Paris-Nice Stage 2: Perfect leadout from Geraint Thomas sets Greg Henderson up for win

Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas put in a fantastic piece of leadout work to set up Greg Henderson to win Stage 2 of Paris-Nice in Amilly this afternoon, the New Zealander just taking the sprint from HTC-Highroad’s Matt Goss. Katusha’s Denis Galimzyanov narrowly missed out on celebrating his birthday in style, finishing third.

Henderson, who took the first road stage of the race 12 months ago, moves up to second overall, while Thomas de Gendt of Vacansoleil-DCM retains the race lead.

Today’s stage began in Montfort L’Amaury, south west of Paris, covering 199km as the race began its journey towards the Mediterranean coast. Immediately from the start, three riders jumped off the front of the peloton, FDJ’s Yoann Offredo, Maxime Bouet of AG2R and Tony Gallopin of Cofidis.

It was unsurprising that the latter, son of pro rider Joel and nephew of RadioShack directeur sportif Alain, was looking to get into the day’s break, with the route taking him through his own birthplace, Dourdan, as well as his father’s home town, Angerville.

With a little over 30km to go, the final escapee, Bouet, was swept up, and although HTC-Highroad’s Tony Martin also tried to get away, he too was brought back into the peloton as the riders regrouped ahead of the final sprint.

Then, as the race entered its final kilometre and a half, de Gendt, in the race leader’s yellow jersey, went on the attack but was quickly reeled back, then Thomas, as he had done yesterday, but this time getting the reward his effort deserved, put in a big turn to deliver Henderson to the line.

Crashes today saw a number of riders including Garmin-Cervelo’s Heinrich Haussler and Leopard Trek’s Frank Schleck hit the tarmac, but both finished the stage.

Paris-Nice Stage 2 result 
1  HENDERSON Greg     SKY PROCYCLING         5h 00' 56"
2  GOSS Matt          HTC - HIGHROAD     (all at same time)
3  GALIMZYANOV Denis  KATUSHA TEAM
4  HAUSSLER Heinrich  TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO
5  SAGAN Peter        LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
6  FEILLU Romain      VACANSOLEIL-DCM
7  ROELANDTS Jurgen   OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO
8  ROJAS Jose Joaquin MOVISTAR TEAM
9  VAITKUS Tomas      PRO TEAM ASTANA
10 WYSS Danilo        BMC RACING TEAM
11 MAASKANT Martijn   TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO
12 AGNOLI Valerio     LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
13 STEEGMANS Gert     QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM
14 HUNTER Robert      TEAM RADIOSHACK
15 PATERSKI Maciej    LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
16 WEYLANDT Wouter    TEAM LEOPARD-TREK
17 MAES Nikolas       QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM
18 VACHON Florian     BRETAGNE - SCHULLER
19 DUMOULIN Samuel    COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE
20 TURGOT Sébastien   TEAM EUROPCAR

33 THOMAS Geraint     SKY PROCYCLING
58 LLOYD Daniel       TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO
90 HUNT Jeremy        SKY PROCYCLING
118 WIGGINS Bradley   SKY PROCYCLING

Paris-Nice overall standings after Stage 2 
1  DE GENDT Thomas   VACANSOLEIL-DCM           9h 05' 48"
2  HENDERSON Greg    SKY PROCYCLING             + 00' 04"
3  ROY Jérémy        FDJ                        + 00' 07"
4  GOSS Matt         HTC - HIGHROAD             + 00' 08"
5  GALLOPIN Tony     COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE + 00' 08"
6  HAUSSLER Heinrich TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO      + 00' 10"
7  GALIMZYANOV Denis KATUSHA TEAM               + 00' 10"
8  VOIGT Jens TEAM   LEOPARD-TREK               + 00' 12"
9  FEILLU Romain     VACANSOLEIL-DCM            + 00' 13"
10 SAGAN Peter       LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE        + 00' 14"
11 WYSS Danilo       BMC RACING TEAM            + 00' 14"
12 ROELANDTS Jurgen  OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO       + 00' 14"
13 STEEGMANS Gert    QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM    + 00' 14"
14 WEYLANDT Wouter   TEAM LEOPARD-TREK          + 00' 14"
15 HUNTER Robert     TEAM RADIOSHACK            + 00' 14"
16 DUMOULIN Samuel   COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE + 00' 14"
17 VACHON Florian    BRETAGNE - SCHULLER        + 00' 14"
18 DELPECH Jean Luc  BRETAGNE - SCHULLER        + 00' 14"
19 AGNOLI Valerio    LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE        + 00' 14"
20 RUIJGH Rob        VACANSOLEIL-DCM            + 00' 14"

37 THOMAS Geraint    SKY PROCYCLING             + 00' 14"
75 LLOYD Daniel      TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO      + 00' 14"
83 WIGGINS Bradley   SKY PROCYCLING	        + 00' 14"
113 HUNT Jérémy	     SKY PROCYCLING	        + 00' 14"