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61st Paris-Nice - 2.HC
France, March 9-16, 2003
Main page Course map Start list Results
Stage 1 - March 10: Auxerre - Paray-le-Monial, 191 km
Complete Live Report
Start time: 11:30 CET
Estimated finish time: 16:30 CET
Welcome to the Cyclingnews coverage of the 61st Paris-Nice, which began yesterday with a 4.8 kilometre prologue individual time trial in Issy-les-Moulineaux. After a short transfer southeast to Auxerre, the first road stage starts today, covering 191km. The stage features two Cat. 3 climbs in the second half, but the relatively flat profile should favour the sprinters. A breakaway by a group of strong riders could complicate matters, so the GC contenders will have to be vigilent even if the real fireworks await in the second half of the week.
Cofidis' Nico Mattan starts the day in the leader's yellow jersey, after blazing to his second Paris-Nice prologue win yesterday ahead of American Tyler Hamilton (CSC) and Cofidis teammate Philippe Gaumont.
15:17 CET, 72 km to go
After 49km of racing, Stéphane Augé (Credit Agricole) broke clear,
and is still ahead with 72km left to race to Paray-le-Monial.
Stuart O'Grady, who gained 1" in an early bonus sprint, has improved his position to a virtual 3rd place overall and remains the best placed sprinter on GC.
15:23 CET
Stéphane Augé is on the first of the two Cat. 3 climbs, the Côte
de Saint-Honoré-des Bains. Augé's breakaway is a somewhat odd
tactical plan, as his teammates O'Grady and Hushovd could both benefit from
the intermediate bonus sprints.
15:28 CET, 66 km to go
Augé has crested the summit of the relatively tame climb, and is now
on the descent, still out in front of a peloton that doesn't seem too concerned
about his escape.
15:30 CET
Augé's attack was in fact part of a plan by Credit Agricole, if for no
other reason to keep the peloton active and force the other teams to set the
pace. Jens Voigt is the team's leader for the overall classification.
The peloton is stretched out as it begins to pick up the pace. Augé has an advantage of 4'20" at the moment.
15:39 CET, 59 km to go
Stéphane Augé is pressing on, with just under 60km to go. He looks
comfortable enough in his effort, though the strain will begin to show more
and more. It's status quo in the peloton, which is not under any serious pressure
right now. Three Saeco riders are setting the pace in the bunch.
For the second day in a row, conditions are good with sunny skies and mild temperatures.
15:42 CET
Some Lotto-Domo men have joined Saeco at the head of the peloton; the Cofidis
team of leader Nico Mattan is content to let them control the pace for the moment.
15:46 CET
Augé looks to be suffering a bit more now, and knows that his break has
approximately zero chance of success. Nonetheless, he can be content with some
considerable TV time, and will likely take the first mountains jersey.
15:49 CET
The Cofidis team has had a mixed start to its season. With five victories thus
far, the team has had a more successful debut than usual, while at the same
time a number of riders have been sidelined with injuries and illness. Philippe
Gaumont, who was a last minute substitute for an ailing Jo Planckaert, provided
an additional morale boost alongside Mattan's prologue win.
15:56 CET, 46km to go
The peloton is steadily reeling in Augé, whose advantage is now down
to 1'50". Saeco is still up front setting the pace, though it's a steady
tempo, not an all out chase.
16:00 CET
The gap is really starting to tumble now, already down to 1'30". Saeco
will be looking to set up its new sprinter Ivan Quaranta for the stage win.
Out ahead, Augé is stocking up on food from his team car.
Of the current teams racing, ONCE has won four Paris-Nice editions, iBanesto two, Telekom two, and Fassa Bortolo one.
Jérôme Pinot (Brioches La Boulangère) just took second place in the next bonus sprint, ahead of a Milaneza's Pedro Cardoso. The two have decided to pursure their effort after getting a gap ahead of the field before the sprint, but they won't get far.
16:03 CET, 42.9km to go
The peloton has just brought back Augé, who sat up and decided his time
was up. Richard Virenque (Quick-Step) has taken over first spot at the head
of the field. Virenque had a poor showing in the prologue, though races against
the clock are not his specialty.
16:07 CET, 40km to go
Mederic Clain (Cofidis) has decided to attack. Clain is a puncheur, and though
in only his second year as a pro, is already making a name for himself as an
aggressive rider. Three riders have joined him, but they're quickly brought
back.
A Jean Delatour rider, Ludovic Martin, tries a counter attack but gets nowhere. The pace is clearly picking up, and the race could be in for an aggressive finale.
16:10 CET
Sébastien Joly has tried another attack for Jean Delatour, with two riders
quikly on his wheel. There are no real difficulties left in the race, but some
small and twisting roads could favour a strong attack. Now there are three riders
on Joly's wheel with a small gap over the field.
16:12 CET, 37km to go
The peloton pulls in the attack, and immediately there's a counter by Unai Etxebarria
(Euskaltel-Euskadi). This time eight riders manage a slight gap on the field,
but again it's coming back together.
Laurent Lefevre attacks for the Jean Delatour team, showing an aggressive stance today.
16:15 CET
Team fakta is starting to show itself up front, as is FDJeux.com, who have a
chance for stage wins with Baden Cooke, who has shown good form this year.
16:18 CET
Eddy Seigneur is the next Jean Delatour rider to attack, managing a 10"
gap over the field. The counter attacks are non-stop behind. Jean Delatour does
not have a sprinter to challenge today, hence the constant effort to get a break
going. Credit Agricole is taking up the chase behind as the field nears the
last bonus sprint of the day.
16:20 CET
Seigneur gains two more seconds on a quick descent as the chase shuts down in
the peloton.
16:24 CET
Phonak, another team without a strong sprinter, tries a counter attack to bridge
to Seigneur. Frank Renier (La Boulangère) gets the wheel of Phonak's
Fabrice Gougot and the two have (for the moment) escaped the clutches of the
field. Renier is pushing hard, while at the same time Seigneur's advantage has
gone up a bit.
It may not last, however, as Credit Agricole has taken up the chase and is quickly bringing back the two counter attackers.
16:26 CET
Credit Agricole is taking responsibility in the field, and the chase has brought
back Gougot and Renier. Seigneur is still out front. O'Grady is working his
way to the front of the field, as his teammates prepare him for the last bonus
sprint.
16:28 CET, 25km to go
Eddy Seigneur passes through the final bonus sprint, taking the 3" bonus.
His advantage is up to almost 30".
Petacchi gets second place in the sprint, O'Grady gets third, moving up to 3" behind Nico Mattan on GC.
Mattan launches a counter attack after the sprint!
16:29 CET
Eddy Seigneur is still out front, while Mattan is joined by a Kelme rider ahead
of the field.
16:33 CET
Mattan is back in the peloton, which is also closing in on Seigneur. He knows
it, and has now sat up awaiting his capture.
The jockeying for position at the head of the field continues, while Richard Virenque tries his own attack, profiting from a slight lull in the pace. He gets two riders with him, Sebastien Joly and Cofidis' Cedric Vasseur, while the peloton once again picks up the pace behind.
16:36 CET
The trio gets a gap of 25 seconds, and are committed with the effort, trading
pulls. Credit Agricole is once again taking up the chase behind.
Daniele Nardello (Telekom) touches wheels in the pack, but thankfully keeps it upright.
16:39 CET
Credit Agricole is hammering at the front of the field with four riders in the
lead. The gap to the trio out front has gone up to 30", indicating that
they're working well together. The long straight roads at this part of the parcours
should favour the peloton.
16:43 CET, 10 km to go
Virenque is yelling at his breakaway companions, encouraging them to maintain
the pace. In the peloton, Lotto-Domo is starting to move up front, while Nico
Mattan is marking Stuart O'Grady.
16:48 CET
Lotto is committed to the chase, as the trio maintain an advantage of 25".
Virenque's Quick-Step teammate is mixing it with the Lotto chase. Vasseur looks
good, and could be the fast finisher if the break manages to stay away. Joly
looks good too.
Lotto may need some help with the chase, and they're getting it in the form of three Team fakta riders.
16:49 CET
FDJeux.com is moving into the front, thinking of Baden Cooke, while Fassa Bortolo
is also moving Petacchi into better position. The lead trio has 20".
16:51 CET, 5 km to go
The break is under the 5km to go banner and the peloton is closing quickly.
The trio works well together, but their advantage does not appear sufficient
to hold off the sprinters' teams. The peloton almost have the break in sight,
but if they rejoin too quickly the door could open to a counter attack.
Joly has attacked the lead group and has a gap.
16:53 CET, 3km to go
Virenque is giving it everything to bring back Joly, while the field is still
chasing hard. Joly looks strong and isn't giving up.
16:55 CET, 2 km to go
It's coming down to the wire, and Joly might just have a shot. The peloton is
at 15" as Joly is coming to the 1km to go banner. He's maintaining his
gap over Virenque and Vasseur.
16:56 CET, 1 km to go
Within the 1km to go, Joly is caught and the leadout begins for a sprint.
16:57 CET, finish
Quick-Step's Tom Boonen launches the sprint, but it's Alessandro Petacchi
(Fassa Bortolo) who takes the field sprint ahead of Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo)
and Stuart O'Grady.
Thanks to his time bonuses, O'Grady takes the leader's jersey.
Provisional Results:
1 Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) 2 Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) 3 Stuart O'Grady (Credit Agricole) 4 Rene Haselbacher (Gerolsteiner) 5 Tom Boonen (Quick-Step-Davitamon) 6 Emmanuel Magnien (Brioches La Boulangere) 7 Danilo Hondo (Telekom) 8 Werner Riebenbauer (Team fakta) 9 Alexandre Usov (Phonak) 10 Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
General classification:
1 Stuart O'Grady (Credit Agricole) 2 Nico Mattan (Cofidis) 0.01 3 Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo)
