Colbrelli shines in the rain
March 6 th 2017 - 16:36
Hardy strengthens polka-dot
The start was given in the rain to 171 riders. Nine riders – Romain Hardy (Fortuneo), Julien Simon (Cofidis), Sam Oomen (Sunweb), Kristijan Koren (Cannondale), Oliver Naesen (Ag2R), Marc Soler (Movistar), Manuele Mori (UAE), Natnael Berhane (Dimension Data), Delio Fernandez (Delko-Marseille) – broke clear after 6 km. The break included KOM leader Hardy, who reached the top of the only climb of the day, Cote des Granges-le-Roi (3rd cat), in the front, collecting four more points. The move was short-lived as the nine were reined in after 28 kilometers by a nervous peloton. Splits took place in the bunch with most of the race leaders and jersey-holders staying safely in the front group. The first sprint of the day in Pussay (Km 31.5) went to John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) ahead of Julian Alaphilippe, who took two seconds off yellow jersey holder Arnaud Demare (FDJ).
Porte struggles
Among the first riders trapped in the days echelons were France's Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) and Pierre Rolland (Cannondale). As the pace was frantic (49.8 kph), pre-race favorites Richie Porte (BMC) and Simon Yates (Orica) were unable to stay in the front group and drifted at the back (km 54).
A first bunch of 22 riders emerged, involving all the in-form riders of this early Paris-Nice: Degenkolb (Trek), Kristoff (Katusha), Gallopin, Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Alaphilippe, Kittel (Quick Step), Gorka Izaguirre (Movistar), Roosen, Wynants (Lotto-Jumbo), Demare, Molard, Sarreau (FDJ), Lutsenko (Astana), Laporte, Lemoine (Cofidis), Barguil, Oomen (Sunweb), Swift (UAE), Bennett (Bora) and Siskevicius (Delko). GC contenders like Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) or Dan Martin (Quick Step) were in a group trailing the leaders by 45 seconds at km 65.
Echelons
Dan Martin was dropped in turn at kilometer 80 as the leading group stabilized and involved the following 22 riders: Degenkolb (Trek), Zakarin, Kristoff and Bystrom (Katusha), Alaphilippe and Kittel (Quick Step), Docker (Orica-Scott), Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal), Roosen and Wynants (Lotto-Jumbo), Henao and Rowe (Sky), Demare, Cimolai, Konovalovas and Sarreau (FDJ), Laporte, Senechal and Soupe (Cofidis), Swift (UAE), Bennett (Bora) and Siskevicius (Delko-Marseille). After 100 km, the Contador group was two minutes off the pace as Richie Porte was 2:30 further back.
Peloton regroups
After a long chase, the peloton regrouped at kilometer 138 while six men charged ahead. They were Bystrom, Gallopin, Wynants, Sarreau, Soupe and Siskevicius. Geoffrey Soupe was rapidly dropped but his five companions were joined by Philippe Gilbert at kilometer 142. Sarreau punctured shortly afterwards and was reined in. The second sprint of the day in St Germain-des-Prés (Km 156.5) went to Philippe Gilbert, ahead of Tony Gallopin and Maarten Wynants. With 20 km to go, as the gap had been cut down to 30 seconds, Gilbert surged and went on his own.
Gilbert goes
The Belgian champion took his lead up to 45 seconds, a gap he maintained with 10 km to go. He was finally chased down with 6 km left as the sprinters teams were taking turns at the front of the pack. The stage was set for a bunch sprint, without Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni who called it quits after two days of struggle. Arnaud Demare quickly found himself in the front in the wake of his last team-mate, but the yellow jersey holder was taken off his guard by Colbrelli, who made his effort with 400 metres left and held his ground until the finish line.