The Cycling Disciple

Team Sky's Sergio Henao won Paris-Nice 2017 by just two seconds following an astonishing stage eight that Trek Segafredo's Alberto Contador was virtual leader of until the final kilometre. Credit: cyclingnews.com Quick-Step Floors' David de la Cruz won the stage ahead of two-time Paris-Nice winner Contador, who after attacking with 50kms to go was virtual race leader until the closing kilometres when Henao managed to claw back vital seconds to win Team Sky's fifth Paris-Nice title in six years by four different riders. "With what was happening, I thought about what happened last year with Thomas," reflected Henao, "It was basically the same situation so I couldn’t help but think about it." "Last year I was there to help Geraint [Thomas], so that meant I knew how to deal with that sort of stress. "I panicked a little bit when the gap was over a minute and I wasn’t receiving any help from the other teams. "But it was simpl...

BMC Racing's Richie Porte claimed a conciliatory stage victory as Quick-Step Floors' Julian Alaphilippe cracked on the Col de la Couillole to lose the overall lead of Paris-Nice to Team Sky's Sergio Henao. Credit: cyclingnews.com Porte had had absolutely nothing to play for in general classification since stage one, but clearly didn't want to have a wasted week and showed that he's still one of the best climbers in the world as he rode away from Alberto Contador (Trek Segafredo) and Sergio Henao (Team Sky) on the biggest climb in Paris-Nice history. Porte said of his victory: "It was a really tough climb. It’s really a great victory for me after my misfortune earlier this week. I tried to show that I had character. My teammates really did a great job today. I love Paris-Nice, it’s important for me to win here." Six got into the day's break; Axel Domont (AG2R), Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates), Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Lilian Calmeja...

Orica-Scott's Simon Yates had 'nothing to lose' as he brilliantly soloed to victory in Fayence on stage six of Paris-Nice after attacking on the Col de Bourigaille to move up to eighth on general classification. Credit: velonews.com Yates shot off the front of the leading group with 19 kilometres to go and managed to make his attack stick, safely navigating the descent and expertly climbing the short yet horrendously steep ramp into Fayence to pick up his first ever victory on Paris-Nice and his first win of the season. "I had a small idea to try something but it was all depending on how I feel and the conditions," explained Yates, "It got to the moment and I said, 'Ah, why not, you've nothing to lose?! If I get caught, I get caught'. So I tried and I'm just happy that it worked!" Colombian champion, Sergio Henao (Team Sky), mounted a spirited effort to finish 17 seconds behind the leader, with Richie Porte (BMC Racing) and Juli...

Lotto Fix ALL's Andre Greipel came out on top in a messy sprint finish on Paris-Nice stage five following a chaotic final few kilometres to notch his first WorldTour stage victory of the year. Credit: velonews.com Greipel finished ahead of  Arnaud Demare (FDJ), Dylan Groenewegen (Lotto NL-Jumbo), Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), John Degenkolb (Trek Segafredo) and Magnus Neilsen (Orica-Scott) in a really tricky finish that consisted of a trio of roundabouts and an uphill section before going flat for the last 150-200 metres. However Greipel's compatriot Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) could only achieve seventh and was never in contention for the stage victory. Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie), Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) and Sam Bennett (Bora Hansgrohe) rounded out the top ten. "It's always nice to win a stage here in Paris-Nice, I think it's my second", said a beaming Greipel, "The last seven to eight kilometres was quite tricky with a block...

Quick-Step Floors' Julian Alaphilippe stunned everyone to beat Trek Segafredo's Alberto Contador by 19 seconds in the time trial on stage four to take the overall lead of Paris-Nice. Credit: cyclingnews.com Alaphilippe now sits atop the general classification by 33 seconds to Tony Gallopin (Lotto Fix ALL) and 47 seconds ahead of Gorka Izaguirre (Movistar). Sergio Henao (Team Sky) and Dan Martin (Quick-Step) move up into the top five, one minute five seconds and one minute 20 seconds behind respectively. Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step) and Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) occupy sixth and seventh, while Contador, after a disastrous first stage, makes it into the top ten - one minute 31 seconds down on Alaphilippe. "I felt great coming into this race", said Alaphilippe, "I feel on peak form and this time trial was made for me - really fast at the start and then the climb at the end. I knew I was going to do well but I had no idea I'd won when I'd cross...

Bora Hansgrohe's Sam Bennett upset all the big name sprinters with a massive victory on stage three of Paris-Nice . Credit: lequipe.fr The Irishman, 26, was neatly placed with 300 metres to go behind Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) and when he launched his effort no one could catch him, leaving Kristoff and John Degenkolb (Trek Segafredo) to pick up second and third respectively, two lengths behind him. "I had a lot of confidence coming into this", said Bennett, "I knew with a bit of luck and the support of my team that something is possible, I didn't know if it would be a win though. In the the end I got really lucky, but the guys did a fantastic job." Stage three, 190km through the wine region of Chablis to Chalon-sur-Saone, presented far better weather for the riders than the previous two stages, with the temperature at the beginning in Chablis a comparatively balmy eight degrees. The breakaway of the day came from the trio of Pierre Lato...

Bahrain-Merida's Sonny Colbrelli broke down in tears after winning his first race as part of a WorldTour team on stage two of Paris-Nice. Credit: eurosport.co.uk Colbrelli beat Trek Segafredo's John Degenkolb by half a wheel length after a long sprint that resulted in the 26-year-old Italian successfully fending off competition from yellow jersey wearer Arnaud Demare of FDJ, Lotto Fix ALL's Andre Greipel, Lotto NL-Jumbo's Dylan Groenewegen, Katusha-Alpecin's Alexander Kristoff, Cofidis' Christophe Laporte, Astana's Matti Breschel, AG2R La Mondiale's Oliver Naesen and Delko-Marseille Provence's Evaldas Siskevicius. "It’s the greatest victory of my career," said Colbrelli. "It’s incredible. I managed a perfect sprint and to beat riders like Degenkolb or even Kittel just shows that. Of course I have Milan-San Remo in mind. Everyone knows that Paris-Nice is the perfect preparation for that race. But it’s not over yet, I still want ...

FDJ's Arnaud Demare claimed the opening stage of Paris-Nice 2017 on a day that saw the peloton ripped apart by brutal crosswinds and general classification contenders lose over one minute. Credit: leparisien.fr Demare's fellow Frenchman, Quick-Step Floors' Julian Alaphilippe, launched his assault on the line in the final two kilometres, leaving the rest of the leading group trailing. Only Demare had enough left to catch the climber and was always favourite to win the sprint to the line. "It was a race of real movement", exclaimed a beaming Demare, "Of course, we took the bull by the horns and I really enjoyed it. It was crazy but I enjoyed it." It was announced after the race that one of the favourites, AG2R La Mondiale's Romain Bardet, had been disqualified for drafting behind team cars after crashing. Stage one, a 148km loop starting and finishing in Bois d-Arcy, had been earmarked as a straight forward sprinters stage although it turne...

There are two signs Spring is upon us; an inordinate amount of rain and wind and the first of the classic Spring stage races: Paris-Nice. 2017's Race to the Sun is a special one too as it celebrates its 75th edition. Being a bit like a mini Tour de France - minus the July weather, of course - there's something for every type of rider; sprints, a time trial and a combination of Rhone and Italian Alps, which are sure to set the scene of the general classification and be the determining factor for who wins the yellow jersey. Paris-Nice 2017 route Credit: cyclingstage.com/paris-nice-2017 The first three stages are purely for the sprinters, unless some lucky breaks occur. Stage one is a 148.5 kilometre, south-eastern loop from Bois d'Arcy (near Versailles). Stage two, 192.5km from Rochefort-en-Yvelines to Amilly, only has one distinguishable feature - a category three climb - and could turn out to be the most uneventful of the eight stages. Cycling fans who fancy them...