In short
| Stage winner | David MILLAR |
 (yellow jersey) |
David MILLAR |
 (green jersey) |
David MILLAR |
 (white jersey) |
Roman KREUZINGER |
Starters' list | Time schedules
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
• Individual time• Individual points • Best young • Best climber • Best team |
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| Overall |
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• Individual time• Individual points • Best young • Best climber • Best team |
Stage by stage
| P | Sunday 11 March | 4.7 km |
| Issy-les-Moulineaux > Issy-les-Moulineaux | ||
| 1 | Monday 12 March | 186 km |
| Cloyes-sur-le-Loir > Buzançais | ||
| 2 | Tuesday 13 March | 177 km |
| Vatan > Limoges | ||
| 3 | Wednesday 14 March | 215.5 km |
| Limoges > Maurs la Jolie | ||
| 4 | Thursday 15 March | 169.5 km |
| Maurs la Jolie > Mende | ||
| 5 | Friday 16 March | 178 km |
| Sorgues > Manosque | ||
| 6 | Saturday 17 March | 200 km |
| Brignoles > Cannes | ||
| 7 | Sunday 18 March | 129.5 km |
| Nice > Nice | ||
| Total Length | 1260.2 km | |
For US resident |
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The race
Sunday 11 March 2007| prolog | Issy-les-Moulineaux > Issy-les-Moulineaux - 4.7 km |
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Millar wins prologue
David Millar made it back to the top of a big podium when he won the prologue of the 65th Paris-Nice in style in Issy les Moulineaux on Sunday. Back from a doping suspension last summer the Briton had signalled his return to form by winning a time trial on the last Vuelta but this prologue win, his first since 2001, shows that the Scot has left his past problems behind. The Saunier Duval team leader narrowly beat hopeful Czech Roman Kreuzinger, the youngest rider in the bunch, by a slim second. Frenchman Sebastien Joly (FDJ) was third.
The film of the stage
Prologue (4.7 km) Issy les Moulineaux
Weather : sunny and warm
160 starters
Del Nero sets the pace
Swiss Thomas Frei was the first rider in action at 12:25. The Astana rider clocked a lacklustre 6:25.68 The lead was quickly seized by Spaniard Jesus Del Nero (Saunier Duval) in 6:11.41. Spaniards looked in shape at the start of the Race to the Sun as Del Nero for half an hour led compatriots Markel Inizar (Euskaltel) on 6:15 and Vicente Garcia Acosta (Caisse d’Epagne), who was on 6:16. Del Nero’s lead was threatened by Andoni Aranaga (Euskaltel) and by Ukraine’s Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel) both inside the same second in 6:12.
Kreuzinger, youngest and fastest
Del Nero stayed in to spot for 45 minutes before being toppled by up and coming Czech Roman Kreuzinger, who clocked 6:02.52. The Liquigas rider, a former junior world champion, is also the youngest rider in the race at 19. Sweden’s Tomas Lovkvist (Francaise des Jeux) also broke the 6:10 barrier in 6:05, quickly emulated by French team-mate Sebastien Joly on 6:03. Spain’s Francisco Ventoso (Saunier Duval) then took third place away from Lovkvist in 6:05. It was a good day for the Saunier Duval team as Dutchman Reinbert Wielinga as also under 6:06 in provisional fourth place.
Millar back to the top
While American champion David Zabriskie was highly disappointing in 6:12, Italian sprinter Daniele Bennati fared well on 6:07 and looks ideally placed for sprints to come. Spain’s Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) kicked Ventoso out of third place in 6:03.90. Kreuzinger’s sensational time lasted a little more than 90 minutes when David Millar confirmed he was back to his very best after his doping suspension by taking a second off the Czech’s time to seize the lead. Only Luis Sanchez proved a last gasp threat by clocking 6:03.84 for fourth fastest, but it was not enough to dislodge Millar.
The Saunier Duval leader, last winner of a big prologue in the 2001 Vuelta, took the first yellow jersey in this year’s Paris-Nice.
The winner interview
Millar: "I’m very impressed"
Was it a tough course ?
Yes, the climb made it very technical but I’m very satisfied as this was my first objective this season.
What is you ambition now?
Defend this jersey as long as I can and hopefully take it all the way to Nice. I have a great team around me, one of the very best in this race. They might not be the most famous names in the bunch but they always ride in the front. They will be a very valuable asset.
You won a stage on the Vuelta last year and now this, you must be very happy?
Its was my first objective of the season and it’s great to achieve it. I’m very impressed myself. Last year was very hard after two years without racing. It was tough physically and mentally. This year, the start of the season was my objective and I had told my friends I felt ready to win this.
The newsflashes
Top five prologue standings
1. David Millar (Saunier Duval) 6:01
2. Roman Kreuzinger (Liquigas) one sec behind
3. Sebastien Joly (FDJ) two secs
4. Luis Sanchez (GCE) two secs
5. Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) two secs
Millar wins Paris-Nice prologue
Fourth time for Luis Sanchez
Julich on 6:07
6:04 for Leipheimer
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