Paris-Nice (2015) Photos March 8 - 15

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First man down the ramp, Daniel MCLAY (BRETAGNE-SECHE)	Gregory RAST	Rohan DENNIS (BMC Racing) set a early best time of 7:40 for the 6.7 km prologue and then sat around for several hours to finally lose by a split second
Aussie TT champ, Richie PORTE (SKY), was 13th + 15s	Tony MARTIN (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) is much better at longer TTs but this short course wasn't technical	3rd Tony MARTIN (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) + 7s
Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) needed a bike throw to overthrow Rohen Dennis by a 1/3 of a second. 1st 7:40	French TT Champ, Sylvain CHAVANEL (IAM CYCLING) was 7th + 10s	World TT Champ, Bradley WIGGINS (SKY), was 12th + 15s
Your prologue winner, Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)	and first race leader

Stage 1:  Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse → Contres, 197 km  Full Results and Report

Tony GALLOPIN during the Stage 1 morning sign in	Nacer BOUHANNI and his Cofidis mates	Typically cooler start for Stage 1 than the prologue
Ready to drop the flag on the first road stage
	Thomas VOECKLER and Anthony DELAPLACE in the main (lonesome) break of the day	The peloton
	Thomas VOECKLER and Anthony DELAPLACE	Bradley WIGGINS did a lot of work to help Team Sky with the chase
The break now up to 5:45		The peloton brought the race back together with 2 km to go
Sprint finish in full flight at the line in Contres	Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA) wins ahead of Frenchmen Nacer BOUHANNI (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) and Bryan COQUARD (EUROPCAR)	Your stage 1 winner, Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA) and another win in 2015
No change on GC; Michal KWIATKOWSKI keeps the race lead

Stage 2:  ZooParc of Beauval Saint-Aignan → Saint-Amand-Montrond, 172 km  Full Results and Report

Stage 2 started at a zoo	The media reporting on today's action early on from Zoo de Beauval - Saint-Aignan	The theme carried over to the teams presentation with Bryan COQUARD partaking
The lighter part of the stage 2 start	The serious part of the start...	The race paid tribute to the French athletes and others killed in two helicopter crashes in Argentina overnight
The rollout	Jersey leaders	Bradley Wiggins
Break	Arnaud GERARD on a long solo break	Arnaud GERARD passing through the first sprint point with a 7'25'' advantage
John DEGENKOLB was next through the intermediate sprint point
Easy day for the Maillot Jaune, Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)	km 131 and Arnaud GERARD still on his own	Team Cannondale-Garmin leading the chase
Sprint finish in Saint-Amand-Montrond	André GREIPEL (LOTTO SOUDAL) wins ahead of 2nd Arnaud DEMARE (FDJ), 3 John DEGENKOLB (GIANT - ALPECIN), 4th Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE)	Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) keeps the yellow jersey
André GREIPEL (LOTTO SOUDAL) post race	Your stage 2 winner, André GREIPEL (LOTTO SOUDAL)	Race leader and best young rider, Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)

Stage 3:  Saint-Amand-Montrond → Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule, 179 km  Full Results and Report

Katusha on stage during the Stage 3 morning sign-in in Saint-Amand-Montrond	Rolling to the start	Bernard HINAULT overseeing the start of the Juniors (Espoir) start
Juniors (Espoir) start	Jean-Christophe PERAUD	Yesterday's winner, Andre GREIPEL
Race leader, Michal KWIATKOWSKI	Rohan DENNIS and Michal KWIATKOWSKI on the start line	Stage 3 rollout
Dropping the flag on Stage 3	Philippe Gilbert (BMC) started an animated break	Philippe GILBERT and Florian VACHON
Etixx Quickstep at the front of the peloton	Philippe GILBERT and Florian VACHON at la cote de la Croix du Chene KOM	3'45" advantage
Michal KWIATKOWSKI and the peloton passing through a village along the way		This wasn't an aggressive break
An easy time in the peloton for the Maillot Jaune	Now a three men break; Thomas VOECKLER joined Philippe GILBERT and Florian VACHON with 74 km to go.	Five minute gap to the peloton
The peloton at the col de la Bosse KOM	Etixx and Sky bringing down the gap	la cote de Vicq KOM
2'55'' gap on the final finishing circuit	Philippe Gilbert dropped back to the peloton when the gap dropped to 30 seconds. Thomas VOECKLER and Florian VACHON remained committed.
With about 22 km to go, Thomas VOECKLER and Florian VACHON with the peloton blurry in the background 15'' back	The sprint finish in full sprint in Saint-Pourcain-sur-Sioule	Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE) won the Stage 3 twisty slightly uphill finish in 4:32:11 ahead of 2nd Davide CIMOLAI, (LAMPRE - MERIDA), 3rd Giacomo NIZZOLO (TREK FACTORY RACING), 4th Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA)
Your Stage 3 winner, Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE)	Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE) is the new race leader too by 1s	Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE) also moves ahead of KRISTOFF by 2 pts in the points competition
Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE) also claimed his four jersey, the while one for best young rider	The only jersey Michael MATTHEWS didn't claim today was the polka jersey which Philippe GILBERT retained

Stage 4:  Varennes-sur-Allier → Croix de Chaubouret, 204 km  Full Results and Report

Jersey leaders Michael MATTHEWS and Alexander KRISTOFF bundled up for the start of Stage 4	Dropping the flag on Stage 4 in Varennes sur Allier	Cold, damp 5C this morning
Bradley WIGGINS	Antoine DUCHESNE leads the break through the sprint point in Saint-Priest-La-Prugne	Orica-GreenEdge leading the chase
Break: Antoine DUCHESNE, Thomas DE GENDT and Chris Anker SORENSEN enjoying the peace and scenery at the front of the race	No more Antoine DUCHESNE by la Cote de Saint-Heant	Two men break: Thomas DE GENDT and Chris Anker SORENSEN with 4'05'' advantage
	The race at Cote de Saint-Heant.	60 km to go: A scenic shot of the peloton at Cote de Saint-Heant.
Thomas DE GENDT and Chris Anker SORENSEN crossing the fifth of eight climbs, la Cote de La Gimond with 52 km to go	Looking down from the finishing climb, CROIX DE CHAUBOURET (10 km 6.7 %)	Paolo TIRALONGO attacks off the front of the peloton on the finishing climb, CROIX DE CHAUBOURET
Geraint THOMAS and Jakob FUGLSANG at the front on the final climb	The final charge to the line
Sky's Richie PORTE and Geraint THOMAS finish 1-2		Michal KWIATKOWSKI regains the race lead with 3rd + 8s
Behind him, 4th Jakob FUGLSANG (ASTANA)	5th Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) + 17s	6th Rui COSTA (LAMPRE - MERIDA) + 24s, 7th Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL), 8th Fabio ARU (ASTANA)
Your Stage 4 winner, Richie PORTE (SKY)	Richie PORTE (SKY)	Michal KWIATKOWSKI regains the race lead but leads by just 1s over Richie Porte
Michal KWIATKOWSKI back in Yellow	Michael MATTHEWS swapped Yellow for Green today

Stage 5:  Saint-Étienne → Rasteau, 192 km  Full Results and Report

Points leader Michael MATTHEWS la signature du depart	Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING)	Bradley WIGGINS (SKY)
Race leader Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) signing in	Thomas de GENDT and Michal KWIATKOWSKI	Up close with Thomas de GENDT
Clipping in for Stage 5	The rollout from Saint-Étienne before four modest climbs during a lumpy Stage 5
	Bryan Nauleau attacking on the first climb, the cat 1 Col de la République	Today's break summiting the cat 1 Col de la Republique (2.2 km @ 4.5 % max 8.2 %), the first climb ever used in the Tour de France
Break: Romain Sicard, Andrew Talansky, Egor Silin, Pawel Poljansy and Thomas de Gendt		Michael MATTHEWS getting aero
Race leader, Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)	KOM leader, Thomas de Gendt, was the strongest rider in the break
67 Km to go: Peloton cresting the cat 3 Col du Deves	Sprint in Valreas	With 20 km to go, the break still had a chance
Uphill sprint finish in Rasteau	Bryan COQUARD (EUROPCAR) at the front doing his best Thomas Voeckler impersonation	Davide CIMOLAI (LAMPRE - MERIDA) inches into the lead
		Close, but not a photo finish
Davide CIMOLAI (LAMPRE - MERIDA) wins Stage 5 ahead of Bryan COQUARD (EUROPCAR) and Michael MATTHEWS (ORICA GreenEDGE)		Finish perspective
Thomas de GENDT was the last break rider caught just 200m from the line	Your Stage 5 winner, Italian Davide CIMOLAI (LAMPRE - MERIDA). Biggest win of his young career.	Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) maintains his slim 1s lead
	Stage 5 most aggressive rider and KOM leader, Thomas de Gendt

Stage 6:  Vence → Nice, 181 km  Full Results and Report

KOM leader Thomas de GENDT during the morning sign in	Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) suffered in the cold, wet conditions. He finished 21st + 4:57.	Jersey leaders prior to Stage 6
	35 km: Col de Vence, the first of the six cat 1 or 2 climbs on the day	Thomas de GENDT leading a breakaway of 30 riders. It was the third straight day that the KOM leader made the break.
Col de Vence	Thomas de GENDT leading the beak over Col de Vence	Sylvain CHAVANEL (IAM CYCLING) was 8th today + 1 min
		Cresting Col de Vence
IMG_0342.jpg 13:54:21	Sky leading the peloton through several minutes later
A Trek rider getting some help chasing back on	Rein TAARAMAE (ASTANA) et Steven KRUIJSWIJK (LOTTO NL - JUMBO) attacking the escapees	Rein TAARAMAE and Steven KRUIJSWIJK with a 2'55'' advantage on the peloton
5 km to go, Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL) with a 15s advantage	Old cycling books at the finish in Nice. I wonder how well they sell.
One man arrives on his own		Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL) wins by 32s after soloing for 30 km
	Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL) becomes the third straight Frenchman to win the Nice stage at the this race	Big yawn, no big deal
Bunch sprint for 2nd among the other break members	2nd Simon SPILAK (KATUSHA) + 32s, 3rd Rui COSTA (LAMPRE - MERIDA), 4th Jakob FUGLSANG (ASTANA)	Rafael VALLS FERRI (LAMPRE - MERIDA), the overall winner at Tour of Oman, was 5th + 35s
Michael Valgren ANDERSEN(TINKOFF - SAXO) leads the next group across for 6th + 1:00	IMG_0475.jpg 17:46:46	Crashed battered Sky riders Richie PORTE and Geraint THOMAS (SKY) crossed in the same time + 1m
No longer the race leader...	Michal Kwiatkowski arrives 14th + 1:02 and is now 3rd overall + 37s	Your Stage 6 winner, Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL)
	And new race leader, Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL) by 36s over Richie Porte heading into the final day uphill time trial
Michal Kwiatkowski swapped Yellow for White		Michael Matthews keeps the green jersey
Thomas de GENDT keeps the KOM jersey	The crowd paid homage to local French Olympian Camille Muffat at the finish area who was tragically killed this past week in a helicopter crash.	Camille Muffat was born in Nice 25 years ago.

Stage 7:  Nice → Col d’Èze, 9.6 km ITT  Full Results and Report

As last on GC, the lantern rouge, Stijn VANDENBERGH, was first man down the ramp	After crashing the previous day, Aussie TT champ Richie PORTE (SKY) motored the 9.6 km climb up Col d’Èze today	Richie PORTE (SKY) won the mountain time trial in 20:23 and like many previous editions, the winner also won the overall
2nd Simon SPILAK (KATUSHA) + 13s to jump from 7th overall to the final podium position, 3rd	3rd Rui COSTA (LAMPRE - MERIDA) + 24s for 4th overall	Tony Martin passing a rider in the pouring rain
The course didn't suit him, but Tony MARTIN (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) was 4th + 29s	5th Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP), the same time as Tony Martin + 29s for 2nd overall	7th Geraint THOMAS (SKY) + 39s
KOM winner, 12th Thomas DE GENDT (LOTTO SOUDAL) + 56s	Race leader, Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL) couldn't get it done today; he was noticeably slower than the other riders	The expressions at the finish line says it all. 29th Tony GALLOPIN (LOTTO SOUDAL) + 1:39 to drop from 1st to 6th overall
The 30 km solo effort yesterday may have taken a toll, but Tony GALLOPIN didn't use it as an excuse	Your Stage 7 winner, Richie PORTE (SKY)	And now a two-time winner of this event, Richie PORTE (SKY). It's not how many Yellow Jerseys you get it's who gets the last one.
Your 2015 Paris-Nice podium, 2nd Michal KWIATKOWSKI (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) + 30s, 1st PORTE, Richie (SKY) 29:10:41, 3rd Simon SPILAK (KATUSHA) + 30s		The jersey winners