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62nd Paris-Nice - 2.HC
France, March 7-14, 2004
Main Page Stage details Start list Results
Stage 1 - March 7: Chaville - Issy-les-Moulineaux / Vanves, 13.2 km
Commentary by Jeff Jones, with additional reporting by Chris Henry
Complete live report
Start time: 14:00 (first rider)
Estimated finish time: 16:56 (last rider)
14:57 CET
Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the 62nd Paris-Nice, which begins today
with a 13.2 kilometre time trial between Chaville and Issy-les-Moulineaux/Vanves.
This just so happens to be the home of the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO),
the organisers of this race and a number of others, including the Tour de France.
Today's stage is not flat by any means, and starts with a 2.4 km climb up to
Pavé de Meudon, ascending 80m. After the top, it's gradually downhill until
the real descent starts at the 6 km mark. At the 10 km point, the parcours climbs
again for a kilometre, before a fast finish in Vanves.
The weather today should be good for time trialling i.e. it's not raining. In
fact, the sun is shining weakly and despite fairly cool temperatures around
the 10 degree mark, it could be worse.
15:30 CET
We spoke too soon about the weather...it's now sprinkling lightly as the first
half of the field completes the course.
Team CSC is very motivated for this year's Paris-Nice, with several riders capable
of winning. Jorg Jaksche, Ivan Basso, Jens Voigt and Michele Bartoli are all
candidates. We also spoke to a motivated Bobby Julich, who said, "I would not
be disappointed if we didn't win Paris-Nice but I would be surprised. There's
the added motivation of finishing in Nice where I live."
15:33 CET
Unai Etxebarria (Euskaltel) has just started his ride.
David Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) currently has the best time with 17.23 for the
13.2 km.
Floyd Landis (USPS-Berry Floor) comes in eight with a 17.48.
15:34 CET
Here comes Jens Voigt, who is on track for a good time. The German CSC rider
finishes in 17.41, for 5th place at the moment.
15:39 CET
US Postal's Jose Azevedo is on his way now, tackling the first climb which is
lined with a number of brave (and cold) spectators. Azevedo has to alternate
in and out of the saddle, but reaches the top and is back into the aero position.
Franck Bouyer (Brioches) finishes in 18'04, 25th best time.
15:44 CET
Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) is well on his way. The Australian sprinter is not
expected to turn in a quick time today. He is likely looking forward to the
early stages which should finish in bunch sprints.
Azevedo is on the descent, which is not easy. He loses a lot of speed on the
U-turn.
15:46 CET
Kim Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo) has done a good time, finishing in 17'48 for 9th
fastest. Patrice Halgand (Credit Agricole) hasn't, and is home in 18'32
15:49 CET
David Moncoutie (Cofidis) is in the latter stages of his ride, and has a good
rhythm going. Azevedo is on the second climb, and is in the small ring it looks
like.
Unai Etxebarria (Euskaltel) finishes in 17'44 (8th), having caught McEwen for
a minute at halfway. McEwen finishes in 19'14.
15:53 CET
Here comes Azevedo, who does not crack 18 minutes. His time is 18'11, which
gives him 37th place in this so far. Moncoutie should be in soon.
Here he is, just a few seconds slower than Azevedo for 47th place.
15:56 CET
Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) almost catches Jakob Piil and has done a great time
of 17'41 for fourth place. Still Rebellin in the lead from Contador and Julich.
16:00 CET
Alex Zuelle (Phonak) is now coming home, giving it everything to ride his best
time. He finishes in 17'33, which puts him in third place behind Rebellin and
Contador.
Ivan Basso (CSC) is on his way up the first climb now.
16:05 CET
Daniel Becke (Illes Balears) finishes his 13.2 km in a comparatively slow 19'07.
Georg Totschnig (Gerolsteiner) is a little better with around 18'40.
Sylvain Chavanel (Brioches) is tackling the first climb now.
15:06 GMT
Frank Vandenbroucke (Fassa Bortolo) is hammering home and stops the clock in
a time of 17'42 for 7th best time. Not a bad start.
15:09 GMT
Alvaro Gonzalez de Galdeano (Liberty Seguros) has just started and hammers along
the first part of the course, remaining out of the saddle at the base of the
climb. The roads are wet at the moment.
He is followed by Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo), who is especially good
at the shorter distances.
15:12 GMT
Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com) finishes in 18'38, 1'15 behind Rebellin, who still
holds the lead in this stage.
Alvaro Gonzalez is looking good on the climb, and keeps a steady rhythm the
whole way up.
15:14 GMT
Viatcheslav Ekimov (USPS) finishes in 18'18, a bit off his best, but his past
few weeks have been effected by a crash.
Richard Virenque (Quick.Step-Davitamon) has just left the starting gate. He's
still a popular boy.
15:15 GMT
Basso's final time is 18'08, 38th best and probably what he expected at this
point in the season.
George Hinacpie (USPS) powers off the starting ramp. He is followed by Cedric
Vasseur, who is under a bit of a cloud at the moment after L'Equipe reported
that traces of cocaine had been found in one of his urine samples. He has denied
ever using cocaine, however.
15:19 GMT
Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) is now off for his ride. He's good against the clock,
but this race may be a bit early for him too.
Santiago Botero (T-Mobile) is next. What can he do today? He's straight into
his very forward, aero position.
15:21 GMT
Sylvain Chavanel finishes in 18'22, 63rd best so far. Davide Rebellin still
holds the top spot with 17'53.
Botero is out of the saddle on the first part of the climb, pedalling a fairly
big gear.
Tyler Hamilton (Phonak) is off in his first race with Phonak. He's been sick
reccently, but you never know what he can do.
15:23 GMT
Pietro Caucchioli (Alessio-Bianchi) is off as Botero reaches the top of the
climb and Hamilton is approximately halfway up.
Next, it's Dave Bruylandts (Jacques), who is aiming for a good classement in Paris-Nice.
15:26 GMT
Alvaro Gonzalez is home in 18'15, 53rd best time. Then Fabian Cancellara in
17'51.
Denis Menchov (Illes Balears) is off next, followed by Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner).
15:28 GMT
Ooops - Isidro Nozal (Liberty Seguros) has missed his start by a minute, which
also forces Dario Frigo behind him to lose some seconds. Not a good way to begin.
15:31 GMT
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) gets away on time, as does Laurent Brochard (Ag2r),
who puts in a very big acceleration at the start to get up to full speed.
Rik Verbrugghe (Lotto-Domo) has done a fairly ordinary time of 19'16, which
will not make him very happy. It's slower than his teammate McEwen!
15:33 GMT
Richard Virenque (Quick.Step-Davitamon) is home in a fairly tardy 18'47, which
is out of the top 100. He is closely followed by George Hincapie in 17'55.
Hushovd is at the top of the climb now, and is powering along the top.
15:36 GMT
Bartoli is in with 18'11, well off Rebellin's top time.
Laurent Brochard (Ag2r) has reached the top of the climb and is now on the descent.
Levi Leipheimer has done a respectable 17'59, which is 27th so far.
15:39 GMT
Botero (T-Mobile) is in with a less than brilliant time of 18'15. Another 30
seconds would have been better for the Colombian former world TT champ.
Here comes Hamilton, who is sprinting home in a good but not top time of 17'57,
23rd fastest.
15:43 GMT
Levi Leipheimer told Cyclingnews after his ride that, "My condition is
very good and the GC is definitely a goal for me, but losing so many seconds
is a lot, maybe too much. I was trying to find the balance between taking too
many risks and not losing too much time."
Pietro Caucchioli's time is 18'21, 74th best. Sandy Casar (FDJ) is now under
way.
15:45 GMT
It looks like all the riders have left now, with Millar, Vinokourov and Boonen
some of the last to go.
Bruylandts' time is 18'10, which is not too bad. Still Davide Rebellin holds
the lead with 17'23.
15:47 GMT
Dario Frigo and Isidro Nozal finish almost together. Frigo's time is 17'58 (28th),
which means Nozal's is 18'58 after he missed his start by a minute.
Millar is flying along in his World Champion's jersey - he is a big favourite
for today's stage.
Hushovd finishes in 18'04 for 39th time.
15:47 GMT
Brochard has done a very good time and is in the top 10 with 17'41, just faster
than VDB.
15:50 GMT
Millar is on the second half of the parcours as Vinokourov is over the first
climb and past the descent. Vino's intermediate time is the 10th best at halfway.
15:52 GMT
A nice ride by Sandy Casar gives him a time of 17'51, 18th best time. He's followed
by Tom Boonen (Quick.Step-Davitamon) in 18'30.
15:53 GMT
Millar will come close, but doesn't beat Rebellin. His final time is 17'32,
second best time.
15:54 GMT
Jorg Jaksche (CSC) is flying home! He does it in 17'19 - best time to date.
15:55 GMT
Erik Dekker (Rabobank) - remember him? His final time is just slower than Jaksche,
but it's still good. 17'23, a bit slower than Rebellin for 3rd today.
15:59 GMT
The last rider is Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile), who crosses in 17'45, 16th
best time and not a bad start. But the winner of the stage is Jorg Jaksche,
who toppled early leader Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) at the death.
Somewhat coincidentally, Cyclingnews interviewed Jaksche on the eve of
Paris-Nice, and we'll have the full Jaksche story in the next 24 hours.
Results
Unofficial 1 Jorg Jaksche (CSC) 17.19 2 David Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) 0.04 3 Erik Dekker (Rabobank) 4 David Millar (Cofidis) 0.13 5 Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) 6 Alex Zulle (Phonak) 0.14 7 Bobby Julich (CSC) 0.16 8 Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) 0.22 9 Jens Voigt (CSC) 10 Laurent Brochard (Ag2r) 0.23 11 Frank Vandenbroucke (Fassa Bortolo) 0.23 12 Oscar Pereiro (Phonak) 13 Gorka Gonzalez (Euskaltel) 0.24
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