Paris-Nice Photos Mar 6 - 13

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A very chilly start to the 2011 Paris-Nice. Vino downing some vino?	It may have been chilly, but there was plenty of sunshine as the peloton meandered around Houdan chasing a break	The peloton winding its way around Houdan which means “House on the Hill” in French.
The peloton getting a time check on the break up the road...	After escaping with 40 km to go, this three man break maintained a slim lead over the final kms. That's 39 year-old (racing age) Jens Voigt, the oldest rider in the race, with his mouth open scooping up as much air as possible.	The peloton bearing down on the three break riders (Thomas de Gendt, Jérémy Roy and Jens Voigt) just meters from the line
It didn't look like it from the head on camera angle, but Thomas DE GENDT (Vacansoleil-DCM) had plenty of time to celebrate. With the banners on the dividers, Vacansoleil gets double exposure in this shot.	Hallelujah... the break succeeds: Thomas DE GENDT (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) wins stage 1 in front of the charging peloton. 2nd (right) was Jérémy ROY (FDJ) (+ 00' 01"). More photos including the podium shots still to come...	Most people thought this would be a sprint finish. Expect the unexpected at Paris-Nice. Happens every year.
Easily the biggest win of his young career. His last win was stage 4 of Tour de Wallonie in 2009.	24 year-old Belgian Thomas DE GENDT is your stage 1 winner.	Winning the first day gives you the added perk of a Yellow Jersey

Stage 2:  Montfort l’Amaury → Amilly, 199 km  Full Results and Report

This is year's Paris-Nice is turning out to be the Race to the Warmth of the Sun because it was another sunny day near Paris; the peloton rolling out from Montfort l’Amaury with Thomas de Gendt in Yellow	The race leader, Thomas de Gendt, was not involved in any of the many crashes today	Thomas de Gendt finished with the peloton and retained his lead
Today's three man break missed the presence of Jens Voigt (inset) and were content with a photo-op	After Sky teammate Geraint Thomas led him out with 500m to go, Greg Henderson started his sprint with 250m to go and was first across the line in Amilly. HTC-Highroad's Matt Goss (left) was 2nd while Katusha's Denis Galimzyanov (behind Goss) was 3rd. Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervelo, right) was 4th.	A mass sprint today
Greg Henderson won Stage 1 of Paris-Nice last year (big photos) under almost identical conditions. He calls Paris-Nice the biggest race he's ever done.	Your stage 1 winner dedicated his win to the Christchurch earthquake victims

Stage 3:  Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire → Nuits-Saint-Georges, 203 km  Full Results and Report

Sunny again today. The unsuccessful break.	The peloton	Race leader Thomas de Gendt would give up the Yellow Jersey today
Liquigas' Peter Sagan caused a pile up in the final corner, 200m from the line, when his rear tire rolled off	When the second rider around the final corner crashes, he messes up the sprint for many others	Matt Goss and Denis Galimzyanov in full flight
After a crash in the final corner involving Peter Sagan, Matthew Goss (HTC-Highroad) won the twisty sprint finish ahead of 2nd Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervelo) and 3rd Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha). Galimzyanov has had four top three finishes without a win this year.	Haussler (right) shakes his head. He did well to finish 2nd after crashing and catching back on late in the stage	Your stage 1 winner, HTC-Highroad's Matt Goss...
... is also the new race leader

Stage 4:  Crêches-sur-Saône → Belleville, 191 km  Full Results and Report

The peloton heading into the hills west of the start host, Crêches-sur-Saône	Race leader Matt Goss spending his only day in Yellow	Todays's route did a complete circle around Mont Monet
The nice weather continued to bring out the fans as the peloton worked it way south	The 2 x Thomas and 2 x Remy main break started just 6 km from the start: R-to-L: Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Remi Pauriol (FdJ), Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoliel-DCM) and Francis De Greef (Omega Pharma-Lotto)	The four man break has held off the peloton in Belleville. Something Yogi Berra would say: if there is a 50-50 chance of the break succeeding at Paris-Nice then always take the odds.
The early break survived thanks to Thomas de Gendt dragging them the final kms to the line. Europcar's Thomas Voeckler then won the slightly uphill bunch sprint with the peloton in the background 13s back.		Thomas Voeckler adds his first Paris-Nice stage win to his impressive palmarès
Once again Garmin-Cervelo's Heinrich Haussler missed out on the win today seen here in the Greey Jersey taking the field sprint for 5th	Your stage 4 winner, Europcar's Thomas Voeckler	VACANSOLEIL's Thomas de Gendt drove the break to the line inorder to regain the Yellow Jersey

Stage 5:  Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise → Vernoux-en-Vivarais, 194 km  Full Results and Report

The peloton head south on a ridge in the Massif Central, a mountainous region in south-central France which includes parts of the Ardeche and Rhone Apes. It's a good cycling region with lots of very twisty roads.	RadioShack was active in bringing back the break	Vacansoleil's Lieuwe Westra leading the two man break which was caught before the last climb of the day, the cat 1 Col de la Mûre
A select group of riders escaped over the top Col de la Mûre which set up for a bunch sprint	Normally, Sammy Sanchez (Euskatel) could take Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) in a sprint finish...	... but, he's clearly out of gas or was he unintentionally feathering his left brake as pointed out by @inrng. After a tough mountain stage, Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) wins a ugly climbers' bunch sprint to become the new race leader
Too little too late for Sanchez. But this facial expressions are always priceless when he contests a finish (Tour de France 2010 photo)	The future stars of the sport, Saxo Bank's Richie Porte and HTC-Highroads Tejay van Garderen, finished 26th and 27th (+ 01' 46") and will live to fight another day	Vino gives his congrats to his old teammate
No chain and no gravity today for your stage 5 winner, Andreas Klöden (RadioShack), your new race leader as well	Andreas Klöden knows what it's like to wear Yellow at Paris-Nice. He won this event 10 years ago.

Stage 6:  Rognes → Aix-en-Provence, 27 km TT  Full Results and Report

Tony Martin getting aero	It was a TT for the strong men and HTC-Highroad's Tony Martin crushed the field winning the 27 km TT in 33' 24" (48.5 kmh)	One final shot from a powerful performance
Britain's national champ, Bradley Wiggins on the road	Sky's Bradley Wiggins was second (+ 0' 20"), a 1/2 kmh slower than Martin	Saxo Bank's Richie Porte was third (+ 00' 29")
As the race leader, Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) was last man on the road. Compared to the first photo, he doesn't get as "aero" as Tony Martin. He was a full a 1 kmh slower than Martin today.	Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) finished 4th today (+ 00' 46") and slips to 2nd overall	Your stage 6 winner, HTC-Highroads's Tony Martin, adds another individual time trial win to his palmarès
And he gets to don the Yellow Jersey too	Tony Martin was thrilled to win the stage and gain a 36s lead over yesterday's leader Andreas Klöden	Martin continued to acknowledge the crowd who appreciated his fine performance

Stage 7:  Brignoles → Biot - Sophia Antipolis, 216 km  Full Results and Report

Wind and rain made the five categorized climbs treacherous as the peloton worked it's why east to Mediterranean Sea	Race leader and HTC-Highroad's Tony Martin survived the day and, in fact, did quite well finishing 5th (+ 0:07")	Rémy Di Gregorio's counterattack with 13 km to go was the key move on the slick circuit around Biot
Digging deep at Paris-Nice. This year's race should have gone Nice-Paris to fit with the Race to the Sun nickname.	He never had more than a 25s lead, but Rémy Di Gregorio hangs on to win (by 5s)	For a guy who was reconsidering his future as a pro cyclist, this is a hell of a win and a boost to this confidence
The day ending badly for Movistar. After his teammates did yeoman service bringing the race back together, Xavier Tondo wasn't able to finish it off with a win. In fact, he slide across the line for 9th (+0:09")	Your stage 7 winner is Frenchman Rémy Di Gregorio (Astana)	HTC-Highroad's Tony Martin retains his Yellow Jersey and maintains his 36s advantage on Andreas Klöden going into the final stage and the mountainous route around Nice

Stage 8:   Nice → Nice, 124 km  Full Results and Report

Not so nice in Nice today. Inspired by his teammate's win yesterday, Andriy Grivko (Astana) got a break started in the early kms.	Thomas Voeckler spotted an opportunity in the cold rain when others were content to abandon the race. Only 89 riders finished today.	It was just Voeckler and Diego Ulissi (Lampre - ISD) left on the last climb Col d’Eze
“I don’t like to take risks at every race I do, but when there is the possibility of a win around the corner, it’s worth it.” After losing last year's final stage in a two-up sprint, Voeckler preferred to take his chances on the Col d'Eze descent rather than a bunch sprint	Diego Ulissi (Lampre - ISD) was second (+ 00:23)	Another good stage result today for Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) finishing 4th (+ 1:06) to move up to finish 5th overall
6th Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM. Being a decent sprinter, Voeckler dropped him on the descent.	The GC contenders finishing together (+ 1:22)	Not an easy day for anyone, but Martin wraps up the overall
Your stage 8 winner, a very cold Thomas Voeckler	After 34 hours of racing over eight days, Tony Martin wins his biggest stage race to date thanks to his strong stage 6 TT performance	Your final podium 2nd Andreas Klöden + 0:36 (RadioShack), 1st Tony Martin 34:03:37 (HTC-Highroad) and 3rd Bradley Wiggins + 0:41 (Sky). These guys were 4th, 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the stage 6 TT.