Saint-Étienne
165.5 km
Wednesday 12 March
Sylvain Chavanel seized the Paris-Nice lead in the first moment of truth of this edition in St Etienne, taking the yellow jersey on the eve of an exciting stage up the Mount Ventoux on Thursday.
At his best since the start in Amilly, Chavanel proved he could attack when it mattered, showing brilliant form on the climb of the Col de la Croix de Chaubouret, the first big test in the race this year.
The 165.5-kms third stage from Fleuriewent to Kjell Carlstrom, who became the first Finn to win a stage in the Race to the Sun.
On the line, the Liquigas rider outsprinted Clement Lhotellerie, who had broken away with him since the 8th kilometre. The Frenchman earned the best climber’s polka-dot jersey as a consolation prize.
Weather : mild and cloudy, with sunny spells.
153 riders at the start.
Intermediate sprints
Km 79 – Brindas
Km 131 – St Chamond (Andrei Kivilev memorial)
Climbs :
Km 28 – Cote de Plantigny (3rd cat)
Km 94.5 – Cote de St Martin-en-haut (2nd cat)
Km 108.5 – Cote de l’Aubepin (2nd cat)
Km 122 – Cote de la Croix blanche (3rd cat)
Km 147 – Col de la Croix de Chaubouret (1st cat)
THREE
The start was given at 11:48 to 143 riders. Roy Curvers (Skil Shimano) did not start. The peloton was nervous from the start and first break developed after 8 kms, involving Finn Kjell Carlstrom (Liquigas), Australian Bradley McGee (Team CSC) and France’s Clement Lhotellerie (Skil Shimano). The move gained momentum and the trio’s lead reached 11:30 at the top of the 3rd category côte de Plantigny (km 28). Lhotellerie was first at the top ahead of McGee and Carlstrom.
The lead reached a maximum of 12:40 at kilometre 36 when the peloton started to raise the tempo (the first hour average speed had been a modest 36 kph).
The first intermediate sprint in Brindas (km 79) was won by Carlstrom followed by Lhotellerie and McGee.
The peloton maintained an eight-minute gap until the 2nd category Cote de St Martin-en-Haut, which Lhotellerie crossed in the lead, the bunch trailing by 6:35.
STEADY GAP
The gap then steadied at seven minutes until the Cote de l’Aupebin (2nd cat), in which Lhotellerie scored seven more points to take the polka-dot jersey off the shoulders of team-mate Thierry Hupond. The bunch was 6:25 behind at the top.
The race became more nervous in the Cote de la Croix Blanche (km 122) on which French champion Christophe Moreau was seen attacking at the front of the bunch.
Carlstrom won the second sprint in St Chamond (km 131) organised in memory of Kazakh Andrei Kivilev, killed in a crash on the 2003 Paris-Nice.
A group of favourites joined Moreau in St Chamond, comprising yellow jersey holder Thor Hushovd (CA), Geoffroy Lequatre (Agritubel), Alberto Losada Alguacil (Caisse d’Epargne), Damiano Cunego (Lampre), Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas), Yarolsav Popovych (Silence Lotto), Maxime Monfort (Cofidis) and Carlos Barredo (Quick Step).
CARSLTROM WINS STAGE
The main bunch rapidly reacted when Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) and Luis Leon Sanchez (GCE) seized the reins. The junction took place 25 kms from the finish when the real selection started.
On the Col de la Croix de Chaubouret, while McGee was dropped by his breakaway companions, Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) chased on his own behind the leaders, rapidly followed by Damiano Cunego (Lampre) and Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis), who joined forces in the climb.
The main favourites followed in a bunch of some 15 riders, including Rebellin, Luis Sanchez, Popovych, Robert Gesink (Rabobank), Igor Anton (Euskaltel) Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2R), Karsten Kroon (CSC), Yann Huguet (Cofidis), Gorka Verdugo (Euskatlel), Pierre Rolland (C.A), Monfort, Barredo and Moreau.
At the top of the Croix de Chaubouret, on which Lhotellerie secured his best climber’s gear, the two leaders led Cunego, Chavanel and Kreuziger by 1:15 with the Rebellin group 1:55 behind.
While Lhotellerie and Carsltrom resisted, the Rebellin/Moreau group caught Chavanel, Cunego and Kreuziger in the descent.
The two escapees, in front for 157.5 kms, held solidly until the finish line, on which Carlstrom easily outsprinted Lhotellerie for the first victory of a Finn in Paris-Nice.
Sylvain Chavanel took the leader’s yellow jersey, with a slim 3-second lead over Luis Sanchez.
Sylvain Chavanel : « I did not feel too well in the beginning but much better towards the end. I decided to take the reins and I was helped by Cunego. Unfortunately, we were too far from the finish and the small chasing group caught up with us. I only lead by a couple of seconds but I enjoy it very much. I know I can win Paris-Nice. Tomorrow, the Ventoux is a hard climb but I’m now racing to win this race. It’s the first time I wear a yellow jersey and it’s great. «
Kjell Carlstrom : « At first, the peloton let us go. We took it easy but with the first climbs, we knew the peloton would start working harder. On the last climb, Lhotellerie tried to attack several times and I really had a bad moment for a while. I tried to stay calm and follow his wheel and in the descent, I started to think about the sprint. He was the one who made the attacks in the climb, it was logical I should be the one to attack in the sprint. »
Sylvain Chavanel seized the Paris-Nice lead in the first moment of truth of this Paris-Nice in St Etienne, taking the yellow jersey on the eve of an exciting stage up the Mount Ventoux on Thursday.
At his best since the start in Amilly, Chavanel proved he could attack when it mattered, showing brilliant form on the climb of the Col de la Croix de Chaubouret, the first big test in the race this year.
The 165.5-kms third stage went to Kjell Carlstrom, who became the first Finn to win a stage in the Race to the Sun.
On the line, the Liquigas rider outsprinted Clement Lhotellerie, who had broken with him since the 8th kilometre. The Frenchman earned the best climber’s polka-dot jersey as a fine consolation prize.
Sylvain Chavanel takes the Paris-Nice overall lead, with a two second lead over Karsten Kroon and three second over Luis Leon Sanchez.
The top five placings:
1. Carlstrom
2. Lhotellerie
3. Pierre Rolland(France, CA)
4. Rebellin
5. Kreuziger
Carlstrom outsprints Lhotellerie and wins the third stage in St Etienne.
The gap is stable with 2 kms to go : 1:05
Every morning before the start, Bernard Hinault gives us his views on the issues at stake and the riders to watch.
“In this Paris-Nice, the weather conditions are a major factor. On every stage, every time the action starts for real, crashes take place because riders are nervous and the tarmac slippery. Favourites get trapped and it’s a race by elimination. Today, more bad weather is forecast and we can expect a similar script. The difference is that the last 80 kms are much tougher, especially the climb to the Col de la Croix de Chaubouret. I believe that a rider reaching the top with a 30 seconds lead can go all the way if he is not too worn out mentally. I will watch Sylvain Chavanel because I have never seen him so easy, so consistent and he is one of the riders still in contention for overall victory.”
