The youngest rider in the Paris-Nice race, Peter Sagan, has taken his second stage of the event in Aix-en-Provence.
The Slovakian attacked with just three kilometres to go after the peloton split into two parts, leaving favoured riders including Levi Leipheimer, Thomas Voeckler and Sandy Casar suddenly adrift.
Mirco Lorenzetto (Lampre) and Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) hammered hard on the heels of the 20-year-old Liquigas rider but couldn't hold him.
Alberto Contador retains the yellow jersey, finishing 10th. The Astana rider's overall advantage stands at 20 seconds from Valverde with two days of racing remaining.
Contador said of Astana's race: “It was a terrible stage. We tried to control the breaks for100 kms but it’s impossible for one team to control a race like Paris-Nice. Sagan is a very strong rider and I’m sure he will very quickly be a rival to watch in future races. Tomorrow is another hard stage with 220 kms. I may be the one in the yellow jersey but I’m not the only one who can do something tomorrow.”
The penultimate stage - a 220-kilometre race between Peynie and Tourrettes-sur-Loup - takes place on Saturday with the finish in Nice on Sunday.
Top 10 Paris Nice Stage 5
1) Peter Sagan (Liquigas) 3:34:15
2) Mirko Lorenzetto (Lampre) :02
3) Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne)
4) Mathieu Ladagnous (Française des Jeux)
5) Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank)
6) Simon Gerrans (Sky)
7) Koldo Fdez de Larrea (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
8) Nicolas Roche (AG2R)
9) Matthew Goss (HTC-Columbia)
10) .Alberto Contador (Astana) Bank)
Top 10 General classification after stage 5
1) Alberto Contador (Astana) 20:41:39
2) Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) :20
3) Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) a :25
4) Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d'Epargne) :26
5) Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) :29
6) Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) :34
7) Joaquín Rodríguez (Katusha) :36
8) Peter Sagan (Liquigas) :42
9) David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) 1:02
10) Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) 1:06
"Causing serious injury by dangerous driving and grievous bodily harm with intent" That's an odd way of describing attempted murder
Campagnolo "hub cap" tools for Record-style hubs should be on the list. They're expensive and not something you need very often, but the...
Really sad for all the staff who have lost their jobs, especially if the above is true and minimum legal notice periods were not met etc. Like the...
You can't have fresh water because I want to drive my car:...
Isn't it the end user that should be choosing? The developer is providing what is requested (presumably based on feedback, marketing dept and so on...
These things happen so often yet every single one of them still produces a sickening feeling when I read about it....
Winter sucking in air through the mouth, soon will breathe in the first bug, then trying to get enough air through the nose until winter comes...
Since pedestrians don't yet have to wear number plates perhaps I need to get some signs made up with his face on them and zip tie them to the lamp...
Yes. They don't change from year to year.
Great to read about someone who knows their own mind. Well done Stu!