Paris-Nice Photos Mar 4 - 11

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Left: The early morning scenery at the start in Dampierre-en-Yvelines. Right: Fans, team buses, riders and everyone else on a narrow road prior to the start. (photos courtesy of Robert Schmidt)	Gustav LARSSON (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) benefited from his start as the 76th of 176 starters. His time of 11' 19" over the 9.4km course held up as the other favorites contended with deteriorating conditions.	Levi LEIPHEIMER (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP), who always seems to be on good form regardless of the time of year, placed 3rd + 4s
Close-up look at the concentration in slick conditions	As the second last rider, stage favorite Bradley WIGGINS (SKY) placed 2nd just + 00' 01"	The rain was flying and the roads were wet for the final two riders Wiggins and Tony Martin, last year's winner. Martin finished 28th + 25s indicating how well Wiggins rode. MORE PHOTOS TO COME.
Gustav LARSSON (VACANSOLEIL-DCM), who only has mostly ITT wins dotted throughout his 10-year pro career, gets his biggest win since the final stage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia (photos)	The first day winner gets the Yellow Jersey as an added bonus

Stage 2:  Mantes-la-Jolie → Orléans, 185 km  Full Results and Report

A flat stage that would soon split apart in the crosswinds (echelons photo)	Stage 1 winner, Gustav Larsson (Vacansoleil-DCM), didn't make the main break and lost his Yellow Jersey after only one day	External photo: A great shot of echelons forming in the crosswinds (big photo) that split the race apart
Strong crosswinds split the peloton on the plains in France leaving us with a bunch sprint in Orléans; the full flight finish photo of Tom BOONEN (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) beating right, Jose ROJAS GIL (MOVISTAR) and left, John DEGENKOLB (PROJECT 1T4I) in a bunch sprint	Close-up: The gritty, grimaces of Paris-Nice	Tom Boonen shutting it down. As you can see, he had two Omega Pharma-Quickstep teammates in the winning break. (photo © Colin Flockton)
Tom Boonen celebrates his 100th pro win while teammate Sylvain Chavanel in French national champion's jersey, blurry in the distance, provides the full victory salute. Levi Leipheimer was also in the break and is now 2nd on GC, 6s behind Bradley Wiggins (Sky).	Tom Boonen on the podium for the 100th time in his pro career (photo © Colin Flockton)	As winner of the first road stage, Tom Boonen, slips into the Green Jersey
Without time to fully clean himself up, one of the race favorites, Bradley Wiggins (Sky), slips into the Yellow Jersey.	Bradley Wiggins (Sky) may keep the Yellow Jersey for the rest of the week, but he's just 6s up on Levi Leipheimer (photo © Colin Flockton)	Fourth overall + 11s and the best young rider so far, Tejay Van Garderen (Bmc Racing) (photo © Colin Flockton)

Stage 3:  Vierzon → Le Lac de Vassivière, 194 km  Full Results and Report

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) seriously wants to win Paris-Nice; the start in flat Vierzon before the hilltop finish in Lac de Vassivière. He finished 20th today and retains his lead.	Other than the cold weather, the first half of the stage was rather enjoyable for the new race leader	As expected, a harmless break rolled away on the flats consisting of Jimmy Engoulvent (Saur-Sojasun), Roy Curvers (Project 1t4i) and Michael Mørkøv (Saxo Bank).
Judging by this photo and the previous one, it would seem that Jimmy Engoulvent (Saur-Sojasun) did most of the work in the break. With only three riders in the break, many teams had an incentive to chase it down.	The winter landscape in Central France with the peloton cruising along keeping the break in check	Power sprint finish with the edge to the climbers; Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) holds off the late charge by Simon Gerrans (Greenedge) to win at Lac de Vassiviere. With the 10 bonus seconds for the win Valverde moves into the top 10 on GC (6th) at +20s
Close-up: This finish was a repeat of the Queen Stage at the Tour Down Under in January	The photo-finish... photo. Time lapse finish photos can be misleading to the casual observer. The overhead on the right shows the true distance between the 2nd and 3rd riders.	Too close to call initially. It took the overhead replay to determine who won.
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was surprised at how close the finish was and gave a nice complement Simon Gerrans for almost pipping at the line	After serving his suspension last year, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) shows no signs of rust in 2012. Today's stage 3 win gives him three (uphill) wins this year.	Local boy and perennial Tour de France runner-up, Raymound Poulidor, presents Bradley Wiggins with his second Yellow Jersey this week while Bernard Hinault enjoys his front row seat

Stage 4:  Brive-la-Gaillarde → Rodez, 183 km  Full Results and Report

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) awakes to his second morning in Yellow and one step closer to winning Paris-Nice	Bradley Wiggins (Sky) signs an old photo of himself when he rode for the French team, Cofidis while more fans look on	The main break of the day was never given much of a gap. Left-to-right: Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) who scoop up many early KOM points, Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ-BigMat), Leigh Howard (GreenEdge), Bart De Clerq (Lotto Belisol) and Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r-La Mondiale) attacked 6km from the start in Brive.
After the break was caught, Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) attempted to solo over the final cat 3 several kms to the finish to retain the KOM jersey. However, he didn't make it and surrendered it to Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) who was in the break (see previous photo).	3rd in yesterday's finish, Belgian Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol) wins today's bunch sprint ahead of left, 2nd Grega Bole (Lampre - ISD) and right, 3rd Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM)	Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol) celebrating the biggest win of his career in fine style
One more shot of the victory salute from a different angle	Your stage 4 winner, Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol), with a nice photo for his wall at home	Smiles all-around on the podium; Bradley Wiggins (Sky) is looking comfortable in Yellow now

Stage 5:  Onet-le-Château → Mende, 178 km  Full Results and Report

Pre-race sign-in: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was second on today's finishing climb to Mende in 2010 and with Alberto Contador not here this year to defend, Valverde was a top favorite	Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) not looking as confident as Valverde	Damiano Cunego (Lampre - ISD) warming up before a cold, windy stage. He went on to finish a solid 6th +16s
		Team Sky at the front with a break up the road
	Solo win, but a double victory salute after attacking with 1.5 km to go; Lieuwe WESTRA (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) is the surprise winner of the 3 km/10% climb outside of Mende to move up to 2nd on GC + 6s.	Alejandro VALVERDE (MOVISTAR) moved further up the GC today from 7th to 4th + 18s after finishing 2nd on stage 5 + 6s just behind of race leader Bradley WIGGINS (SKY PROCYCLING)
8th Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas-Cannondale) + 24s	Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) about to pip Maxime Monfort (RadioShack-Nissan) for 10th +30s	He wasn't the top best young rider today, but Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) retains his White Jersey with his 12th place finish + 30s
19th Fränk Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) +48s	29th Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) + 1:04	30th Andreas Klöden (RadioShack-Nissan) + 1:04
Known as a time-trialist, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) wasn't among the favorites to win the stage 5 mountain finish today, the first uphill pro win of his 5 year career	Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling) stills maintains a 6s lead but it's now Westra in 2nd as the GC has shuffled behind our race leader	Bradley Wiggins (Sky) with a sly grin. He knows today was his biggest test. Now it's on to warmer weather and easier/favorable stages.

Stage 6:  Suze-la-Rousse → Sisteron, 177 km  Full Results and Report

The peloton making it's way southeast to warmer weather during Stage 6. Not that far far to Nice now.	And then there were two very strong riders: the remnants of today's break after Luis Leon Sanchez attacked on Côte des Marquises with 12 km to go	The finish in Sisteron came down to the two remaining break survivors; Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan) took up the sprint first ahead Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) with 100m to go
These two "strong men of the peloton" are well matched and even have the same expressions	Breakaway artists	Luis Leon Sanchez coming around the veteren Jens Voigt
Luis Leon Sanchez wins by inches with a bike throw.  Last Km of Stage 6 (01:38 Spanish) — rtve.es	Previously an overall winner at Paris-Nice (2009), Luis Leon Sanchez will have to settle for a fine stage win this year. This is his 4th career stage win at Paris-Nice.	Winning is especially emotional for Luis Leon Sanchez who always salutes his deceased brother on the podium
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) with his fifth Yellow Jersey, Two more days to go.

Stage 7:  Sisteron → Nice, 220 km  Full Results and Report

Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) along with Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) escaped with the blessing of the peloton and quickly gained a lead of over 12 minutes	The race to the sun has lived up to it's name this year. And today, the peloton took the first half of this stage easy, but the finish was quite eventful for Omega Pharma Quickstep (video) seen here at the front of the peloton	Bradley Wiggins (Sky) spending his 6th consecutive day in Yellow
Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) left break companion Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) behind on Col de Vence and descended to victory	Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) had plenty of time to celebrate given that Rein Taaramae had crashed while chasing and the peloton crossed over nine minutes later. Thomas De Gendt won stage 1 of last year's Paris-Nice (photos)	After a winning performance like that, there is a lot to talk about especially if you are fluent in many languages
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) survives the day and will take his 6s lead into the final day uphill ITT. "Just one left now to win." Levi Leipheimer was 3rd overall + 10s at the start of the day but he crashed three times and is no longer a factor.

Stage 8:  Nice → Col d'Èze, 9.6 km ITT  Full Results and Report

The enigmatic "Little Prince" had one of his better TTs today; Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) placed 9th +59s	Andréas Klöden (RadioShack), 2nd overall last year and first overall in 2000, posted the best ride for RadioShack-Nissan, 7th + 58s	Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) was 14th + 1:15, good enough to claim the final White Jersey for best young rider by 2:45 over Rigoberto Uran (Sky Procycling)
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) put in a fine ride placing 6th + 52s which secured his 3rd overall position	Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) blitzed through the immediate check 2s faster than Bradley Wiggins (Sky)	When Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM crossed, he beat the earlier best time by whopping 31s and had people wondering whether Bradley Wiggins could hold on for the overall win
Bradley Wiggins said he wasn't aware of Lieuwe Westra's immediate time or his finishing time while out on the road	Down by 2s at the immediate check, Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling) not only held on for the overall win today, but he beat Lieuwe Westra's great time by 2s	Stage 8 winner; Bradley Wiggins celebrates his first stage win this week.
As is usually the case at Paris-Nice when it ends in the Col d'Eze time trial. Win the 9.6 km uphill ITT and you win the overall.	Your 2012 Paris-Nice podium, 3rd Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) + 1:10, 1st Bradley Wiggins (Sky) 28:12:16, 2nd Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) + 0:08	The final jersey winners. You can just barely see the Green Jersey under the Yellow Jersey of Bradley Wiggins