Paris-Nice Stage 1: Nacer Bouhanni takes the sprint and race lead

French national champion Nacer Bouhanni of FDJ has won Stage 1 of Paris-Nice following a scrappy and closely fought sprint in Nemours, crossing the line just ahead of the Italian pair of Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre Merida and Cannondale's Elia Viviani.

Bouhanni had started the day 10 seconds behind race leader Damien Gaudin of Europcar, winner of yesterday's Prologue. However, Bouhanni clawed that time back through a 10-second bonus for winning the stage today and takes over the yellow jersey on countback.

Missing from the finale was Argos Shimano sprinter Marcel Kittel, who suffered a mechanical problem, the German finding himself in a second group on the road, including big names such as Tom Boonen, that formed when the peloton split as the pace rose inside the closing 20 kilometres.

By that time the day’s break, which got away early in the 195 kilometre stage from Saint-Germain-en-Laye, had been swept up, comprising Yannick Talabardon of Sojasun, Euskaltel’s Romain Sicard and Jan Lindeman of Vacansoleil-DCM.

More to follow

Paris-Nice Stage 1 result

1.  BOUHANNI Nacer       FDJ                      04h 47' 24'' 
2.  PETACCHI Alessandro  LAMPRE - MERIDA        All at same time
3.  VIVIANI Elia         CANNONDALE
4.  DEBUSSCHERE Jens     LOTTO-BELISOL
5.  HAUSSLER Heinrich    IAM CYCLING
6.  RENSHAW Mark         BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM
7.  ROJAS Jose Joaquin   MOVISTAR TEAM
8.  HOWARD Leigh         ORICA GREENEDGE
9.  BOZIC Borut          ASTANA PRO TEAM
10. FEILLU Romain        VACANSOLEIL-DCM
11. MAES Nikolas         OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP
12. CHAVANEL Sylvain     OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP
13. OSS Daniel           BMC RACING TEAM
14. TURGOT Sébastien     TEAM EUROPCAR
15. HUTAROVICH Yauheni   AG2R LA MONDIALE
16. LEMOINE Cyril        SOJASUN
17. HINAULT Sébastien    IAM CYCLING
18. PINEAU Jérôme        OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP
19. PEREZ MORENO Ruben   EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
20. GALLOPIN Tony        RADIOSHACK LEOPARD

Overall standings after Stage 1

1.  BOUHANNI Nacer       FDJ                      04h 51' 01'' 
2.  GAUDIN Damien        TEAM EUROPCAR              + 00' 00''
3.  CHAVANEL Sylvain     OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP    + 00' 01''
4.  WESTRA Lieuwe        VACANSOLEIL-DCM            + 00' 01''
5.  VIVIANI Elia         CANNONDALE                 + 00' 01''
6.  PETACCHI Alessandro  LAMPRE - MERIDA            + 00' 02''
7.  KELDERMAN Wilco      BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM    + 00' 02''
8.  SOUPE GEOFFREY       FDJ                        + 00' 02''
9.  VELITS Peter         OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP    + 00' 03''
10. GALLOPIN Tony RADIOSHACK LEOPARD                + 00' 03''