2018 Paris - Nice, France (World Tour)

76th edition: March 4 - March 11, 2018

Paris-Nice podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Start list | Race preview
Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 | Stage 7 | Stage 8

2018 Paris-Nice route. Total distance: 1,187 km

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Sunday, March 11: 8th & final stage, Nice - Nice, 110 km
Stage 8 map & profile

Sky's David De La Cruz beats Omar Fraile to win the final stage in Nice.

Rated ascents:

• Km 20.5 - Cote de Levens (2nd cat.)
• Km 36.5 - Cote de Chateauneuf (2nd cat.)
• Km 51 - Col du Calaison (2nd cat.)
• Km 67.5 - Cote de Peille (1st cat.)
• Km 83.5 - Col d'Eze (2nd cat.)
• Km 101 - Cote des Quatre Chemins (2nd cat.)

Weather in Nice, France at 1:15 local time: Heavy rain & thundershowers most of the day, 14C (57F), wind from the south at 21 km/hr (13 mph). It did stop rainng at the finish around 2:30 PM.

The race: 110 riders started at 12:08. There were four non-starters: Dries Devenyns (Quick Step), Nils Politt (Katusha), Christophe Laporte and Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis).

Here's the organizer's telling of the day's racing:

Spanish hopeful Marc Soler outshone Briton Simon Yates in a nail-biting final stage on the hills surrounding Nice to win the Race to the Sun by the blink of an eye. The 24-year-old Movistar rider, 37 seconds behind Yates at the start in the morning rain, crossed the line with a four-second lead over the Briton, 110 km and a few hours later, after another extremely tight finale in Paris-Nice. Soler, the first rider since Alberto Contador in 2007 to win both the yellow and the best young ride white jersey, finished third in stage 8 behind compatriots David De La Cruz (Sky) and Omar Fraile (Astana), with whom he attacked in Cote de Peille, one of six climbs on the final day's menu. De La Cruz snatched the final stage for the second year in succession ahead of Fraile, with Moser three seconds behind. And it was only thanks to his third place time bonus that Moser was finally declared the 2018 Paris-Nice champion for the first World Tour victory of his career.      

The start of the 175-km 8th stage of Paris-Nice was given at 12:08 to 110 riders in heavy rain and wind. On Cote de Levens (2nd cat), Thomas De Gendt strengthened his polka-dot jersey by picking seven more points as a group of 23 riders emerged, including all the favorites. At the first intermediate sprint (km 24), the leading GC riders battled it out for seconds and Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) was fastest, ahead of Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) and Simon Yates. The result moved Izagirre back to 10 seconds behind Yates and Wellens 12 seconds back.  

The yellow jersey group was composed of Julian Alpahilippe (Quick Step), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Luis Leon  Sanchez, Michael Valgren and Omar Fraile (Astana), Tony Gallopin and Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R),  Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo), Sergio Henao and David de la Cruz (Sky), Ion and Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha), Simon Yates, Christopher Juul Jensen and Roman Kreuziger (Mitchelton-Scott) Dylan Teuns (BMC), Tim Wellens and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Marc Soler (Movistar), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Felix Grosschartner and Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe).

At kilometer 32, Alaphilippe attacked with Fraile and Fuglsang. The Dane crashed a few kilometers later, leaving the Frenchman and the Spaniard in the lead.

The yellow jersey group gradually increased in numbers, several riders making it back, among them top 20 riders Sam Oomen (Sunweb) and Richard Karapaz (Movistar). In the first category Cote de Peille, Julian Alaphilippe cracked and the pack disintegrated. White jersey holder Marc Soler attacked with David De la Cruz on the heels of Omar Fraile. With 45 km to go, Simon Yates found himself isolated without any team-mate to assist him until Matteo Trentin and Christopher Juul Jensen fought their way back into the group. The Spanish trio saw their lead top at 1:30, placing Soler as a virtual race leader. In the second intermediate sprint in La Turbie (km 78.5), Soler collected three precious seconds. At the top of Col d'Eze (1st cat.), Fraile led Soler and De la Cruz as the gap rose to 1:10.

With 20 km to go, Omar Fraile went on his own in the descent of Col d'Eze but was reined in the descent. In the last climb of this Paris-Nice, Cote des Quatre chemins (2nd cat), Ion Izagirre was the first to attack Simon Yates, and when Tim Wellens surged in turn, followed by the Izagirre brothers, Dylan Teuns and Karapaz, the Briton lost ground. As the three Spaniards battled it out in the front for the stage win, and for the overall victory as far as Soler was concerned, the other favorites played cat and mouse to finally finish together on Promenade des Anglais.

Marc Soler wins the 2018 Paris-Nice

While De La Cruz took the day's honors, Yates needed to finish within 34 seconds of Soler to retain his yellow jersey. He finally crossed the line four seconds too late. Belgium's Tim Wellens won the points classification while his team-mate and compatriot Thomas De Gendt took home the polka-dot jersey. 

Complete Results:

110 kilometers raced at an average speed of 38.13 km/hr

1	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	2hr 53min 6sec
2	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	s.t.
3	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	@ 3sec
4	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 38''
5	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
6	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
7	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
8	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
9	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
10	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
11	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
12	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 55''
13	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 01' 30''
14	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
15	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 02' 45''
16	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
17	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 03' 03''
18	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 03' 44''
19	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
20	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
21	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
22	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
23	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 03' 46''
24	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
25	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 06' 13''
26	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 06' 26''
27	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 08' 32''
28	JESUS HERRADA LOPEZ	COFIDIS	s.t.
29	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 08' 43''
30	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
31	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 09' 42''
32	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 09' 45''
33	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	+ 10' 10''
34	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 12' 56''
35	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 12' 58''
36	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 13' 51''
37	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 14' 05''
38	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
39	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
40	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
41	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
42	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
43	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
44	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
45	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	s.t.
46	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
47	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
48	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
49	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
50	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
51	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
52	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
53	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
54	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
55	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	s.t.
56	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
57	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
58	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
59	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 14' 10''
60	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 19' 11''
61	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 21' 50''
62	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 23' 42''
63	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
64	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
65	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
66	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
67	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
68	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
69	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 24' 34''
70	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
71	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 25' 36''
72	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
73	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
74	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
75	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
76	GREGORY RAST	TREK - SEGAFREDO	s.t.
77	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
78	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.

Final GC after Stage 8:

• Final GC leader: Marc Soler (Movistar)
• Mountains classification winner: Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal)
• Points classification winner: Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal)
• Best young rider: Marc Soler (Movistar)
• Team classification winner (Bahrain-Merida)

1,198.9 kilometers raced at an average speed of 39.47 km/hr

1	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	30hr 22min 41sec
2	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	@ 4sec
3	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 14''
4	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 16''
5	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
6	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	+ 00' 32''
7	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 44''
8	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 54''
9	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 02' 15''
10	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 02' 35''
11	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	+ 03' 47''
12	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 04' 08''
13	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 03''
14	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 05' 51''
15	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 08' 16''
16	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 11' 35''
17	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 12' 45''
18	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 14' 13''
19	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 14' 53''
20	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 16' 14''
21	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	+ 17' 19''
22	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 20' 15''
23	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 22' 09''
24	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 22' 36''
25	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 22' 59''
26	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 24' 25''
27	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 24' 47''
28	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 28' 04''
29	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 29' 13''
30	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 29' 47''
31	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 31' 15''
32	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 33' 01''
33	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 36' 08''
34	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 37' 50''
35	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 37' 51''
36	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 38' 07''
37	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 38' 31''
38	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 38' 35''
39	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 40' 59''
40	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 41' 07''
41	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 43' 18''
42	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 44' 04''
43	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 44' 31''
44	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	+ 45' 25''
45	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 45' 36''
46	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 46' 03''
47	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 47' 41''
48	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 47' 52''
49	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 48' 43''
50	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 51' 20''
51	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 52' 15''
52	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 52' 49''
53	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 53' 58''
54	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 55' 52''
55	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 57' 40''
56	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 59' 41''
57	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 01H 00' 27''
58	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 01H 02' 07''
59	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	+ 01H 04' 59''
60	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 01H 05' 15''
61	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01H 06' 09''
62	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 01H 08' 41''
63	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01H 08' 54''
64	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	+ 01H 09' 32''
65	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 01H 10' 49''
66	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 01H 11' 03''
67	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01H 13' 02''
68	GREGORY RAST	TREK - SEGAFREDO	+ 01H 13' 27''
69	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 01H 14' 11''
70	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 01H 16' 06''
71	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01H 16' 44''
72	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01H 19' 07''
73	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 01H 22' 21''
74	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 01H 23' 52''
75	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 01H 27' 31''
76	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01H 28' 41''
77	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 01H 36' 14''
78	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 01H 37' 11''

Stage 8 map & profile:

Paris-Nice stage 8 map

Paris-Nice stage 8 profile

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Saturday, March 10: Stage 7, Nice - Valdeblore La Colmaine, 175 km
Stage 7 map & profile

Simon Yates wins the stage and takes over the GC lead. ASO photo

Weather at the finish town of Valdeblore La Colmaine 1:50 PM, local time: light showers, changing to cloudy, 3C (37F) with the wind from the WSW at 5 km/hr (3mph). It was pouring rain at the start in Nice.

Rated ascents:

• Km 10 - Cote de Gattieres (2nd cat.)
• Km 84.5 - Cote de la Sainte-Baume (1st cat.)
• Km 108 - Col Saint-Raphael (2nd cat.)
• Km 134.5 - Cote de Villars-sur-Var (2nd cat.)
• Km 175 - Valdeblore La Colmiane (1st cat)

The race: Here's the organizer's telling of the day's racing.

Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) emerged as the undisputed leader of Paris-Nice when he attacked twice in the final climb to La Colmiane to win the 175-km 7th stage and take the reins of the general classification. Perfectly led out by team-mate Roman Kreuziger, who toughened the pace in the last five kilometers of the stage from Nice, the Briton went with Spaniard Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) before dropping him with 1.4 km to go. Belgium's Dylan Teuns (BMC) was second in the stage ahead of Izagirre. The GC is a particularly tight one before the last stage around Nice as Ion Izagirre lies 11 seconds adrift, his brother Gorka third a further second back and Belgian Tim Wellens fourth another second behind.

The real start was given in the rain to 128 riders at 10:05.  Ian Boswell (Katusha), Dmitry Gruzdev (Astana), Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ), Evaldas Siskevicius (Delko Marseille Provence) did not start. Rory Sutherland (UAE), Tony Gallopin (AG2R), Alessandro de Marchi (BMC), Nicolas Roche (BMC), Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Amael Moinard (Fortuneo) and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) parted with the main pack in the 2nd category Cote de Gattieres (km 10). At the top, Thomas De Gendt collected seven points to take his KOM tally to 36 points and take the polka-dot jersey away from Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie).

The gap remained stable at around two minutes until the 1st category Cote de la Sainte-Baume, which De Gendt reached in top spot in the fog with a 2:35 lead over the pack to strengthen his polka-dot garment. Among several riders to give up in the ascent was UAE team leader Dan Martin, third last year, who called it quits. In the descent, Herrada was dropped by the front group. De Gendt's total went up to 53 at the top of Col Saint Raphael (km 108) as the peloton was 2:30 adrift and to 60 points on Cote de Villars-du-Var (km 134) as the pack trailed 1:10 behind.

In the descent of Col Saint-Raphael, the peloton split, trapping title-holder Sergio Henao (Sky) as well as 5th placed Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) in a second group.  The pack regrouped in the descent of Cote Villars-du-Var in which Pantano and De Marchi crashed heavily. The Italian fell in to the roadside ravine but both finally made it back on their bikes. The incident left Gallopin, Moinard and Roche in the front, with a 1:25 lead over the peloton. At the bottom of the La Colmiane, the edge of the trio was down to 30 seconds and France's Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) and Robert Gesink (Lotto-Jumbo) was among the first dropped.

With 15 left in the stage, Amael Moinatd and Nicolas Roche faltered, leaving Tony Gallopin on his own. Colombia's Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) was quickly dropped while white jersey holder Marc Soler (Movistar) was also seen struggling at the back of the pack. With 13 km to go, Tony Gallopin was reined in by a peloton led by Bahrain-Merida's Antonio Nibali and Astana's Omar Fraile. Sanchez's Astana team-mates set a gentle pace to protect the yellow jersey until 6 km from the finish, when Roman Kreuziger (Mitchelton-Scott) raised the tempo, downing yellow jersey holder Sanchez.

Four kilometers from the line, Simon Yates moved swiftly, taking Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) with him. The two built a maximum lead of 18 seconds as their rivals lost ground one after the other. Second-placed at the start, Alaphilippe cracked completely with 2 km to go. Simon Yates rose on his pedals with 1.4 km left to drop Izagirre and power his way towards the stage victory and the yellow jersey. Behind him, Dylan Teuns secured second place just ahead of the Izagirre brothers.

Complete Results:

175 kilometers raced at an average speed of 34.66 km/hr

1	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	5hr 2min 54sec
2	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	@ 8sec
3	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
4	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 13''
5	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
6	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 20''
7	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 00' 46''
8	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
9	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 00' 48''
10	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 00' 54''
11	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
12	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 00' 58''
13	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 01' 04''
14	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 36''
15	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 02' 01''
16	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
17	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
18	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 08''
19	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 02' 19''
20	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 02' 40''
21	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 03' 41''
22	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
23	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA - FDJ	+ 04' 22''
24	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
25	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
26	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
27	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 04' 25''
28	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 04' 41''
29	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 08' 00''
30	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 08' 03''
31	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 09' 12''
32	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
33	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 10' 41''
34	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
35	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	s.t.
36	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
37	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 12' 03''
38	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 12' 56''
39	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 13' 56''
40	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
41	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 14' 00''
42	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
43	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
44	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 14' 32''
45	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 15' 05''
46	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	+ 16' 40''
47	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	+ 17' 54''
48	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
49	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 18' 02''
50	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
51	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
52	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
53	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
54	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
55	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
56	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
57	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
58	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
59	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 21' 52''
60	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 22' 19''
61	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
62	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
63	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
64	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
65	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
66	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
67	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
68	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	s.t.
69	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
70	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
71	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
72	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
73	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 22' 25''
74	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
75	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
76	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 22' 30''
77	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 23' 40''
78	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 24' 46''
79	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 25' 56''
80	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
81	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
82	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 26' 03''
83	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 26' 04''
84	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 26' 13''
85	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
86	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
87	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
88	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
89	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 26' 53''
90	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
91	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
92	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
93	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
94	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
95	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
96	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
97	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
98	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
99	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
100	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
101	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
102	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 27' 16''
103	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 28' 27''
104	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 29' 02''
105	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 29' 02''
106	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 32' 28''
107	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
108	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
109	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
109	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
111	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
112	JESUS HERRADA LOPEZ	COFIDIS	s.t.
113	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
114	JÉRÔME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.

GC after Stage 7:

1,088.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 39.62 km/hr

1	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	27hr 29min 2sec
2	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	@ 11sec
3	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 12''
4	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 00' 13''
5	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	+ 00' 27''
6	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	+ 00' 37''
7	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 39''
8	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 00' 57''
9	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 01' 48''
10	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 49''
11	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 52''
12	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 02' 13''
13	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 02' 30''
14	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 02' 59''
15	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 03' 39''
16	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	+ 03' 42''
17	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	+ 03' 47''
18	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA - FDJ	+ 05' 05''
19	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 05' 55''
20	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 06' 43''
21	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 08' 04''
22	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 09' 04''
23	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 10' 33''
24	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 11' 09''
25	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 11' 15''
26	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 14' 13''
27	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 15' 36''
28	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 15' 41''
29	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 17' 50''
30	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 18' 58''
31	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 19' 48''
32	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 19' 54''
33	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 22' 36''
34	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 22' 54''
35	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	+ 23' 38''
36	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 24' 13''
37	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 24' 18''
38	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 24' 30''
39	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 24' 31''
40	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 24' 59''
41	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 25' 03''
42	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 25' 06''
43	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 28' 13''
44	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 29' 48''
45	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 30' 03''
46	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 30' 18''
47	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 30' 32''
48	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 30' 49''
49	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 30' 58''
50	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	+ 31' 34''
51	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 31' 58''
52	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 32' 04''
53	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 32' 08''
54	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 34' 20''
55	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 35' 11''
56	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 35' 19''
57	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 35' 21''
58	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	+ 35' 48''
59	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 36' 32''
60	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 38' 32''
61	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 39' 17''
62	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 40' 10''
63	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 40' 49''
64	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 41' 06''
65	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 41' 46''
66	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	+ 41' 50''
67	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 43' 38''
68	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 44' 08''
69	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 44' 25''
70	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 44' 35''
71	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 45' 19''
72	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 45' 30''
73	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 46' 09''
74	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 46' 26''
75	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 47' 37''
76	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 47' 54''
77	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 47' 59''
78	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 48' 07''
79	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 48' 24''
80	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 48' 35''
81	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 49' 26''
82	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 50' 12''
83	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 51' 15''
84	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 51' 41''
85	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 51' 43''
86	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 52' 57''
87	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 53' 22''
88	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 54' 01''
89	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 54' 04''
90	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 54' 08''
91	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 55' 22''
92	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	+ 56' 00''
93	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 56' 05''
94	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 56' 09''
95	JÉRÔME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 56' 17''
96	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 56' 26''
97	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 56' 44''
98	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 57' 03''
99	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 57' 17''
100	IAN STANNARD	SKY	+ 58' 18''
101	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 58' 20''
102	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 01H 00' 39''
103	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 01H 00' 58''
104	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01H 03' 38''
105	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 01H 04' 22''
106	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01H 05' 15''
107	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 01H 07' 00''
108	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 01H 07' 07''
109	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 01H 10' 18''
110	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 01H 10' 34''
111	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 01H 12' 08''
112	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 01H 12' 13''
113	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 01H 12' 27''
114	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 01H 19' 09''

Stage 7 map & profile:

Paris-Nice stage 7 map

Paris-Nice stage 7 profile

---

Friday, March 9: Stage 6, Sisteron - Vence, 198 km
Stage 6 map & profile

Rudy Molard wins Paris-Nice stage 6.

Weather at finish city of Vence at 2:00 PM, local time: Fair to partly cloudy, 13C (56F) with the wind from the south at 14 km/hr (9 mph). No rain is forecast today, but a 100% chance of rain in the area is forecast for Saturday.

The race: France's Nacer Bouhanni announced on his Twitter account he was not starting this morning. "Unfortunately being ill, I will not start this morning on Paris-Nice. Support to Team Cofids for the last days of racing. See you soon," he wrote. His Team Cofidis said he was suffering from bronchitis and was being treated with antibiotics.

Germany's John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), who finished 11 minutes behind stage 5 winner Jerome Cousin in Sisteron, later announced that he was ill and giving up the race. "It was a difficult decision but I cannot take health risks now, with my big goals coming up. But no worries, I will be there to 'chase aces'!"

136 riders left Sisteron from the neutralized start on their way to the real start. 

Bronchitis is hitting the peloton hard. Seven riders did not start this morning: Maurits Lammertink (Katusha), John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), Kevin Ledanois (Fortuneo), Thomas Leezer (Lotto-Jumbo), Christopher Hamilton (Sunweb), Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) and Tom-Jalte Slagter (Dimension Data).

The race is in the mountains today. Astana is leading, protecting GC leader Luis Leon Sanchez (in yellow). Alex Broadway photo

Here's the organizer's telling of the day's racing:

Rudy Molard used his knowledge of the terrain to surge with 2 km to go and give France its fourth stage victory in this Paris-Nice in Vence on Friday. The Groupama-FDJ rider outwitted most of the leading contenders to clinch his first World Tour win, the second for his team after Arnaud Demare's in stage 1 in Meudon. Molard upstaged Belgian Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) and fellow-Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step) while Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) finished fourth and retained his overall lead with a 25 seconds lead over Alaphilippe. Dutchman Wout Poels, second overall at the start, crashed in the final descent, harming Team Sky's chances to win the Race to the Sun for the 6th time in seven years.  

Several attempts took place from the start but it took a twist of fortune for a break to take shape: part of the peloton went on a wrong course, leaving two groups to lead the way. A first group of six emerged, including Lars Bak (Lotto-Soudal), Amael Moinard (Fortuneo), Paul Martens (Lotto-Jumbo), Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis), Tom Scully (Education First) and Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie). They found themselves chased by seven other riders, green jersey holder Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ), Alexander Kristoff (UAE), Nils Politt (Katusha), Dylan Teuns (BMC), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Carlos Barbero (Movistar) and Bert Van Lerberghe (Cofidis). 

The two groups merged, putting 13 riders in the lead at kilometer 33, with a 2:25 gap with the peloton. At the first intermediate sprint at Prefaissal (km 36.5), Barbero was first ahead of Scully and Grellier. The pack, led by Luis Leon Sanchez's Astana team-mates reduced the gap until Dylan Teuns – one minute adrift in the GC – decided to relax not to jeopardise the breakaway. The gap had remained stable (2:10) when the beak reached Col de Luens (2nd cat, Km 101) with Thomas De Gendt showing the way ahead of Fabien Grellier, defending team-mate Jerome Cousin's polka-dot jersey.

In the ascent of Col Bas (2nd cat, km 121) De Gendt, Grellier, Moinard, Scully and Barbero parted with their former breakaway companions. But Kristoff, Lemoine Politt and Martens rejoined them at kilometer 128 as Bak, Demare and Van Lerberghe lost ground despite several efforts to make it back in the descents. The same five emerged again in Cote de Cipieres (km 149) and in Cote de Gourdon (159.5) while De Gendt collected 28 points to bring his KOM tally to 29 but Grellier, who picked 20 in the four first climbs of the day, kept the polka-dot jersey in the hands of Direct Energie by picking 20 points for a total of 31.

The Frenchman let his former companions go in the descent and the four were finally reined in with 25 km to go. Meanwhile yellow jersey holder Luis Leon Sanchez punctured in the descent and was forced to change bikes with Omar Fraile. But the Spaniard made it back into the peloton. Ireland's Daniel Martin (UAE), third a year ago, also suffered a mechanical as the battle was raging and lost precious ground. The Cote de la Colle-sur-Loup was as eventful as planned. Countless attacks took place, led in turn by Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R), Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Wout Poels (Sky) and title-holder Sergio Henao (Sky).

Team Sky's hopes were seriously harmed in the descent, 7 km from the finish line when Poels crashed into a roadside barrier and was forced out of the race with a suspected broken collarbone. In the last three kilometers, Simon Yates and Tim Wellens seemed to have the upper hand as they attacked together. But they were caught with two kilometers to go and France's Rudy Molard took his chance to go on his own. The Groupama-FDJ rider, who lives in nearby Antibes, timed his move to perfection and went on to snatch his first World Tour victory. Tim Wellens and Julian Alaphilippe were left to battle it out for the podium places while Luis Leon Sanchez finished fourth to retain his yellow jersey.

Complete Results:

198 kilometers raced at an average speed of 42.416 km/hr

1	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	4hr 40min 5sec
2	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	@ 2'sec
3	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
4	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
5	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
6	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
7	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
8	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
9	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
10	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
11	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
12	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
13	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	s.t.
14	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
15	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
16	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
17	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 00' 44''
18	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
19	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
20	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
21	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
22	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 01' 11''
23	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
24	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
25	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
26	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
27	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
28	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 02' 20''
29	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
30	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
31	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
32	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
33	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 36''
34	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
35	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
36	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 03' 40''
37	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
38	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
39	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 04' 16''
40	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 05' 15''
41	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
42	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
43	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
44	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
45	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
46	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
47	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	s.t.
48	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
49	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
50	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
51	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 06' 28''
52	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 06' 48''
53	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
54	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
55	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
56	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
57	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
58	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
59	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 09' 36''
60	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
61	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
62	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	s.t.
63	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
64	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
65	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
66	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
67	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
68	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
69	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
70	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
71	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
72	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
73	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	s.t.
74	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
75	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
76	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
77	JÉRÔME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
78	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
79	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	s.t.
80	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 11' 27''
81	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
81	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
83	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
84	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
85	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
86	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
87	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
88	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
89	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
90	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
91	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
92	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
93	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
94	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
95	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
96	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
97	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
98	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 12' 59''
99	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 13' 04''
100	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
101	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
102	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
103	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
104	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 14' 11''
105	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
106	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
107	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
108	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
109	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
110	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 15' 29''
111	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	s.t.
112	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
113	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 18' 01''
114	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
115	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
116	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
117	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
118	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
119	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
120	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
121	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
122	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
123	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
124	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 18' 32''
125	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 20' 13''
126	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
127	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
128	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	s.t.
129	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
130	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 22' 22''
131	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
132	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 26' 30''

GC after Stage 6:

913.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 40.752 km/hr.

1	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	22hr 25min 33sec
2	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	@ 22sec
3	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	+ 00' 26''
4	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 34''
5	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 00' 35''
6	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 42''
7	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 00' 45''
8	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 00' 46''
9	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 00' 48''
10	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 54''
11	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	+ 01' 00''
12	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 01' 15''
13	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 01' 18''
14	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 26''
15	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 29''
16	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 33''
17	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 01' 39''
18	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 01' 44''
19	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 32''
20	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 02' 36''
21	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 15''
22	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 03' 20''
23	RICHARD ANTONIO CARAPAZ	MOVISTAR	+ 03' 23''
24	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 03' 26''
25	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 37''
26	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 03' 50''
27	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 04' 39''
28	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 05' 58''
29	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 06' 32''
30	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 06' 38''
31	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 06' 39''
32	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 06' 51''
33	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 07' 04''
34	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 07' 28''
35	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	+ 07' 35''
36	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 08' 13''
37	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 08' 42''
38	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 08' 59''
39	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 09' 00''
40	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 09' 05''
41	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 09' 41''
42	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 09' 42''
43	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 10' 33''
44	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 10' 46''
45	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 11' 10''
46	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 12' 16''
47	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 12' 21''
48	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 12' 36''
49	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 12' 57''
50	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 13' 27''
51	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	+ 14' 15''
52	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	+ 15' 32''
53	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 16' 26''
54	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 17' 04''
55	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 17' 32''
56	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 18' 07''
57	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 18' 19''
58	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 18' 20''
59	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	+ 18' 21''
60	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 18' 26''
61	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 18' 38''
62	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 18' 49''
63	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 18' 57''
64	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 19' 04''
65	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 19' 22''
66	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 20' 02''
67	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 20' 07''
68	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 20' 52''
69	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 21' 16''
70	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 21' 19''
71	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 21' 36''
72	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 21' 50''
73	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 21' 52''
74	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 21' 58''
75	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
76	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 22' 08''
77	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 22' 17''
78	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 22' 53''
79	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 23' 46''
80	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 24' 10''
81	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 24' 21''
82	JÉRÔME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 24' 24''
83	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 24' 33''
84	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 24' 42''
85	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 25' 07''
86	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 25' 12''
87	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 26' 05''
88	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 26' 11''
89	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 26' 15''
90	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 26' 40''
91	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 26' 43''
92	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 27' 04''
93	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 27' 29''
94	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 27' 42''
95	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
96	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 27' 50''
97	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 29' 44''
98	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 29' 51''
99	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 30' 45''
100	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 30' 50''
101	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 32' 02''
102	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 32' 20''
103	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 32' 43''
104	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 33' 48''
105	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	+ 34' 16''
106	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 34' 40''
107	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 34' 46''
108	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 35' 07''
109	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 35' 30''
110	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 36' 03''
111	IAN STANNARD	SKY	+ 36' 28''
112	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 36' 48''
113	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 37' 20''
114	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 38' 17''
115	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 38' 25''
116	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 38' 41''
117	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 38' 46''
118	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 38' 55''
119	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 39' 01''
120	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 39' 39''
121	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 40' 49''
122	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 41' 46''
123	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 42' 43''
124	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 43' 24''
125	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	+ 44' 35''
126	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 45' 50''
127	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 45' 55''
128	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 46' 49''
129	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 47' 16''
130	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 48' 04''
131	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 51' 48''
132	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 54' 32''

Stage 6 map & profile:

Stage 6 map

Stage 6 profile

---

Thursday, March 8: Stage 5, Salon de Provence - Sisteron, 165 km
Stage 5 profile

Jerome Cousin wins stage five. Photo Alex Broadway

Weather in the finish city of Sisteron at 2:00 PM, local time: Fair to partly cloudy, 13C (55F) with the wind from the SSE at 16 km/hr (10 mph). No rain was forecast.

The race: 146 riders left Salon-de Provence. Marco Haller (Katusha), Maxime Bouet (Fortuneo), Lars Boom and Dylan Groenewegen (both Lotto-Jumbo) did not start. Partway into the stage Norway's Amund Groendahl Jansen (Lotto-Jumbo) abandoned.

Here's the organizer's stage summary:

France's Jerome Cousin, gone in a four-man breakaway to snatch KOM points, did even better. Not only did he succeed in grabbing the polka-dot jersey but he also went all the way to clinch a remarkable stage win after leading the race from the start in Salon-de-Provence to the finish in Sisteron. In the finale, the Direct Energie rider outwitted the last of his breakaway companions, Germany's Nils Politt (Katusha) to raise the arms as his team-mate Jonathan Hivert did two days before. Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez retained his yellow jersey and his 15 seconds lead over Dutchman Wout Poels (Team Sky).

146 riders left Salon-de-Provence at 13:15. Marco Haller (Katusha), Maxime Bouet (Fortuneo), Lars Boom and stage 2 winner Dylan Groenewegen (Lotto-Jumbo) did not start. Three riders, France's Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Jerome Cousin (Direct Energie) and Julien El Fares (Delko Marseille Provence) broke clear from the start. They were joined at kilometer 12 by Germany's Nils Politt (Katusha) and the peloton gave the four the go-ahead. Their lead settled at around 3:30 when they tackled the first climb of the day, the 2nd category Col du Pointu. At the top, Cousin collected seven points ahead of El Fares and Edet.

As the peloton climbed the first category Col de Lagarde-d'Apt, Norway's Amund Groendahl Jansen, affected by flu, joined his Lotto-Jumbo team-mates Boom and Groenewegen on the plane back home. The four increased their lead over the main pack in the ascent while green jersey holder Arnaud Demare was dropped. At the top, Cousin and Edet attacked to reach the summit in that order. On 17 points Cousin secured the KOM polka-dot jersey his team has won in the last two editions, while the peloton was trailing the escapees by 5:50. At the first intermediate sprint (km 94.5), won by Politt, the lead had melted down to 5:00. Cousin added four points to his tally on top of the 3rd category Col Du Negron (Km 106).

In the descent, Quick Step's Tim Declercq raised the pace and split the pack, trapping Nacer Bouhanni and John Degenkolb at the back. Lotto-Soudal's Thomas De Gendt and Lars Bak joined forces with him to try and bring the peloton back for a bunch sprint. The pack crossed the line for a first time in Sisteron two minutes behind the four when Nils Politt decided to part with his companions and go for the stage on his own (16 km from the line). But Cousin caught him in Cote de la Marquise (km 146) to take four more points and bring his KOM tally to 25. The two spent more time fighting for positions than to secure their lead but maintained a 40 seconds gap until three kilometers from the line. It finally proved enough and Cousin, who saved some strength in the final kilometers, surged at the right moment to go for the sweetest victory in his career.

Complete Results:

165 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.670 km/hr

1	JÉRÔME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	3hr 57min 25sec
2	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	@ 2sec
3	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 00' 04''
4	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
5	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
6	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
7	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
8	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
9	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
10	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
11	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
12	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
13	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
14	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
15	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
16	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
17	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
18	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
19	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
20	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
21	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
22	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	s.t.
23	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
24	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
25	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
26	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
27	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	s.t.
28	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
29	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
30	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
31	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
32	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
33	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
34	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
35	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
36	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
37	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
38	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
39	JON IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
40	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
41	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
42	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
43	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
44	RICHARD ANTONIO CARAPAZ	MOVISTAR	s.t.
45	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
46	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
47	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
48	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
49	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
50	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
51	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
52	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
53	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
54	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
55	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
56	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
57	DELIO FERNANDEZ CRUZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
58	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
59	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
60	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
61	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
62	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	s.t.
63	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
64	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
65	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
66	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
67	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
68	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
69	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
70	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
71	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
72	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
73	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
74	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
75	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
76	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	s.t.
77	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
78	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
79	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
80	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 19''
81	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 01' 21''
82	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 01' 37''
83	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 44''
84	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
85	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 00' 04''
86	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
87	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	+ 02' 06''
88	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 00' 04''
89	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
90	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 02' 43''
91	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 02' 48''
92	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
93	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 54''
94	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 00' 04''
95	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 03' 43''
96	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
97	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
98	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 03' 51''
99	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 04' 26''
100	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 11''
101	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
102	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	+ 07' 41''
103	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
104	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
105	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
106	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
107	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
108	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
109	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
110	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
111	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
112	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 09' 10''
113	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
114	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
115	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
116	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
117	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
118	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 09' 38''
119	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 11' 36''
120	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
121	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
122	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
123	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
124	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
125	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
126	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
127	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
128	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
129	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
130	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
131	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	s.t.
132	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
133	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
134	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
135	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
136	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
137	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
138	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
139	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	s.t.
140	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
141	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
142	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
143	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 11' 44''

GC after Stage 5:

715.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 40.316 km/hr

1	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	17hr 45min 26sec
2	WOUT POELS	SKY	@ 15sec
3	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 26''
4	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
5	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 34''
6	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 35''
7	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 42''
8	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
9	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 00' 48''
10	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
11	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
12	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 54''
13	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 00' 57''
14	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	+ 01' 00''
15	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 01' 15''
16	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 19''
17	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 26''
18	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 01' 27''
19	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 29''
20	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 01' 30''
21	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 33''
22	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 36''
23	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 50''
24	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
25	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 56''
26	DELIO FERNANDEZ CRUZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 06''
27	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 11''
28	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	+ 02' 14''
29	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 02' 15''
30	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 02' 21''
31	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 02' 41''
32	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 02' 42''
33	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 02' 44''
34	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 02' 47''
35	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 55''
36	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 03' 00''
37	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 02''
38	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 17''
39	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 03' 26''
40	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 03' 28''
41	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 03' 40''
42	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 52''
43	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 53''
44	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	+ 04' 01''
45	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 04' 02''
46	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 04' 10''
47	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 04' 17''
48	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 04' 20''
49	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 21''
50	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 04' 29''
51	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	+ 04' 41''
52	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 05' 20''
53	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 05' 21''
54	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 05' 22''
55	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 05' 27''
56	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 05' 33''
57	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 05' 49''
58	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	+ 05' 58''
59	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 06' 01''
60	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 06' 11''
61	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 06' 23''
62	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 06' 54''
63	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 07' 13''
64	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 07' 24''
65	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	+ 08' 47''
66	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 09' 23''
67	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 09' 24''
68	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 09' 30''
69	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 09' 40''
70	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 09' 54''
71	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 10' 14''
72	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 10' 33''
73	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 10' 36''
74	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 10' 39''
75	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 10' 43''
76	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 11' 21''
77	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 11' 28''
78	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 12' 21''
79	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 12' 24''
80	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 12' 55''
81	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 13' 08''
82	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 13' 16''
83	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 13' 42''
84	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 14' 03''
85	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 14' 09''
86	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 14' 32''
87	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 14' 40''
88	JÉRÔME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 14' 50''
89	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 15' 18''
90	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 15' 19''
91	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 15' 35''
92	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 15' 38''
93	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 15' 39''
94	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 15' 42''
95	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 16' 02''
96	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 16' 17''
97	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 16' 25''
98	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 16' 37''
99	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 16' 39''
100	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 16' 47''
101	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 16' 50''
102	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 17' 06''
103	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 17' 09''
104	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 17' 43''
105	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 18' 16''
106	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 18' 19''
107	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 18' 21''
108	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 18' 43''
109	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 19' 21''
110	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 19' 29''
111	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	+ 19' 56''
112	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 20' 23''
113	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 20' 42''
114	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 20' 52''
115	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 20' 56''
116	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 21' 40''
117	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 22' 46''
118	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 22' 50''
119	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 23' 09''
120	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 23' 17''
121	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 24' 37''
122	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	+ 24' 42''
123	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 25' 09''
124	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 25' 15''
125	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 25' 23''
126	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 25' 33''
127	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 25' 53''
128	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 26' 29''
129	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	+ 26' 36''
130	IAN STANNARD	SKY	+ 26' 54''
131	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 27' 00''
132	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 27' 02''
133	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 27' 05''
134	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 27' 36''
135	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 27' 37''
136	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 27' 51''
137	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 27' 53''
138	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 28' 04''
139	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 28' 50''
140	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 29' 15''
141	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 32' 06''
142	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 32' 53''
143	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 33' 49''

Stage 5 profile:

---

Wednesday, March 7: Stage 4, La Fouillouse - St. Etienne, 18.4 km individual time trial
Stage 4 profile

Wout Poels was the day's fastest racer

Weather at St. Etienne at 1:50 PM, local time: Cloudy, 9C (48F) with the wind from the WSW at 18 km/hr (11 mph) with possible gusts to 25 km/hr (15 mph). The forecast calls for a 40% chance of showers in the late afternoon.

The race: Here's the organizer's stage summary:

Team Sky won five of the last six editions of Paris-Nice, and the British outfit showed, with Wout Poels's victory in Wednesday's 18.4-km individual time trial in St Etienne that they would still be a force to reckon with in this edition. But the Dutchman's brilliant effort in 25:33 was not enough for him to dislodge race leader Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana), who finished 7th, limited the damage and retained his yellow and white jersey for 15 seconds. France's Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step) took third place, both in the stage and in the GC, where he now lies 26 seconds behind Sanchez.

Ignatas Konovalovas (Groupama-FDJ), the first starter, finished in 29:55 and set the first reference time. He was quickly upstaged and the most impressive time by an early rider was clocked by Dylan Van Baarle (Sky) in 26:21, at an average speed of 41.89 kph. The mark lasted for an hour and half despite brave efforts by Thomas De Gendt (26:44), Australia road champion Alex Edmondson (26:42) or Colombia's Jarlinson Pantano (26:36). Dane Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) was fastest at the 8-km intermediate mark but faltered in the descent to finish eight seconds behind Van Baarle.

The changing weather made things even more difficult for riders as the descent was a slippery one but it didn't hamper the overall performance of Team Sky, which saw David de la Cruz dislodge his team-mate Van Baarle in 26:07 at an average speed of 42.271 kph. Winner of a time-trial in the Ruta del Sol earlier in the season, De La Cruz was narrowly beaten by Simon Yates in 26:06 but Team Sky regained the upper-hand when title-holder Sergio Henao also clocked 26:06 but beat the Briton by fractions of a second.

But the day belonged to another Team Sky rider, former Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner Wout Poels, who smashed the times of his rivals as well as the 26-minute mark in 25: 33 at an average speed of 43:20 kph. While the stage victory was out of reach, the contenders for overall victory battled it out to lose as little time as possible and maintain their overall chances. Spain's hopeful Marc Soler (Movistar) was an excellent second, 11 seconds adrift, while Julian Alaphilippe, winner of last year's time trial in Mont Brouilly, finished strongly to clinch third place in 25:49.

Luis Leon Sanchez retained his GC leadership.

Behind the leading trio, Germany's Felix Grossschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe) lost his white jersey to Soler but still finished a remarkable 4th in 25:53. Among the pre-race favourites, Sergio Henao (Team Sky) limited the damage in 10th place, 33 seconds behind his team-mate Poels. Belgium's Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), 8th today, Briton Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), who ended ninth, and his Colombian team-mate Esteban Chaves are all still in contention. France's Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale) lost 1:04 on Poels and lost most of his chances for overall victory while Dan Martin (UAE) was also disappointing in 34th place, 1:21 adrift.

Complete Results:

18.4 kilometers raced at an average speed of 43.209 km/hr

1	WOUT POELS	SKY	25min 33sec
2	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	@ 11sec
3	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 16''
4	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 20''
5	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 27''
6	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
7	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	+ 00' 28''
8	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 00' 29''
9	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 00' 33''
10	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
11	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
12	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 00' 34''
13	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 39''
14	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 00' 42''
15	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	+ 00' 45''
16	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 00' 48''
17	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 00' 56''
18	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
19	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 00''
20	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 03''
21	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 04''
22	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
23	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 08''
24	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	s.t.
25	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 01' 09''
26	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
27	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
28	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
29	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 11''
30	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
31	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 01' 14''
32	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 01' 15''
33	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 16''
34	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 21''
35	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 01' 25''
36	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 01' 29''
37	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 31''
38	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
39	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 01' 34''
40	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 35''
41	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 01' 37''
42	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 01' 40''
43	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 43''
44	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 01' 48''
45	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 01' 49''
46	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 50''
47	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
48	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 01' 51''
49	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	s.t.
50	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 53''
51	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 01' 54''
52	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 56''
53	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	+ 01' 59''
54	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 02' 00''
55	IAN STANNARD	SKY	+ 02' 01''
56	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
57	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 02' 02''
58	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
59	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 02' 03''
60	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
61	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 02' 07''
62	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	+ 02' 10''
63	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 02' 12''
64	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 02' 16''
65	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 17''
66	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
67	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 19''
68	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
69	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 02' 20''
70	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 02' 21''
71	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 22''
72	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 23''
73	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 24''
74	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 25''
75	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 02' 28''
76	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 02' 30''
77	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 02' 31''
78	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 34''
79	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 02' 36''
80	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 02' 37''
81	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 02' 38''
82	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 39''
83	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
84	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 42''
85	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 02' 47''
86	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 02' 48''
87	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 02' 49''
88	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	+ 02' 50''
89	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 02' 51''
90	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 02' 52''
91	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 02' 53''
92	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	s.t.
93	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
94	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
95	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 55''
96	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 02' 56''
97	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	+ 02' 57''
98	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 58''
99	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 59''
100	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
101	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 03' 04''
102	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 03' 05''
103	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 03' 10''
104	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 12''
105	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 03' 13''
106	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 03' 14''
107	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
108	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 03' 15''
109	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 17''
110	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 03' 22''
111	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 03' 23''
112	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
113	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
114	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 03' 25''
115	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 03' 28''
116	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 03' 29''
117	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
118	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 03' 33''
119	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 03' 39''
120	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 03' 41''
121	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 43''
122	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 03' 45''
123	CARLOS BARBERO CUESTA	MOVISTAR	+ 03' 48''
124	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 03' 50''
125	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 03' 54''
126	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
127	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 03' 58''
128	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
129	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 59''
130	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 04' 02''
131	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 04' 03''
132	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 04' 04''
133	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 04' 06''
134	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 04' 09''
135	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
136	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 04' 10''
137	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 04' 13''
138	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 04' 15''
139	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 04' 22''
140	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 04' 28''
141	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 04' 30''
142	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 04' 32''
143	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 04' 36''
144	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 04' 37''
145	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 04' 42''
146	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
147	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 46''
148	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 05' 08''
149	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 05' 26''
150	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 05' 34''

GC after Stage 4:

550.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 39.923 km/hr

1	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	13hr 47min 57sec
2	WOUT POELS	SKY	@ 15sec
3	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 26''
4	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
5	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 34''
6	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 35''
7	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 42''
8	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
9	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	+ 00' 48''
10	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
11	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
12	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 54''
13	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 00' 57''
14	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	+ 01' 00''
15	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 01' 15''
16	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 19''
17	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 26''
18	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	+ 01' 27''
19	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 29''
20	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 01' 30''
21	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 33''
22	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 36''
23	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 01' 44''
24	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 50''
25	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
26	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 56''
27	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 02' 03''
28	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 06''
29	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 02' 09''
30	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 11''
31	RICHARD ANTONIO CARAPAZ	MOVISTAR	+ 02' 14''
32	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 02' 15''
33	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 02' 21''
34	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	+ 02' 22''
35	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 02' 41''
36	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 02' 42''
37	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 02' 44''
38	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 02' 47''
39	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 02' 52''
40	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 02' 55''
41	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 03' 00''
42	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 02''
43	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 03' 08''
44	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 16''
45	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 17''
46	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 03' 27''
47	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 03' 28''
48	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 03' 40''
49	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 42''
50	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 46''
51	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 52''
52	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 03' 53''
53	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	+ 04' 01''
54	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 04' 04''
55	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 04' 06''
56	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 04' 07''
57	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 04' 10''
58	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 04' 17''
59	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 04' 20''
60	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 21''
61	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 04' 29''
62	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	+ 04' 41''
63	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 05' 18''
64	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 05' 20''
65	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	+ 05' 21''
66	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 05' 27''
67	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 05' 33''
68	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 05' 49''
69	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	+ 05' 58''
70	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 06' 01''
71	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 06' 23''
72	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 06' 28''
73	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 06' 29''
74	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 06' 32''
75	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 06' 47''
76	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 06' 53''
77	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 06' 58''
78	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 06' 59''
79	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 07' 11''
80	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 07' 24''
81	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 07' 27''
82	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 07' 41''
83	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	+ 08' 24''
84	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 08' 41''
85	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 08' 43''
86	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	+ 08' 47''
87	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 08' 56''
88	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 09' 20''
89	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 09' 23''
90	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 09' 24''
91	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
92	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 09' 54''
93	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 10' 08''
94	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 10' 24''
95	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 10' 33''
96	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 10' 39''
97	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 10' 43''
98	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	+ 10' 44''
99	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 11' 45''
100	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 12' 21''
101	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 12' 24''
102	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 12' 55''
103	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 13' 05''
104	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 13' 37''
105	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 13' 42''
106	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 13' 47''
107	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 13' 51''
108	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 14' 01''
109	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 14' 03''
110	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
111	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 14' 29''
112	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 15' 02''
113	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 15' 06''
114	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 15' 19''
115	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 15' 30''
116	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 15' 42''
117	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
118	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 16' 04''
119	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 16' 21''
120	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 16' 25''
121	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 16' 32''
122	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 16' 37''
123	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 16' 39''
124	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 16' 44''
125	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 16' 47''
126	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 17' 00''
127	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 17' 06''
128	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 17' 09''
129	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 17' 18''
130	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 17' 38''
131	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 17' 39''
132	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 17' 43''
133	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
134	IAN STANNARD	SKY	+ 17' 48''
135	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 18' 11''
136	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 18' 52''
137	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 18' 53''
138	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	+ 18' 59''
139	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 19' 23''
140	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 19' 29''
141	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
142	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 20' 14''
143	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 21' 21''
144	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 21' 58''
145	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 22' 17''
146	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	+ 22' 40''
147	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 22' 50''
148	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 24' 47''
149	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 28' 27''
150	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 28' 40''

Stage 4 profile:

---

Tuesday, March 6: Stage 3, Bourges - Chatel Guyon, 210 km
Stage 3 profile

Jonathan Hivert wins stage three, just ahead of new GC leader Luis Leon Sanchez

Rated ascents:

• Km 123 - Cote de la Bosse (3rd cat)
• Km 143.5 - Cote des Boulards (3rd cat)
• Km 188 - Cote de Charbonnieres (3rd cat)

Weather at the start city of Bourges at 2:00 PM local time. Mostly cloudy, 12C (53F) with the wind from the SW at 18 km/hr (11 mph). 50% chance of showers.

The race: Two riders called it quits in the feed zone (km 86): Ireland's Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), winner of a stage in Chalons-sur-Saone last year, and Germany's Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb), 4th in stage 2.

Here's the organizer's stage summary:

Evergreen Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez, crowned on the Race to the Sun in 2009, showed he was still a force to reckon with when he seized the Paris-Nice overall lead at the end of stage 3 in Chatel-Guyon, won by his breakaway companion Jonathan Hivert of France (Direct Energie). Another Frenchman, Remy Di Gregorio (Delko Marseille Provence), who launched the decisive three-man move with 13 km to go, finished third on the line. The peloton, led by yellow jersey holder Arnaud Demare, finished 38 seconds adrift. Sanchez now leads stage 1 winner Demare by 29 seconds overall with fellow-Spaniard Gorka Izagirre third 36 seconds off the pace.

Three-man break
The start was given at 11:26 to 152 riders. Jay Thomson (Dimension Data), Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie) and Przemyslaw Kasperkiewicz (Delko Marseille Provence) broke clear from the start and quickly took a commanding lead, which topped at 7:35 at kilometer 80. The gap was already over seven minutes when the three reached the first intermediate sprint of the day at Le Brethon (km 61), won by Thomson ahead of Kaperciewicz and Grellier. At the feed zone (Km 86), two riders called it quits: Ireland's Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), winner of a stage in Chalon-sur-Saone last year, and Germany's Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb), 4th in stage 2.

KOM battle
But the main goal of the day for the three escapees was the KOM jersey. And  Grellier proved the fastest on the 3rd category Cote de la Bosse (km 123) ahead of Kasperciewicz and Thomson. The gap started diminishing and it was down to 3:45 when the trio tackled Cote des Boulards. On the ascent, Grellier went on his own to chase more KOM points and snatched four more at the top, with a 50 seconds lead over his two former companions. Alexander Kristoff  (UAE) was the first printer to lose ground on the day's hilly terrain while third-placed Christophe Laporte was seen struggling with stomach pain at the back of the peloton.  

Alaphilippe attacks
On the long flat towards Cote de Charbonnieres, Grellier lost his momentum and the young Frenchman was run down after 174 km. With 25 km to go, 2 km before the top of Cote de Charbonnieres, Julian Alaphilippe launched a blistering attack. Only Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) managed to stay with him. At the top of the climb, the two were joined by Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), who later went on on his own as a group of favorites was shaping up in the chase.

The break that went the distance. Jonathan Hivert leads Remy Di Gregorio & Luis Leon Sanchez. Photo ASO/Alex Broadway.

Three battle it out for stage win
In the last 15 kilometers, after a first junction involving all the favorites, Remy Di Gregorio (Delko Marseille Provence), Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Jonathan Hivert (Direct Energie) broke clear and joined forces to power their way towards the line. The favorites group, including title holder Sergio Henao, found themselves 30 seconds back while the bunch with Arnaud Demare was limiting the damage, a further ten seconds adrift. When the pack finally regrouped with eight kilometers to go, the three escapees had taken a solid 50-seconds lead. The stage was set for them to battle it out and while Di Gregorio, the slowest of the trio, launched three brave but vain attacks, Hivert made his effort last to clinch his fourth win of the season after two stages and the GC at the Tour du Haut Var.

Luis Leon Sanchez is the new GC leader. Bettini photo

Complete Results:

210 kilometers raced at an average speed of 39.031 km/hr

1	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	5hr 22min 49sec
2	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	@ 1sec
3	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
4	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 00' 38''
5	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
6	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
7	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
8	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
9	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
10	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
11	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
12	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
13	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
14	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
15	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
16	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
17	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
18	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
19	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
20	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
21	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
22	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
23	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	s.t.
24	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
25	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
26	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
27	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
28	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
29	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
30	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
31	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
32	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
33	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
34	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
35	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
36	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
37	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
38	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
39	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
40	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
41	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
42	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
43	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
44	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	s.t.
45	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
46	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
47	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
48	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
49	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
50	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
51	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
52	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
53	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
54	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
55	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
56	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
57	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
58	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
59	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
60	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
61	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
62	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
63	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
64	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
65	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
66	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
67	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
68	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
69	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
70	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
71	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
72	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
73	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
74	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 17''
75	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 37''
76	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 01' 41''
77	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 01' 47''
78	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 02' 20''
79	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 02' 48''
80	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 03' 31''
81	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 05' 16''
82	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
83	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
84	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
85	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
86	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
87	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
88	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	s.t.
89	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
90	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
91	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
92	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
93	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
94	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
95	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
96	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
97	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
98	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
99	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
100	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
101	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
102	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
103	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
104	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
105	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
106	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
107	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
108	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
109	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
110	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 10' 03''
111	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
112	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
113	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
114	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
115	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
116	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 11' 18''
117	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
118	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
119	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
120	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
121	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	s.t.
122	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
123	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
124	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
125	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
126	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
127	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
128	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
129	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	s.t.
130	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
131	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
132	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
133	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
134	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
135	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
136	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
137	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
138	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
139	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
140	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
141	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
142	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 15' 18''
143	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
144	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
145	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
146	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
147	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
148	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
149	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	s.t.
150	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 17' 59''

GC after Stage 3:

532.5 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 39.841 km/hr

1	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	13hr 21min 56sec
2	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	@ 28sec
3	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 35''
4	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 38''
5	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 00' 41''
6	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
7	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
8	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 43''
9	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
10	JON IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
11	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
12	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
13	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
14	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
15	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
16	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
17	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
18	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
19	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
20	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
21	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
22	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
23	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
24	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
25	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
26	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
27	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
28	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
29	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
30	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
31	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 00' 52''
32	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 00' 59''
33	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
34	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 01' 01''
35	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 01' 04''
36	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
37	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 01' 07''
38	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 01' 09''
39	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 01' 12''
40	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 15''
41	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
42	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
43	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 22''
44	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
45	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 34''
46	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 36''
47	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 40''
48	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
49	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
50	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 44''
51	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 01' 47''
52	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 02' 00''
53	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 02' 07''
54	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
55	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 02' 11''
56	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	+ 02' 16''
57	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
58	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 02' 19''
59	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
60	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
61	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
62	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
63	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
64	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 21''
65	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 02' 40''
66	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 02' 58''
67	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 03' 25''
68	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 03' 29''
69	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
70	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
71	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
72	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
73	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 04' 05''
74	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 04' 13''
75	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 04' 29''
76	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 04' 58''
77	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 05' 14''
78	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	+ 05' 21''
79	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
80	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
81	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 05' 30''
82	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 05' 36''
83	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 05' 40''
84	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 05' 47''
85	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	+ 05' 53''
86	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 05' 58''
87	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 06' 38''
88	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 06' 45''
89	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 06' 51''
90	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 06' 55''
91	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 06' 56''
92	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 06' 57''
93	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 07' 23''
94	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 07' 40''
95	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 07' 53''
96	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	+ 08' 07''
97	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
98	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 08' 43''
99	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 09' 08''
100	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 09' 35''
101	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 09' 47''
102	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 10' 24''
103	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 10' 31''
104	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 10' 39''
105	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 10' 52''
106	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 11' 06''
107	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	+ 11' 12''
108	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 11' 23''
109	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 11' 34''
110	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 11' 39''
111	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	+ 11' 44''
112	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 12' 23''
113	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 12' 39''
114	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 12' 54''
115	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
116	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 12' 59''
117	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 13' 10''
118	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 13' 25''
119	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 13' 30''
120	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 13' 36''
121	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 13' 45''
122	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 14' 01''
123	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 14' 03''
124	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 14' 08''
125	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 14' 09''
126	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
127	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
128	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
129	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 14' 35''
130	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 14' 55''
131	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 15' 10''
132	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 15' 18''
133	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 15' 22''
134	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 15' 42''
135	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 15' 55''
136	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 16' 15''
137	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
138	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
139	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 16' 27''
140	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 16' 35''
141	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	+ 18' 06''
142	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 18' 09''
143	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
144	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 18' 12''
145	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 18' 45''
146	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 19' 08''
147	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	+ 20' 15''
148	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 21' 16''
149	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 24' 00''
150	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 24' 33''

Stage 3 profile:

---

Monday, March 5: Stage 2, Orsonville - Vierzon, 187.5 km
Stage 2 profile

Dylan Groenewegen wins stage two

Weather at the finish city of Vierzon at 2:00PM, local time: Fair, 13C (55F) with the wind from the south at 10 km/hr (6 mph). Rain before the stage finish is unlikely.

The race: Here's the organizer's telling of the day's racing.

Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen overpowered the other leading sprinters of the season to snatch his first stage win on Paris-Nice on Vierzon on Monday. The Lotto-Jumbo fast man easily upstaged Elia Viviani to equal the Italian's tally of five victories this season. Germany's Andre Greipel was third ahead of compatriot Phil Bauhaus and overall leader Arnaud Demare, who retained his leader's yellow and white jersey. The Frenchman leads compatriot Julian Alaphilippe by 10 seconds overall.

Rui Costa gives up
The start was given at 12:05 to 153 riders. Tejay Van Garderen, injured after crashing into a car in Sunday's stage, had been the first rider to give up. Twenty-five kilometres down the road, Portugal's Rui Costa also called it quits. His knee-cap injured in a crash in stage 1, the former world champion, second in Paris-Nice in 2014, was unable to go any further. Still the first hour of the stage was ridden at the slow pace of 33 kph.

Six on the move
The first sprint of the day in Patay (km 63.5) allowed Arnaud Demare to strengthen his yellow-and-white jersey. The Frenchman outsprinted compatriots Julian Alaphilippe and Christophe Laporte to stretch his overall lead over Spain's Gorka Izagirre to seven seconds. As the pace increased slightly at 34.4 kph, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) decided to shake the pack by surging at kilometre 94. He was quickly followed by five other riders, Manuele Boaro (Bahrain-Mérida), Tiago Machado (Katusha), Oliver Naesen (AG2R), Anthony  Delaplace (Fortuneo) and Lars Boom (Lotto-Jumbo). The gap settled at 40 seconds.

Two left
Groupama-FDJ, Cofidis and Quick Step led a frantic chase and four of the escapees were reined in at kilometer 122 while Machado and Boaro kept trying. The peloton eased up and the pair found themselves 50 seconds ahead with 50 km to go and 3:00 up five kilometers later. But as the pace kept increasing (47.2 in the fourth hour), their momentum was gradually broken and the bunch kept accelerating in the last 30 km, when Christophe Laporte suffered a mechanical and was brought back by Nicolas Edet.

Stage set for bunch sprint
Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Tim Declercq(Quick Step) and Tom Leezer (Lotto-Jumbo) took turns at the front of the bunch, working for their sprinters Andre Greipel, Elia Viviani and Dylan Groenewegen. And their work quietly paid off. While Machado beat Boaro in the second intermediate sprint (km 173.5), Julian Alpahilippe took third place, 25 seconds behind. And the pack played cat and mouse with the two escapees until the last four kilometers, when it finally reeled them in.

Groenewegen too strong
The Quick Step team-mates of Elia Viviani seized the reins in the last two kilometers after series of winding turns, but their train split in the final kilometer, leaving Julian Alaphilippe alone in the lead. As a result, Viviani's lead-out was not ideal and the Italian could not react when Groenewegen went up a gear and powered his way to the finish line for one of his greatest victories to date after his Tour de France stage win on the Champs-Elysees last year. 

Complete Results:

187.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 38.591 km/hr

1	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	4hr 51min 31sec
2	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
3	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
4	PHIL BAUHAUS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
5	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
6	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
7	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
8	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
9	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
10	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
11	SAM BENNETT	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
12	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	s.t.
13	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
14	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
15	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
16	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
17	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
18	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
19	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
20	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
21	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
22	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
23	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
24	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
25	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
26	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
27	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
28	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	s.t.
29	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
30	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
31	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
32	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
33	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
34	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
35	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
36	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
37	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
38	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
39	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
40	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
41	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
42	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
43	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
44	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
45	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
46	RICHARD ANTONIO CARAPAZ	MOVISTAR	s.t.
47	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
48	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
49	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
50	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
51	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
52	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
53	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
54	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
55	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
56	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
57	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
58	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
59	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
60	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR	s.t.
61	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
62	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
63	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
64	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
65	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
66	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
67	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
68	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
69	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
70	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
71	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
72	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
73	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
74	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
75	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
76	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
77	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
78	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
79	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
80	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
81	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
82	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
83	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
84	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
85	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
86	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
87	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
88	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
89	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
90	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
91	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
92	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
93	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	s.t.
94	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
95	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
96	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	s.t.
97	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
98	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
99	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
100	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
101	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
102	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
103	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
104	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
105	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
106	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
107	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
108	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
109	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
110	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
111	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	s.t.
112	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
113	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
114	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
115	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
116	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
117	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
118	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
119	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
120	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 00' 44''
121	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
122	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 00' 46''
123	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
124	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 49''
125	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 00' 52''
126	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 00' 57''
127	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 00' 58''
128	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	s.t.
129	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
130	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 01''
131	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
132	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	s.t.
133	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
134	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
135	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 01' 04''
136	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
137	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 01' 07''
138	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 01' 09''
139	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
140	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 01' 28''
141	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 01' 53''
142	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 02' 06''
143	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	s.t.
144	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
145	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
146	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
147	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 02' 59''
148	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
149	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 09''
150	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
151	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 03' 15''
152	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 31''

GC after Stage 2:

322.5 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 40.401 km/hr

1	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	7hr 58min 57sec
2	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	@ 7sec
3	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 00' 08''
4	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 10''
5	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 00' 13''
6	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
7	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 00' 15''
8	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
9	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
10	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
11	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
12	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
13	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
14	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
15	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
16	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
17	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
18	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
19	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
20	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
21	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
22	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
23	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
24	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
25	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
26	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
27	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
28	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
29	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
30	RICHARD ANTONIO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
31	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
32	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
33	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
34	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
35	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
36	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 00' 24''
37	IVAN GARCIA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 31''
38	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
39	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 00' 33''
40	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 34''
41	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 00' 36''
42	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
43	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 39''
44	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	+ 00' 41''
45	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
46	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 44''
47	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 00' 47''
48	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
49	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
50	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
51	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 00' 52''
52	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 00' 54''
53	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
54	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
55	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 06''
56	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 08''
57	JESUS HERRADA LOPEZ	COFIDIS	+ 01' 12''
58	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
59	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
60	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
61	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 16''
62	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 19''
63	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
64	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
65	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	+ 01' 32''
66	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
67	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 39''
68	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
69	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
70	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 43''
71	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 45''
72	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 46''
73	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 48''
74	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 01' 49''
75	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 01' 51''
76	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
77	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
78	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
79	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
80	JOSE HERRADA	COFIDIS	s.t.
81	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
82	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
83	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
84	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
85	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
86	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 02' 02''
87	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 02' 28''
88	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 02' 30''
89	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
90	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	+ 02' 34''
91	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 02' 37''
92	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 02' 47''
93	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 02' 55''
94	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 02' 57''
95	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 03' 01''
96	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
97	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
98	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
99	OMAR FRAILE MATARRANZ	ASTANA	s.t.
100	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
101	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
102	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
103	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
104	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
105	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
106	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
107	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
108	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
109	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
110	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
111	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
112	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 03' 27''
113	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
114	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
115	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
116	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
117	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 03' 45''
118	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 03' 47''
119	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 51''
120	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 03' 59''
121	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
122	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 04' 02''
123	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
124	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
125	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 04' 08''
126	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	+ 04' 10''
127	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 04' 14''
128	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 04' 29''
129	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 04' 34''
130	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 41''
131	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 04' 46''
132	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 04' 47''
133	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	+ 05' 07''
134	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
135	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
136	DAVID LOPEZ	SKY	s.t.
137	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 05' 18''
138	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	+ 05' 19''
139	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 05' 25''
140	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 05' 27''
141	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 05' 33''
142	SAM BENNETT	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 05' 35''
143	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 46''
144	PHIL BAUHAUS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 48''
145	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 06' 00''
146	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	+ 06' 10''
147	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 06' 28''
148	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 07' 04''
149	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 07' 33''
150	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 08' 19''
151	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 08' 52''
152	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 09' 25''

Stage 2 profile:

---

Sunday, March 4: Stage 1, Chatou - Meudon, 134.5 km
Stage 1 profile

Arnaud Demare (center) just wins stage one in a photo-finish.

Weather at the finish city of Meudon at 1:50 PM, local time: Rain. 7C (44F) with the wind from the Southeast at 8 km/hr (5mph). It should rain all day, meaning the finish will be on a 500 meter stretch of wet cobbles.

The race: 154 riders started.

Here's the organizer's stage summary:

Already winner and first leader of Paris-Nice a year ago, French champion Arnaud Demare repeated the feat in Meudon but in a rather different finale. The Groupama-FDJ team leader, who held the Race to the sun's Yellow Jersey for several days in 2017, was not among the real favorites before the start in Chatou, 135 km up the road, as the finale was steep and cobbled, but he finally upstaged Spain's Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) and compatriot Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) in nail-biting final sprint. Belgium's Tim Wellens was a close fourth.

Three in the lead
The start was given to 154 riders at 13h42 in the pouring rain. On the gun, Jurgen Roelandts (BMC), Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo) and Pierre Rolland (Education First-Drapac) moved ahead and their lead quickly grew (1:40 at kilometer 10). At the first intermediate sprint of the day in Les Mesnuls (km 33), the gap reached its maximum of 3:35. Roelandts snatched three points and three seconds ahead of Rolland and Perichon. After the sprint, as the pack gathered momentum under the guidance of Julian Alaphilippe's Quick Step and Groupama-FDJ's Arnaud Demare team-mates, the gap kept decreasing.

Gap decreases
As they tackled the first climb of the day, the 3rd category Cote des 17 Tournants (Km 79), their lead had gone down to 1:05 as Perichon led the way, followed by Rolland and Roelandts. The result on Cote de Meridon (km 85) was exactly the same, handing Perichon the first KOM jersey in this edition of the Race to the sun. The gap went up a bit as the three reached the plaque dedicated to Jacques Anquetil at Chateaufort (km 96) for a sprint again won by Roelandts ahead of Rolland and Perichon.

Van Garderen out
As the pace raised, a crash at kilometer 100 involved four riders, including American pre-race favorite Tejay Van Garderen (BMC), who was forced to call it quits. With 20 km to go, the three seemed to give up the fight but the peloton took its time to close the gap and only caught the escapees at km 121. Mitchelton-Scott, Astana and Lotto-Soudal took turns in the final 10 km leading to the Meudon observatory. A crash, involving Ilnur Zakarin and Jakob Fuglsang, took place shortly before the last climb when France's Alexis Vuillermoz surged.

Demare in unusual fashion
The AG2R rider, winner of a similar stage in Mur de Bretagne on the Tour de France two years ago, seemed to have the upper hand but he faltered in the long cobbled last stretch and was overtaken by the front of the bunch, led by Gorka Izagirre, who battled it out with Demare, Laporte and Wellens. Demare threw his bike to the line in despair and the outcome was so close that the four top finishers had to wait for the photo-finish to discover who had actually won. The laurels went to an elated Demare.  

Complete Results:

134.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 43.006 km/hr

1	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	3hr 7min 39sec
2	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
3	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	s.t.
4	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
5	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
6	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
7	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	@ 2sec
8	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
9	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
10	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
11	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
12	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
13	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
14	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
15	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
16	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
17	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
18	DELIO FERNANDEZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
19	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
20	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
21	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
22	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
23	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
24	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
25	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
26	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
27	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
28	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
29	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
30	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
31	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
32	RICHARD ANTONIO CARAPAZ	MOVISTAR	s.t.
33	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
34	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
35	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
36	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
37	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 00' 11''
38	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 18''
39	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
40	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 00' 20''
41	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 00' 23''
42	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
43	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 27''
44	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 28''
45	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	s.t.
46	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
47	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 31''
48	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	+ 00' 34''
49	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
50	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
51	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
52	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
53	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 00' 39''
54	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 00' 41''
55	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
56	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
57	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 00' 53''
58	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 00' 55''
59	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 00' 59''
60	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
61	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
62	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
63	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 06''
64	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
65	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
66	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 01' 17''
67	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 19''
68	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
69	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
70	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 26''
71	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
72	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 28''
73	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
74	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 30''
75	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 32''
76	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 01' 33''
77	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
78	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 01' 36''
79	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 01' 38''
80	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
81	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
82	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
83	JOSE HERRADA LOPEZ	COFIDIS	s.t.
84	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
85	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
86	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
87	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
88	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
89	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
90	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
91	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
92	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 49''
93	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 02' 21''
94	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
95	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 02' 48''
96	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
97	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
98	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
99	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
100	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
101	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
102	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
103	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
104	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
105	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
106	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
107	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
108	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
109	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
110	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
111	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
112	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
113	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
114	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
115	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
116	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
117	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
118	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
119	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	s.t.
120	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
121	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
122	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
123	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
124	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
125	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
126	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	s.t.
127	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
128	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 03' 24''
129	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
130	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
131	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
132	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
133	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
134	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
135	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
136	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 40''
137	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 03' 46''
138	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 04' 01''
139	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 08''
140	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
141	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
142	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 04' 11''
143	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 04' 36''
144	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 05' 05''
145	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 05' 14''
146	SAM BENNETT	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 05' 22''
147	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 33''
148	PHIL BAUHAUS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 35''
149	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 06' 05''
150	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 06' 13''
151	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
152	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 06' 15''
153	RUI ALBERTO FARIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 17' 33''

GC after Stage 1:

1	ARNAUD DEMARE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	3hr 7min 29sec
2	GORKA IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 04''
3	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	COFIDIS	+ 00' 06''
4	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 00' 10''
5	MIKE TEUNISSEN	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
6	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
7	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 12''
8	DYLAN TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
9	MATTEO TRENTIN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
10	JON IZAGIRRE	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
11	TONY GALLOPIN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
12	CARLOS BARBERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
13	ROBERT GESINK	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
14	SIMON YATES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
15	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
16	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
17	DANIEL MARTIN	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
18	DELIO FERNANDEZ CRUZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
19	ROMAN KREUZIGER	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
20	LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
21	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ	ASTANA	s.t.
22	WOUT POELS	SKY	s.t.
23	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
24	MARC SOLER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
25	HEINRICH HAUSSLER	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
26	LILIAN CALMEJANE	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
27	CYRIL GAUTIER	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
28	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	SKY	s.t.
29	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
30	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
31	THOMAS BOUDAT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
32	RICHARD ANTONIO CARAPAZ	MOVISTAR	s.t.
33	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
34	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
35	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
36	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	ASTANA	s.t.
37	NATNAEL BERHANE	DIMENSION DATA	+ 00' 21''
38	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 28''
39	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI	BMC	s.t.
40	SAM OOMEN	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 00' 30''
41	TIMO ROOSEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 00' 33''
42	DRIES DEVENYNS	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
43	ELIA VIVIANI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 00' 37''
44	MANUELE BOARO	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 00' 38''
45	DAVID DE LA CRUZ	SKY	s.t.
46	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
47	PAWEL POLJANSKI	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 00' 41''
48	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER	DIMENSION DATA	+ 00' 44''
49	MATTI BRESCHEL	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
50	WARREN BARGUIL	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
51	JULIEN EL FARES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
52	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
53	ANGELO TULIK	DIRECT ENERGIE	+ 00' 49''
54	MAXIME BOUET	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 00' 51''
55	ROMAIN COMBAUD	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
56	KOEN DE KORT	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
57	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 03''
58	JARLINSON PANTANO	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 05''
59	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	+ 01' 09''
60	AMAEL MOINARD	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
61	LAURENT PICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	s.t.
62	REMY DI GREGORIO	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
63	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 01' 16''
64	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
65	BENJAMIN KING	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
66	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA	+ 01' 27''
67	MARCO HALLER	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 29''
68	PAVEL KOCHETKOV	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
69	DIEGO ROSA	SKY	s.t.
70	KEVIN LEDANOIS	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 36''
71	IAN BOSWELL	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
72	GREGORY RAST	TREK-SEGAFREDO	+ 01' 38''
73	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
74	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 01' 40''
75	NILS POLITT	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 01' 42''
76	BERT VAN LERBERGHE	COFIDIS	+ 01' 43''
77	MATHEW HAYMAN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	s.t.
78	DAYER QUINTANA	MOVISTAR	+ 01' 46''
79	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	ASTANA	+ 01' 48''
80	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA	s.t.
81	AXEL DOMONT	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
82	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
83	JOSE HERRADA LOPEZ	COFIDIS	s.t.
84	RYAN GIBBONS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
85	TIAGO MACHADO	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	s.t.
86	SERGE PAUWELS	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
87	SIMON GERRANS	BMC	s.t.
88	NICOLAS ROCHE	BMC	s.t.
89	RAMON SINKELDAM	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
90	MARKEL IRIZAR	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
91	JACOPO GUARNIERI	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
92	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 01' 59''
93	ANDRÉ GREIPEL	LOTTO-SOUDAL	+ 02' 31''
94	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER	BMC	s.t.
95	JURGEN ROELANDTS	BMC	+ 02' 52''
96	PIERRE ROLLAND	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 02' 54''
97	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA	+ 02' 58''
98	THOMAS DE GENDT	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
99	STIJN VANDENBERGH	AG2R LA MONDIALE	s.t.
100	HECTOR CARRETERO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
101	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
102	JOHANN VAN ZYL	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
103	LARS BAK YTTING	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
104	JELLE WALLAYS	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
105	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO	MOVISTAR	s.t.
106	OLIVIERO TROIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
107	BEN SWIFT	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
108	IAN STANNARD	SKY	s.t.
109	FABIEN GRELLIER	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
110	LOUIS VERVAEKE	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
111	RORY SUTHERLAND	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
112	MITCHELL DOCKER	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
113	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
114	BRENTON JONES	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
115	CYRIL LEMOINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
116	JONATHAN HIVERT	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
117	ROY CURVERS	TEAM SUNWEB	s.t.
118	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
119	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE	s.t.
120	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA	s.t.
121	DAVID LOPEZ GARCIA	SKY	s.t.
122	MICKAEL DELAGE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
123	JAY ROBERT THOMSON	DIMENSION DATA	s.t.
124	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
125	DANIEL MCLAY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
126	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	s.t.
127	JEROME COUSIN	DIRECT ENERGIE	s.t.
128	JURAJ SAGAN	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 03' 34''
129	ERIK BASKA	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
130	MARCEL SIEBERG	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
131	JASPER DE BUYST	LOTTO-SOUDAL	s.t.
132	ANTONIO NIBALI	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	s.t.
133	FABIO SABATINI	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
134	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
135	THOMAS LEEZER	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
136	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	FORTUNEO-SAMSIC	+ 03' 48''
137	NICOLAS EDET	COFIDIS	+ 03' 56''
138	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 04' 11''
139	PAUL MARTENS	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	+ 04' 18''
140	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	SKY	s.t.
141	LARS BOOM	LOTTO NL-JUMBO	s.t.
142	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN	MITCHELTON-SCOTT	+ 04' 21''
143	TOM SCULLY	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC	+ 04' 46''
144	NACER BOUHANNI	COFIDIS	+ 05' 15''
145	ILNUR ZAKARIN	KATUSHA-ALPECIN	+ 05' 24''
146	SAM BENNETT	BORA-HANSGROHE	+ 05' 32''
147	EDWARD THEUNS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 43''
148	PHIL BAUHAUS	TEAM SUNWEB	+ 05' 45''
149	MICHAEL MORKOV	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	+ 06' 15''
150	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	+ 06' 23''
151	TIM DECLERCQ	QUICK-STEP FLOORS	s.t.
152	LUKA PIBERNIK	BAHRAIN-MERIDA	+ 06' 25''
153	RUI ALBERTO FARIA	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES	+ 17' 43''

Stage 1 profile:

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Start list with back numbers, March 3, 2018:

	SKY
1	SERGIO LUIS HENAO
2	DAVID DE LA CRUZ
3	DAVID LOPEZ
4	WOUT POELS
5	DIEGO ROSA
6	IAN STANNARD
7	DYLAN VAN BAARLE
	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES
11	DANIEL MARTIN
12	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM
13	RUI ALBERTO FARIA
14	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF
15	RORY SUTHERLAND
16	BEN SWIFT
17	OLIVIERO TROIA
	BAHRAIN - MERIDA
21	GORKA IZAGIRRE
22	MANUELE BOARO
23	IVAN GARCIA
24	HEINRICH HAUSSLER
25	JON IZAGIRRE
26	ANTONIO NIBALI
27	LUKA PIBERNIK
	QUICK - STEP FLOORS
31	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE
32	TIM DECLERCQ
33	DRIES DEVENYNS
34	YVES LAMPAERT
35	MICHAEL MORKOV
36	FABIO SABATINI
37	ELIA VIVIANI
	KATUSHA-ALPECIN
41	ILNUR ZAKARIN
42	IAN BOSWELL
43	MARCO HALLER
44	PAVEL KOCHETKOV
45	MAURITS LAMMERTINK
46	TIAGO MACHADO
47	NILS POLITT
	MITCHELTON - SCOTT
51	SIMON YATES
52	JOHAN ESTEBAN CHAVES
53	ALEXANDER EDMONDSON
54	MATHEW HAYMAN
55	CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN
56	ROMAN KREUZIGER
57	MATTEO TRENTIN
	AG2R LA MONDIALE
61	TONY GALLOPIN
62	MIKAEL CHEREL
63	AXEL DOMONT
64	CYRIL GAUTIER
65	OLIVER NAESEN
66	STIJN VANDENBERGH
67	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ
	BMC RACING TEAM
71	TEJAY VAN GARDEREN
72	ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI
73	JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER
74	SIMON GERRANS
75	NICOLAS ROCHE
76	JURGEN ROELANDTS
77	DYLAN TEUNS
	TREK-SEGAFREDO
81	BAUKE MOLLEMA
82	JULIEN BERNARD
83	KOEN DE KORT
84	JOHN DEGENKOLB
85	MARKEL IRIZAR
86	JARLINSON PANTANO
87	GREGORY RAST
	ASTANA PRO TEAM
91	JAKOB FUGLSANG
92	OMAR FRAILE
93	DMITRIY GRUZDEV
94	HUGO HOULE
95	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN
96	LUIS LEÓN SANCHEZ
97	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN
	LOTTO-SOUDAL
101	TIM WELLENS
102	LARS BAK YTTING
103	JASPER DE BUYST
104	THOMAS DE GENDT
105	ANDRÉ GREIPEL
106	MARCEL SIEBERG
107	JELLE WALLAYS
	GROUPAMA-FDJ
111	ARNAUD DEMARE
112	MICKAEL DELAGE
113	JACOPO GUARNIERI
114	IGNATAS KONOVALOVAS
115	OLIVIER LE GAC
116	RUDY MOLARD
117	RAMON SINKELDAM
	MOVISTAR TEAM
121	CARLOS BARBERO
122	RICHARD ANTONIO
123	HECTOR CARRETERO
124	IMANOL ERVITI OLLO
125	DAYER QUINTANA
126	EDUARDO SEPULVEDA
127	MARC SOLER
	TEAM FORTUNEO-SAMSIC
131	WARREN BARGUIL
132	MAXIME BOUET
133	ANTHONY DELAPLACE
134	KEVIN LEDANOIS
135	AMAEL MOINARD
136	PIERRE LUC PERICHON
137	LAURENT PICHON
	TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO
141	ROBERT GESINK
142	LARS BOOM
143	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN
144	AMUND GRONDAL JANSEN
145	THOMAS LEEZER
146	PAUL MARTENS
147	TIMO ROOSEN
	TEAM SUNWEB
151	SAM OOMEN
152	PHIL BAUHAUS
153	ROY CURVERS
154	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON
155	MIKE TEUNISSEN
156	EDWARD THEUNS
157	LOUIS VERVAEKE
	COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
161	JESUS HERRADA
162	NACER BOUHANNI
163	NICOLAS EDET
164	JOSE HERRADA
165	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE
166	CYRIL LEMOINE
167	BERT VAN LERBERGHE
	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC
171	PIERRE ROLLAND
172	MATTI BRESCHEL
173	LAWSON CRADDOCK
174	MITCHELL DOCKER
175	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD
176	DANIEL MCLAY
177	TOM SCULLY
	TEAM DIMENSION DATA
181	TOM-JELTE SLAGTER
182	NATNAEL BERHANE
183	RYAN GIBBONS
184	BENJAMIN KING
185	SERGE PAUWELS
186	JAY ROBERT THOMSON
187	JOHANN VAN ZYL
	BORA-HANSGROHE
191	SAM BENNETT
192	ERIK BASKA
193	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER
194	PATRICK KONRAD
195	PAWEL POLJANSKI
196	JURAJ SAGAN
197	MICHAEL SCHWARZMANN
	DIRECT ENERGIE
201	LILIAN CALMEJANE
202	THOMAS BOUDAT
203	SYLVAIN CHAVANEL
204	JEROME COUSIN
205	FABIEN GRELLIER
206	JONATHAN HIVERT
207	ANGELO TULIK
	DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE KTM
211	ROMAIN COMBAUD
212	REMY DI GREGORIO
213	JULIEN EL FARES
214	DELIO FERNANDEZ CRUZ
215	BRENTON JONES
216	PRZEMYSLAW KASPERKIEWICZ
217	EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS

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Organizer's race preview:

The 76th edition of Paris-Nice, which will take place between 4th and 11th March, will be whetting the appetites of ambitious pretenders to the crown such as Dan Martin, Tejay van Garderen or Esteban Chaves, who will be attempting to put an end to the domination of Team Sky, represented by title holder Sergio Henao. The Race to the Sun could also smile on combative French riders: Julian Alaphilippe, Tony Gallopin and Warren Barguil are not setting themselves any limits. As for Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud Démare, they will be concentrating on the stages for the sprinters, but will have to battle with Kittel, Kristoff, Greipel and Groenewegen…

Each start to the season throws up a batch of uncertainties, raises new questions and gives opportunities to hitherto unknown riders or riders reaching maturity. Indeed, very often Paris-Nice is the stage on which the first impressions are either confirmed or swept away. In this respect, the 2018 vintage is open to a renewal of the ranks, even if Team Sky will be lining up with the title holder Sergio Henao, who started the season with a victorious defence of his Colombian Champion’s jersey. This year, neither Alberto Contador nor Richie Porte will be barring his way, but this also means that the many pretenders for victory will be all the more uninhibited. Having failed to climb higher than the 3rd step on the podium in 2017, Dan Martin is perhaps about to start a season that will be his biggest challenge to date, in his new UAE-Emirates jersey, whilst the rocket otherwise known as Esteban Chaves could finally take off this year, as hinted towards with triumph on the Tour Down Under. It will be no surprise to see Tejay van Garderen taste victory on the time-trial in Saint-Etienne and boss an event that he has never completely tamed (5th in 2012 and 4th in 2013), or to see Jakob Fuglsang (3rd on the Tour of Valencia and 4th in Andalusia) dominate the competition at the resort of Colmiane in a similar manner to his winning ride on the Dauphiné at the Plateau de Solaison. Similarly, Ilnur Zakarin could perhaps seize the opportunity to win a stage race that has escaped him since the Tour of Romandie in 2015, if he shows as convincing form as on the day of his victory at the Madone d’Utelle (in 2016).

However, these new circumstances also hang on the capacity of the French riders to battle with the best on a route that seems well-suited to the potential of certain Gallic leaders. For example, the finish on the stage into Meudon looks like an invitation for Julian Alaphilippe to make a break for the first yellow jersey of the week. A stage victory on his first race this year in Colombia gives him at least legitimate hopes of doing so, as well as improving on a final 5th place obtained in Nice last year. This will also be the goal of Tony Gallopin (6th in 2015), who has shown himself to be on especially good form in his new colours of AG2R - La Mondiale, winning the Etoile de Bessèges and coming 2nd on the Tour of Provence. Also with a brand new jersey, Warren Barguil will be counting on the final three stages of Paris-Nice to launch a season worthy of his performance on Le Tour in 2017. Lilian Calmejane may also be looking to convert the polka dot jersey won one year ago into a yellow one.

French hopes in the general classification will be accompanied by the prospects of their two best sprinters, Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud Démare, who should find opportunities to express themselves in Vierzon (stage 2), Chatel-Guyon (stage 3) and why not in Sisteron (stage 5). Both men will be looking toward the Via Roma in San Remo, which will also be in the sights of other former winners on Paris-Nice such as Sam Bennett, Marcel Kittel, André Greipel or Alexander Kristoff. There will not be enough winners’ bouquets for everybody.