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Live Coverage: Paris-Nice, stage 7

Published: Mar. 16, 2008
  • 12:29 PM: Good day!

    And welcome to the final day of VeloNews.Com's Live Coverage of the 66th Paris-Nice.

    Our finale has three cat. 1 climbs packed into a short course in the mountains above Nice. This is no last day parade: it's a tough course and race leader Davide Rebellin has just a 3-second lead over Ag2r's Rinaldo Nocentini.

    The 35-year-old Rebellin wore the yellow jersey last year on the last stage, but gave it up to youngster Alberto Contador of Discovery. He'll be looking to prevent that from happening again.

  • 12:30 PM: More on the route.

    Race organizers shortened the route by 6.5km due to a landslide on the descent coming off the cat. 1 La Turbie climb with 88km to go. A small detour will redirect the peloton to the final climb up Col d’Eze as planned. The course is now 115km.

  • 1:28 PM: Almost ready

    We're starting a bit later today; the race gets underway at 1:30 p.m., Nice time.

  • 1:31 PM: We're off!

    We'll have the first sprint at the 18.5km mark, and the first climb, the 1st Cat. Col de la Porte, comes at 51km.

  • 1:34 PM: The col

    That first climb is no slouch -- 7.2km at an average 7.2%. We'll have two more cat. 1 climbs following ...

  • 1:38 PM: Whle you're waiting

    In these first few minutes you might check out Kathie Reid's report on the first day of California's Sequoia Classic yesterday. Kristen Armstrong absolutely flattened the field at the Exeter TT.

  • 1:42 PM: Last year's finale

    Boy, last year's final stage here was a chair grabber. You might review Andrew Hood's report to remind yourself. We're sure it will all come back to you when you start reading.

  • 1:45 PM: Video re-cap

    VeloNews.com will be posting a video re-cap of this exciting week at Paris-Nice. Look for it on the homepage this afternoon or evening.

  • 1:49 PM: Gerolsteiner v. Ag2r

    It's gonna be a battle here today, folks, as Nocentini's team makes every effort to take back those three seconds, especially on the second intermediate sprint and the finish, where time bonuses are up for grabs. (The big sprinters, like green jersey Thor Hushovd, will likely get the first sprint).

    In an interview this morning, Bernard Hinault pointed out that Rebellin's team is much fresher today than it was going into the final stage last year, when they had already been defending his lead for several days. Good point, Mr. Badger, sir.

  • 2:01 PM: And we have an attack.

    Team High Road's Servais Knaven is trying to get away.

  • 2:03 PM: He's not getting anywhere.

    They are bringing him right in. We'll have to see whether Gerolsteiner tries to let a small group of non-threats go off, to gobble up the sprint bonuses so Nocentini can't get 'em. It's like a game of Pac-Man out here.

  • 2:04 PM: Abandoned

    Cofidis' David Moncoutie has dropped out. Maybe he has a flight to catch.

  • 2:06 PM: Well now, here we go

    There's been a separation. We have near 30 riders off the front.

  • 2:09 PM: Lots of jockey-ing

    As we approach that first sprint

  • 2:11 PM: It's 35 riders

    There's about 7km to go to that sprint. We're trying to ID some of the riders.

  • 2:16 PM: Km14.5

    And the big break has a 30-second gap.

  • 2:20 PM: 1km to the sprint

    And the group has about 40 seconds on the peloton.

  • 2:23 PM: Lowe!

    Slipstream's Trent Lowe got the points, followed by Skil-Shimano's Thierry Hupond and CSC's Chris Sorensen.

  • 2:35 PM: The protest

    The race started a few minutes late this morning because the riders were protesting the out-of-competition doping test demanded of Belgian rider Kevin Van Impe this week. Van Impe's infant son had just died and he was filling out paperwork at the crematorium when an official arrived and demanded a sample.

  • 2:42 PM: Who's in there?

    Our big break:

    Anthony Charteau and Losada Agualcil of Caisse d'Epargne.

    Mirco Lorenzetto of Lampre.

    Albasini, Corioni and Santaromita of Liquigas.

    Van den Broeck of Silence Lotto.

    Julich, Kolobnev, Kroon, Sorensen and Voigt of CSC.

    Remi Pauriol of Credit Agricole.

    Gilbert and Jegou of FDJ.

    Benitez, Cobo Acebo and Passeron of Saunier Duval.

  • 2:45 PM: More:

    Pineau of Bouygues Telecom.

    Possoni of High Road.

    Huguet of Cofidis.

    De Maar and Flecha of Rabobank.

    Arrieta and Dupont of AG2r.

    Tosatto of Quick Step.

    Lequatre of Agritubel.

    Schroeder of Milram.

    Lowe, Pate and Peterson of Slipstream.

    Hupond of Skil-Shimano.

  • 2:48 PM: phew.

    Also we hear the Gert Steegmans and Bernhard Eisel have left the race.

  • 2:57 PM: More on the Van Impe protest

    VeloNews.com has posted an article on this morning's protest.

  • 2:58 PM: The gap.

    It's about a minute and a half. Lhotellerie is trying to bridge. Does he see a KOM threat in that group? We think he has that competition locked up, or nearly so.

  • 3:07 PM: On the climb

    The big group is on the climb, and is likely to break apart.

  • 3:09 PM: Lhotellerie

    Our polka-dotted friend is closing. The lead group/breakaway is splitting.

  • 3:20 PM: Approaching the summit

    Pauriol and Possoni lead by a few seconds over a dwindling group. Lhotellerie has caught the lead group.

  • 3:22 PM: About 11 riders now

    Behind Pauriol and Possoni, there are about 11. We see Lowe's still in there, and Sorensen and Albasini.

  • 3:22 PM: They are over the top

    Pauriol got the first-place KOM points.

  • 3:26 PM: News flash

    Nocentini and Gesink crashed on the descent!

  • 3:27 PM: They are up

    The former race leader and our second-placed man are back up on their bikes.

  • 3:30 PM: They are sitting up.

    That's nice in Nice. The main group with Rebellin is sitting up, waiting for Nocentini and Gesink to come back.

  • 3:32 PM: latest time check

    The leaders have about 1.25 over the Rebellin group.

  • 3:36 PM: meanwhile up front

    Possoni, Pauriol and Benitez have a bit of a gap on the others. They almost just crashed, the lot of them.

  • 3:40 PM: Now 15

    The front group is 15 strong now. They are at Km68.

  • 3:42 PM: Our 15:

    Pauriol, Possoni, Benitez, Lhotellerie, Damiano Cunego (Lampre), Albasini, Julich, Anton, Pineau, Dupont, Tosatto, Lowe, Losada Alguacil, Santaromita and Van den Broeck.

    That's what race radio is saying. We wonder if the CSC rider is Sorensen, not Julich

  • 3:47 PM: La Turbie

    Next obstacle is the cat. 1 climb La Turbie, topping out at km88.5.

  • 3:52 PM: Tour picks next week.

    ASO, which owns the Paris-Nice event AND the Tour de France, says it will announce its invites to the Tour next week.

  • 3:53 PM: Km79

    And the gap is shrinking. It's down to under one minute.

  • 3:56 PM: Gerolsteiner and Ag2r are leading the chase

    Meanwhile, Lhotellerie is attacking the break.

  • 3:56 PM: Albasini goes, too

    hmmm

  • 3:58 PM: Cunego pulls them back

    But Lhotellerie seems determined to get away ...

  • 4:00 PM: Lhotellerie and Cunego

    They've started up La Turbie. Cunego has followed our polka-dotted fellow off the front again.

  • 4:03 PM: Cunego shakes his head

    Cunego has come back to the lead group, which is about 30 seconds behind Lhotellerie. The Gerolsteiner and Ag2r-led peloton is another minute back.

  • 4:06 PM: Lhotellerie pulling away

    He was criticized yesterday for dropping out of the breakaway after securing his KOM lead. Maybe he wants to show he can go all the way to the finish? Or maybe he's just got good form. He's been an animal all week.

  • 4:10 PM: Chase group comes apart.

    Vandenbroeck and Santaromita have fallen off on La Turbie.

  • 4:12 PM: Lhotellerie is over the top

    He got some more KOM points, as if he needed them. So will he sit up now or keep going? He's got 30km and one more climb to the finish ...

  • 4:17 PM: Next up:

    The famous Col d'Eze, a 4.2km climb at 6.8%. That's where Contador won the race last year.

  • 4:19 PM: Ag2r on the chase.

    If Nocentini is going to have a shot, they need to bring back the chase so he can try for some bonus sprints and be a factor in the finish. They are throwing down on the descent, here.

  • 4:20 PM: Fabian!

    CSC's Cancellara won today's time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico, over there in Italy? He's in the overall lead, now, too.

  • 4:23 PM: The next time bonus

    The course designers really set this up to be thrilling to the last minute. There's a sprint in Eze, just 3k from the top of the col, 14km from the finish in Nice.

  • 4:25 PM: In the old days ...

    They used to finish the race atop the Col d'Eze. Sean Kelly won there five times. It might be cool to see Lhotellerie come over the Col in his Skil-Shimano kit, which still makes me nostalgic for Kelly's old team ...

  • 4:30 PM: here he comes

    Lhotellerie is near the summit of the col, chased by Benetiz. Back in the group, Rebellin's Gerolsteiner men are controlling things.

  • 4:30 PM: here he comes

    Lhotellerie is near the summit of the col, chased by Benetiz. Back in the group, Rebellin's Gerolsteiner men are controlling things.

  • 4:32 PM: And he's over

    Benitez was just 5 seconds behind.

  • 4:36 PM: Saunier Duval's

    Benitez is with Lhotellerie Meanwhile, Sanchez has broke from the Rebellin group, bridged to the Cunego group, and closing on the leaders. Sanchez is in 6th overall and could move up several places.

  • 4:37 PM: Forgot to say:

    Benitez got the sprint bonus, followed by Lhotellerie then Cunego.

  • 4:38 PM: Sanchez

    Has caught Lhotellerie and Benitez.

  • 4:40 PM: Our three

    have just 8 seconds over the Cunego group.

  • 4:41 PM: Nope, they are caught

    We have a group of six now, with Sanchez, Cunego, Lowe, Benitez ... Lhotellerie, Tossato

  • 4:41 PM: It's all coming back together ...

    4 km to go, Sanchez attacks.

  • 4:42 PM: Coming into Nice

    Some famously twisty corners coming up.

  • 4:43 PM: Sanchez is flying

    He's going through these turns faster than a bicycle should be allowed to go.

  • 4:43 PM: 2.5 km to go

    Sanchez has been frustrated all week, this looks like his moment.

  • 4:44 PM: With the time bonus

    Sanchez should be able to pass Garate for 5th, maybe even pass Gesink for 4th.

  • 4:45 PM: Still opportunity for Nocentini

    He could still get a time bonus ... Sanchez at 1km

  • 4:46 PM: Sanchez

    Looking back ... the chase is close ... Sanchez !

  • 4:46 PM: Sanchez holds on

    He wins it and Rebellin is in the group, to hang onto yellow!

  • 4:47 PM: The pack caught Sanchez

    Hard to say if we should call that a sprint win or a breakaway. They caught him at the line. If the race were 10 meters longer he might have been 5th.

  • 4:51 PM: Our top five

    1. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain, Caisse d'Epargne)

    2. Maxime Monfort (Belgium, Cofidis)

    3. Carlos Barredo (Spain, Quick Step)

    4. Christophe Moreau (France, Agritubel)

    5. Alexander Emfinkin (Russia, Quick Step)

    And Gerolsteiner's Davide Rebellin wins the overall.

  • 4:56 PM: Well then.

    Rebellin finally wins one here at Nice, after several podium appearances in years past.

    We've had some breakthrough performances here this week by youngsters Gesink and Lhotellerie, the future stars of the sport.

    And today we had a thrilling finish by LL Sanchez, who has been close to glory all week. He won thanks to some brilliant descending and a well-timed attack. We'll stick with you here to see how much he moved up on the GC. But check back to VeloNews.com later for a full report by Andrew Hood, a Graham Watson gallery and full results.

  • 5:19 PM: Sanchez fifth

    His well-timed attack moved him past Garate, but not Gesink.

    Thanks for following along this week. Remember to check VeloNews.com later for a video re-cap, Graham Watson photos, Andrew Hood's stage report and complete results.