Thomas fends off Contador challenge for another Sky win in Paris-Nice

March 13 ^th 2016 - 15:18

Twenty two in the lead
143 riders started on the Promenade des Anglais. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Davide Cimolai (Lampre), Patrick Bevin (Cannondale) and Jacques Janse von Rensburg (Dimension Data) did not start. After several attempts involving Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), a group of 19 riders emerged between kilometres 12 and 17 : Bono and Grmay (Lampre), De Gendt and Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Gautier (AG2R), Impey (Orica), Kiserlovski (Astana), Eiking (FDJ), De la Cruz (Etixx), Herrada (Movistar), Kangert (Astana), Van Baarle (Cannondale), Felline and Rast (Trek), Chavanel and Duchesne (Direct Energie), Tankink (Lotto Jumbo), Naesen (IAM) and Sorensen (Fortuneo).

Duchesne grabs polka-dot
As Duchesne strengthened his polka-dot jersey on both Cote de Duranus (Km 33) and Cote de Levens (Km 41), the 19 received the support of Trofimov (Tinkoff), Vanmarcke (Lotto Jumbo), Calmejane (Direct Energie) and Brammeier (Dimension Data), who returned from the back. Brammeier was later dropped in Cote de Chateauneuf. By Col de Calaison (Km 69.5), Duchesne had secured his KOM victory despite De Gendt's best effort to retain his crown.

And there goes Contador!  
In Cote de Peille (Km 82), Contador blew the peloton to pieces when he launched one of his trademark blistering attacks to take Team Sky off their guard. Within three kilometres, the 2007 and 2010 winner had taken 50 seconds off the Thomas group and he quickly found support from Kiserlovski and Trofimov, who waited for him from the original break. Six of the first escapees remained in the front: Gautier, Wellens, De La Cruz, Herrada, Kangert and Grmay.

Thomas dropped
Team Sky, spearheaded by Nicholas Roche, took advantage of the descent to calmly bridge the gap. But as soon as the road went up again on Col d'Eze, Contador attacked again four times, helped by Romain Bardet (AG2R). The final fifth strike was nearly fatal to the Welshman. Led-out by Rafal Majka in the last two kilometres of the ascent, Contador broke again, taking title-holder Richie Porte (BMC) with him. The two caught the last of the escapees, Tim Wellens, on the summit. The yellow jersey holder was left hapless. Col d'Eze had been heaven for his team mates Bradley Wiggins and Richie Porte when they won for Sky in 2012, 2013 and 2015 thanks to the time trials held on the climb those years. It was almost hell for Thomas this time.

Thomas back
But the descent was a like a team pursuit for the former track specialist, who joined forces with team-mate Sergio Henao and Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal) to make up for lost time, finally crossing the finish line in the first chasing group, five seconds behind  the leading trio of Wellens, Contador and Porte. El Pistolero sprinted bravely for a stage win which might have also granted him his third Paris-Nice. But Wellens had other views.