kilometres from the line, Contador could count on a 30’’ lead on the yellow jersey group. Again, Vinokourov broke away and finally caught the race leader with 10 kilometres to go. Despite the gap growing, both riders were eventually caught just before the finish line where Alejandro Valverde clinched his first win on a Paris-Nice stage. The overall leader’s jersey remained on the shoulders of a delighted Bobby Julich who wins this 63rd edition of Paris-Nice.

Bobby Julich (Team CSC – Paris-Nice winner)

’’ I’m overwhelmed. I don’t quite know how to feel. I’m not the kind of rider who wins races regularly so I’m delighted. I owe this win to the CSC team who worked amazingly for me, to Bjarne Riis, and to my wife who has always been around to support me when I was down.’’