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62nd Paris-Nice - 2.HC
France, March 7-14, 2004
Main Page Stage details Start list Results Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 5 - March 11: Le Puy-en-Velay - Rasteau, 215 km
Commentary by Jeff Jones
Complete live report
Start time: 10:45 CET
Estimated finish time: 16:18 CET
14:45 CET
Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Stage 5 of Paris-Nice, which will be
run in its entirety despite the snow falls in the last few days, that forced
the cancellation of yesterday's fourth stage. Today takes the riders 215 km
between Le Puy-en-Velay and Rasteau, featuring three Cat. 3 climbs as well as
the Cat. 2 Côte du Serre-de-Tourre (km 147), the latter being short but steep.
Closer to the finish there is also the Cat. 3 Côte de Buisson, whose summit
lies just 13 km from the line.
The first part of the stage is raced at around the 900m mark, which means it's
going to be bitterly cold, even if there is no snow falling. But after 105km,
the riders drop down to 150m or so, which should be more bearable.
Team CSC will be once again trying to protect its leader Jorg Jaksche with the
harder stages to come in the next few days.
15:11 CET 175km/40km to go
At the moment, we have a very fragmented peloton in pursuit of a breakaway of
Unai Etxebarria (Euskaltel), Aitor Osa (Illes Balears), and Dariusz Baranowski
(Liberty Seguros). These three attacked after 15 km and built up a lead of 7'00
at one stage, but this has dropped to 3'00 with 40 km to go. Quick.Step-Davitamon
is doing the chasing.
Lotto-Domo's Robbie McEwen (sick), Leon van Bon, Christophe Detilloux and Koos
Moerenhout have all abandoned or not started today.
15:13 CET 178km/37km to go
There are several groups chasing the peloton now, as it has split to bits in
the crosswinds. There are still some 60-80 riders in front, it looks like.
The three leaders now have just 2'15 over the flying bunch. Only Etxebarria
is riding without full leg warmers today. It's dry, but still very cold.
15:17 CET 180km/35km to go
CSC is riding hard together with Quick.Step. They're not giving the rest of
the peloton any shelter in these crosswinds, and it's one very long line. Jaksche
in yellow looks comfy in third wheel, surrounded by teammates. There's also
a few Fassa Bortolo jerseys up there protecting VDB.
The three leaders, Unai Etxebarria, Dariusz Baranowski and Aitor Osa are just
1'30 in front now.
15:21 CET 182km/33km to go
The race is passing at high speed through St Paul Trois Chateaux with 34 km
to go. The last climb comes at 13 km to go, and the sprinters will be trying
to hold on up there for a hoped for bunch finish. Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) is
the man to watch there.
The three leaders are still hammering along with a tailwind, but their gap is
under a minute now.
15:22 CET km/215km to go
It looks like one of the chasing groups has made contact with the peloton again,
and there are now over 100 riders in the main bunch.
15:27 CET 184km/31km to go
Unai Etxebarria takes advantage of the final 30 seconds lead to take a nature
break, while the other two leaders Osa and Baranowski keep riding at a steady
pace. The peloton is almost on them now. They're caught, after around 170 km
in the lead.
CSC has assumed the position in front, with one other Quick.Step rider there.
15:30 CET 190km/25km to go
The large peloton is rapidly approaching the finale of Stage 5 in Rasteau after
a cold but relatively dry day. At the moment, CSC is doing the bulk of the work
to protect Jaksche, while Quick.Step is also helping to try and get Boonen up
for the victory. But there's still one hill to overcome.
15:34 CET 192km/23km to go
The bunch passes through Le Beaume de Transit, quite a nice little French village
that we have no time to appreciate in the 60 seconds it takes to ride through
it.
It's still a tail/crosswind, and the speed is quite high. Nearly all the CSC
riders seem to be at the front of the main bunch.
15:37 CET 195km/20km to go
There is a small split behind the front 20 riders, but the gap is closed very
quickly. Everyone remembers stage 2, where many good riders were shelled in
the crosswinds. Even Jaksche is taking his turn at the front, and CSC is hammering.
Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com) is up near the front, and he will certainly challenge
Boonen for a sprint win. As will Thor Hushovd.
The peloton is in about 6 chunks now, and CSC has no intention of letting the
pace ease off.
15:40 CET 197km/18km to go
Vinokouorov has made the front group of about 25-30 riders, which is slowly
but surely putting time into the rest of the peloton. Hincapie and Cooke are
there too, along with Bartoli, Jaksche, Voigt, Julich etc.
Bits of the peloton are coming back together, but Voigt is burying himself on
the fornt to keep them at bay. Maybe 15 riders left in front, with a second
group chasing at 10 seconds.
15:41 CET km/215km to go
Jaksche, Bartoli, Schleck, Voigt, Julich, Rebellin, Hincapie, Cooke and Vinokourov
are being pursued by another group with Boonen and Vierhouten?
Voigt goes for the bonus sprint, but Rebellin gets them (3 seconds). Jaksche
takes third or fourth.
15:45 CET 201km/14km to go
They are now riding through Visan, but there's no time to look around as this
race is very close. There are around 10 riders in the front group, including
Jaksche and five teammates, Rebellin, Vinokourov, Cooke, Hincapie.
The next group is chasing them hard, including Boonen, Vandewalle, Lowik, Pellizotti,
VDB. It's growing gradually. But the gap is 20 seconds.
Rebellin has been confirmed as taking the points/seconds in Visan, followed
by Voigt and Jaksche.
15:46 CET 202km/13km to go
They're beginning the climb of Cote de Buisson now, and the front group of 10
has 25 seconds on group two, which has Boonen and VDB in it.
Names in the front group: Jaksche, Bartoli, Piil, Schleck, Voigt, Julich, Rebellin,
Hincapie, Cooke and Vinokourov.
The big peloton (group 3) is at 45 seconds.
15:49 CET 205km/10km to go
The gap between the front 10 and group 2 (Boonen, VDB) is now 30 seconds. The
bigger peloton is at 50 seconds. More GC riders are losing time today, and CSC
has once again taken control of this race.
15:50 CET km/215km to go
Piil drops off at the foot of the climb, leaving nine left in front including
five CSCs. Baden Cooke is suffering in fifth position, right behind Jaksche.
Smart wheel to sit on. Cooke is certainly the best sprinter in this group.
15:51 CET km/215km to go
Kim Kirchen is driving the second group for VDB, but the gap is still 30 seconds.
There's about 15 riders in group two, including Azevedo (USPS).
Vinokourov attacks with 1 km to go the summit. Jaksche and Rebellin react straight
away. This will hurt Cooke.
15:53 CET 208km/7km to go
Vino opens up a gap on Voigt, Rebellin and Jaksche. They can let him go a bit
as he is not a threat on GC, unless he gets several minutes.
The rest of the front group is together - just Vinokourov in front. He takes
the points and is on his way to the finish. The gap is about 5 seconds. Cooke
is still there.
15:54 CET km/215km to go
Alexandre Vinokourov is trying for a solo stage win, but he is being chased
by a group of eight others including race leader Jorg Jaksche, four CSC teammates,
Davide Rebellin, George Hincapie and Baden Cooke. There is another group with
Boonen and VDB at 25 seconds.
15:55 CET 209km/6km to go
Vinokourov is flying on the descent, and has what looks like a good lead but
it's hardly more than 5 seconds. 6 km to go. The speed is about 80 km/h now.
15:56 CET 210km/5km to go
Vinokourov has 5 km to go to the finish, and has a lead of 10 seconds over Jaksche,
Bartoli, Schleck, Voigt, Julich (all CSC), Rebellin, Hincapie and Cooke. They're
chasing hard, trying to ensure that the groups behind them don't catch back
on.
15:57 CET km/215km to go
Vino hammers past the 4 km to go mark giving it full gas. He's having a great
ride to hold this group off. The gap is still 9 seconds.
15:58 CET 212km/3km to go
3 km to go, and it's still Vinokourov with a 8 second gap to Rebellin, Jaksche,
Cooke and co. The final half a kilometre is uphill slightly.
15:59 CET 213km/2km to go
The VDB/Boonen group is at 1 minute, and they're not coming back. Rogers is
also in that group.
Vino passes 2 km to go and is just 6" in front of the eight leaders. Bartoli
is on the back of the group, saving himself for the sprint.
16:00 CET 214km/1km to go
Vinokourov is being pegged back by the work of the CSC team, but he may hold
them off. He hits the final kilometre and gets a short descent before the last
uphill. 7 seconds.
16:02 CET 215km/0km to go
Jaksche gets a gap, but Rebellin closes it. Voigt leads out the sprint for second,
as Vinokoruov has got this stage won. He looks behind with 350m to go, and keeps
hammering. He wins the stage!! Jaksche takes second in front of Rebellin, it
looks like.
16:04 CET km/215km to go
The next group with VDB is led home by Allan Davis, nearly 30 seconds behind
Vinokourov.
So Jaksche will keep the jersey and possibly extend his lead a tad thanks to
his second place today. But the big winner was Alexandre Vinokourov, who won
Paris-Nice in 2002 and 2003, and now has a stage win this year. He is surely
thinking of his fallen friend Andrei Kivilev today.
Results
Provisional 1 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile 5.06.15 2 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) CSC 0.04 3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 4 Michele Bartoli (Ita) CSC 5 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 6 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 7 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com 8 Frank Schleck (Lux) CSC 0.11 9 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros 0.29 General classification after stage 5 1 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) CSC 2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 0.10 3 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 4 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 5 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 0.44
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