In short
| Stage winner | Rony MARTIAS |
 (yellow jersey) |
Rony MARTIAS |
 (green jersey) |
Rony MARTIAS |
 (white jersey) |
Mathieu DRUJON |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best young • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
• Individual time• Individual points • Best young • Best team |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Friday 12 May | 186.5 km |
| Creil > Péronne | ||
| 2 | Saturday 13 May | 186.5 km |
| Nesle > Marle | ||
| 3 | Sunday 14 May | 98.5 km |
| Saint-Gobain > Nogent-sur-Oise | ||
| 4 | Sunday 14 May | 88 km |
| Villers-Saint-Paul > Creil | ||
| Total | 559.5 km | |
The race
Friday 12 May 2006| stage 1 | Creil > Péronne - 186.5 km |  |
|---|
The film of the stage
Martias, first leader !
The start of the stage was given at 12:30 in Creil for the 140 riders of the event. Immediately after the start, attacks occurred. Drancourt ((BTL) broke away from the pack at kilometre 1. He enjoyed a maximum 30†lead but was eventually caught at kilometre 5. 24 coureurs then managed to take off: Tombak (KCT), Jegou, Roy (FDJ), Contrini, Khalilov, Valoti (LPR), Dumoulin, Riblon (A2R), Tjallingi (SKS), Pichot (BTL), Agnolutto, Bergès (AGR), Minard, Monier, Wiggins (COF), Bodrogi, Marino (CA), Bouquet (UNI), Facci, Txurruka (BAR), Renders (JAC), Dalibard, Pivois (BJF) and Scheirlinckx (JAR). This lading group increased their lead with a maximum advantage of 45’’.
At kilometre 44, the pack caught most of the escapees but Roy, Bergès, Bodrogi, Txurruka and Renders hung on to the lead and carried on their efforts. At kilometre 50, they had a 50†advantage. Again, the pack started moving closer and eventually caught the breakaways at kilometre 62. After joining up, attacks started in front of the pack, none however being decisive.
With five kilometres to go before the first intermediate sprint, 18 riders took off and managed a decent gap. Auger (FDJ), Maserati (LPR), Pütsep (A2R), Tjallingii (SKS), Olivier (AGR), Duclos-Lassalle, Minard (COF), Bellin, Mazzanti (AGC), Coenen, Ljunblad (UNI), Mespoulède (AUB), Caccia, Perry (BAR), Caethoven, Van Mechelen (JAC), Guilbert (BJF) and Meul (JAR) had a lead of up to 52’’ on the pack whn reaching the bonus sprint won by Mazzanti (AGC) ahead of his team mate Bellin and Caethoven. But under the influence of the Bouygues Telecom team, the pack slowly moved closer and around 20 extra riders joined up with the front men at kilometre 105. Among the leading group were the likes of Eisel, Van Bon, Martias, Caethoven, Renshaw.
The gap then started dropping, to 15†at kilometre 125. Eisel, Maserati, Martias, Ravard, Caccia, Hervé enjoyed a slight lead on their companions. They were to be caught by Mengin, Ljungblad and Guilbert. Together, these 9 riders saw their advantage grow to 22’’ on Jegou, Bodrogi, Callegarin and Drujon while the pack remained 28†adrift. At kilometre 133, the four followers caught up with the leaders The group of 13 then had a 1’10 lead on the pack. The gap increased until the first passage on the line for a second intermediate sprint in Peronne (km 156.5). Drujon grabbed the bonus 3 seconds and sprint points ahead of Bodrogi and Ljungblad while the pack was 1’45 behind.
In the final moments of the race, the chase intensified The pack led by the Bouygues Télécom team, seriously moved closer. But the front men hung on to their lead. They indeed had a 30’’ advantage with 10 kilometres to go. The fast pace saw some riders drop out of the front group including Bodrogi, Guesdon, Jégou… With one kilometre to go, the pack was within shooting distance of the leaders. Victory was finally decided between the strong men of this group. After a powerful sprint, Rony Martias beat Hervé. He therefore captured the overall leader’s yellow jersey as well as the green jersey for the best sprinter.