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Contador scores stage, Rebellin seizes lead at Paris-Nice
For the second time in two weeks, Alberto Contador delivered a big win in the 2007 season ahead of some pretty heady company. Last month at the Tour of Valencia, he beat Spanish sensation Alejandro Valverde at the key climbing stage up Alto de Campello.
Contador hit the repeat button Thursday in the explosive 169.5km fourth stage at Paris-Nice. The new Discovery Channel recruit dropped the likes of L’Alpe d’Huez winner Frank Schleck and Tour de France candidate Cadel Evans on the short but steep summit finish to La Croix-Neuve to take an impressive win.
But rather than surge into the overall lead, Contador could end up short in the fight for the yellow jersey. The Spaniard was among several pre-race favorites who lost 19 seconds Tuesday when the peloton fractured on the perilous run into Limoges, and that difference came back to haunt him in Mende.
“I was really upset with the guys on Tuesday because I told them those seconds could be very expensive,” said Discovery Channel sport director Dirk Demol. “I’m really proud of Alberto that he won the stage today because everyone was saying he was the favorite, but we could have had the jersey, too, if we didn’t lose that time Tuesday.”
Wily veteran Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) measured his efforts perfectly on the 3.1km climb to finish second at two seconds back, enough to take the maillot jaune away from overnight leader Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) and keep it out of Contador’s hands.
Rebellin, who finished safely with the lead bunch on the fast run into Limoges, held a 17-second advantage to Contador going into the Mende finale. After the time bonuses were calculated, Rebellin took a six-second lead to Contador with three stages to go. Tadej Valjavec (Lampre-Fondital) bounced into third at 31 seconds back while Pellizotti slipped to fourth at 31 seconds back.
Still, even Rebellin admits Paris-Nice is far from over. No fewer than 17 rated climbs await the peloton in what should be an exciting three-day shootout between the experienced Rebellin and the ambitious Contador.
“I couldn’t follow Contador because he was too strong so I tried to keep him within 50 meters to control the damage,” Rebellin said. “It’s nice to have the leader’s jersey but it will be very hard to control the race. The final three days are very hard.”
On paper, Discovery Channel has a much stronger team than Gerolsteiner. And they proved it during Thursday’s stage, sending five riders to the front of the pack over the Cat. 2 Cote de Chabrits late in the stage to neutralize a dangerous three-man breakaway featuring Sandy Casar (FDJeux).
Contador easily followed an early move by Valjavec on the lower ramps of the La Croix-Neuve climb and then powered away unanswered with about 1km to go.
Now, Discovery Channel will need to go on the offensive to try to rattle Rebellin. Time bonuses will be vital. On paper, Rebellin is a better sprinter than Contador, but nothing’s ever decided in cycling until the final sprint.
Early break to nowhere
Good weather continues to hang around Paris-Nice. Instead of cold and snow that’s plagued the race the past few years, idyllic spring weather has blessed the 65th Race to the Sun – so far.
“I almost didn’t want to come to this race because the weather is usually so bad,” said Christian Vande Velde (CSC). “But the weather has been great – this is not normal for Paris-Nice!”
After an interesting opening four days of racing – with two different leaders and an interesting mix of winners – Paris-Nice was set to change gears in the 169.6km fourth stage from Maurs to Mende. Three Cat. 2 climbs softened up the bunch in the opening half of the stage that later dipped along the scenic Lot Valley.
A demanding final 20km was sure to change the composure of the race, revealing once and for all who would be a serious candidate for overall victory. The Cat. 2 Cote de Chabrits (2.4km at 6.8 percent) at 162km and the Cat. 1 summit finish at La Croix-Neuve (3.1km at 10.1 percent) made for a dramatic setting.
Paris-Nice was rolling into Mende for the first time, but the city has played host to two memorable Tour de France stage finishes. In 1995, Laurent Jalabert won here wearing the green jersey, prompting officials to later christening the climb the Montée Laurent Jalabert. In 2005, Spanish rider Marcos Serrano won in what was Lance Armstrong’s final Tour.
It was in that Tour that upstart Australian Cadel Evans pipped Armstrong in a bunch sprint for 11th place in the lead group of favorites behind stage winner Serrano.
Evans - who would finish fourth today at Paris-Nice and bounce to sixth overall – remembered the encounter.
“I rode this climb in the 2005 Tour and remember the finish well. He didn’t like that very much,” Evans said with a laugh. “I know this climb well. I’ve done it a few times. It’s a stage that suits me well, but I came to this Paris-Nice just to make a test, not to really challenge for the overall.”
Thierry Marichal (FDJeux) didn’t take the start, leaving 157 riders in the peloton. Marichal was called to be a witness in a “pot belge” doping investigation in Belgium and is due to appear in court on March 30.
An early break that included 17 riders was quickly squashed and the day’s first climb at the Cote de Quotidiane at 9.5km split the group into two. Sandy Casar (FDJeux) attacked on the backside and Dmitry Muravyev (Astana) and Amael Moinard (Cofidis) grabbed his wheel. The trio built a six-minute gap at the day’s second climb at 30km and the day’s breakaway was set.
“Sandy told us yesterday he would attack today,” FDJeux boss Marc Madiot told Letour.fr. “Unfortunately, there are too few riders in the break. A couple more would have been better. I’m afraid the peloton will move up a gear in the finale and the script should be the same as planned with the decision taking place in the last climb.”
At 76km, the gap was pushing eight minutes and Discovery Channel put two of its riders – Matthew White and Tomas Vaitkus – on the front to help Liquigas.
“Liquigas wasn’t pushing as hard as we would have liked and we didn’t want the breakaway getting 12 to 15 minutes gap,” Demol said. “It was a short stage and Casar is a good climber, so we took our responsibility.”
Discovery Channel put even more riders on the front of the bunch heading up the Cat. 2 Cote de Chatrits at 162km to bring down the gap to a safe 45 seconds coming into Mende.
Tom Danielson buried himself at the front of the peloton, working hard for team captains Contador and Leipheimer. The Coloradan led the Discovery Channel train up the Chatrits and helped slice into the Casar group’s lead.
“We were 100 percent behind Alberto and Levi today. That’s how this team works,” Danielson said. “I like Paris-Nice, but my form isn’t in top shape to challenge for the GC. We rode hard at the front to control the break to set up Alberto.”
Final surge
The La Croix-Neuve is a Napoleonic mountain; short but tough. The brief but very steep climb features ramps as steep as 12 percent and gave the peloton its first real taste of hard climbing this season.
Team CSC’s Andy Schleck – younger brother of Amstel Gold winner Frank Schleck – surged out of the lead group to drive the peloton to the base of the climb. Names were white-washed on the road and a good-sized crowd was lining the route – not Tour de France-style, five people deep – but enough to give the climb a sense of drama.
Casar held a 45-second gap at the base of the climb, but would be caught halfway up and hold on to finish 19th.
Tadej Valjavec (Lampre-Fondital), a consistent if under-rated climber, was the first big name to leap away as the peloton started to fracture under the pressure of the first kilometer.
Latching on were Contador, Evans and David Lopez Garcia, a surprise stand-in for Caisse d’Epargne captains Luis Leon Sanchez or Joaquim Rodriguez. The quartet chugged away to drive a wedge between chasers such as Pellizotti, Sebastien Joly (FDJeux), Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) and Leipheimer.
Contador surged ahead with about 1km to go as Valjavec and Schleck wilted under the pace. Rebellin chased hard to pass the fading trio and rolled under the banner two seconds slower.
“I didn’t know if there was someone else ahead of me or not, so that’s why I didn’t celebrate too much,” Contador said, alluding to Tom Boonen’s ill-timed celebration Wednesday when Alexandr Kolobnev had already cleared the line. “The team today was fundamental to reel in the breakaway and carry me to the base of the climb. They did a great job.”
The 65th Paris-Nice continues Friday with the rollercoaster, 178km fifth stage from Sorgues to Manosque. The caravan transfers out of the Massif Central into the Rhone Valley and then the route zig-zags across the Vaucluse and Luberon on some of Provence’s most scenic roads.
Two Cat. 2’s open up the festivities in the opening 70km with two Cat. 3’s at 124km and 145.5km, respectively, before two more unrated climbs with a fast descent and a rising finish into Manosque.
Jerseys
Maillot jaune – Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner); climber’s jersey – Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner); points jersey – Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital); best young rider – Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel); best team – Caisse d’Epargne
Medical report
Sylvain Calzati (Ag2r), minor digestive problems; Alessandro Vanotti (Liquigas), abandon due to persistent digestive problems
Peloton
153 riders remain; Thierry Marichal (FDJeux) did not start; four abandons – Massimiliano Mori (Lampre), Angelo Furlan (Credit Agricole), Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJeux) and Alessandro Vanotti (Liquigas)
Official results – Stage 4, Paris-Nice
1. Alberto Contador (Sp), Discovery Channel, 169.5 km in 4:07:26 (41.101kph)
2. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner, at 00:02
3. David Lopez Garcia (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, at 00:12
4. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor-Lotto, at 00:13
5. Tadej Valjavec (SLO), Lampre, at 00:17
6. Frank Schleck (Lux), CSC, at 00:28
7. Sébastien Joly (F), Francaise des Jeux, at 00:33
8. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Discovery Channel, at 00:33
9. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe), Francaise des Jeux, at 00:33
10. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas, at 00:40
CompleteresultsOverall, at After Stage 4
1. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner, 17:40:34 (42.578kph)
2. Alberto Contador (Sp), Discovery Channel, at 00:06
3. Tadej Valjavec (SLO), Lampre, at 00:23
4. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas, at 00:31
5. Sébastien Joly (F), Francaise des Jeux, at 00:32
6. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor-Lotto, at 00:35
7. David Millar (GB), Saunier Duval, at 00:42
8. Frank Schleck (Lux), CSC, at 00:42
9. David Lopez Garcia (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, at 00:43
10. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 00:46
[Watch Paris-Nice Video Highlight]
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