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Paris - Nice 2013: Stage 7

By DanielBenson
published

January 1 - March 10, Nice, France, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to the final stage of this year's Paris-Nice.

Today's final stage sees the rider's take on the climb of the Col d’Èze.

Coming into the stage, here's how things stand on GC. Porte leads by 32 seconds. It should more than enough to seal the overall win, Sky's second win in the race in the last two years.

We've had roughly half the field complete the stage so far. Roy (FDJ) leads from Sutherland in a time of 20'59.

Last year's winner, Bradley Wiggins won in a time of 19:12 last year. We probably wont see that time beaten today but Westra, who was second last year by two seconds could be close. he's not been in the same form as last year but he's still a strong rider against the clock on stages like this. Tejay Van Garderen and Sylvain Chavanel are also in with decent chances but the main battle will be between Porte Talansky.

It's unlikely that the American can reverse the 32 second deficit but he has to go all out because Chavanel is clearly in form too.

Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre-Merida has crossed the line in a time of 20'51 and now leads the stage from Roy by 8 seconds.

As Daniel Oss comes home in 12th place provisionally, 1;12 down on the stage leader.

Gustav Larsson (Swe) IAM Cycling crosses the line in 4th, but we have a new leader of the stage in Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar Team who now leads by 4 seconds. The Spaniard finished in a time of 20'47.

Barry Ryan is providing live coverage from Tirreno-Adriatico, and Cunego and Devolder are currently on the attack. You can follow the race right here.

Coppel has just gone through the first time check in first place. Can the Frenchman hang on to take the lead? He's 11 seconds faster after 5.6km.

Coppel was 5th in this stage last year so it's really no surprise to see him doing well today. His team certainly need a result, that's for sure.

You can read into this what you want but Porte lost 1:44 in last year's stage here. That year he was riding as a domestique for Wiggins but it's still worth taking into account. If he loses that sort of time today he'll finish off the podium.

Winner of the KOM competition, Johann Tschopp (Swi) IAM Cycling, comes home in 9th place.

Coppel takes the lead in 20'33, 14 seconds ahead of Moreno.

Albasini about to  start his TT. He could be an outsider for today's stage.

Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi posts a time that is 8 seconds fastest at the first time check.

Ivan Basso who has struggled throughout the week is on the climb now. He, like a lot of riders are using their road bikes. The Italian looks to be going full gas at the moment.

Conditons, overcast but not too much wind around. The roads are dry too.

Gallopin is also on the climb. Again a standard road bike but with a an aero helmet the choice for the RadioShack rider.

Insausti posts a time of 20'22, 11 seconds faster than Coppel.

Basso can only manage 18th fastest at the first time check. 

Gilbert is on the course as well. The Belgian was pipped to the line in yesterday's stage by Chavanel.

Voeckler is coming to the line. The Europcar rider comes home in 30th place.

And Albasini and Ivan Basso come to the line in quick succession. Neither rider can challenge for the stage.

The Italian veteran finishes 1:18 down on the stage leader.

Moinard (BMC) is fourth at the first time check. That's not a bad time at all for the former Cofidis man. Up ahead of him his teammate Gilbert stretches out of the saddle for the first time in the stage. The Belgian is another rider on a road bike, but he's using time trial bar extensions too.

Quintana has started his time trial. A lot was expected of the Movistar rider in this year's race but he had a one bad day when Porte one and it cost him dearly. He's 21st overall but could certainly move up a couple of places by the end of today's stage.

Scarponi, fastest at the first time check by 1 second. Can the Lampre rider pull of a shock and win today? The Italian almost lost his job at Lampre for his involvement with Dr Ferrari but after a pay cut, a couple of clauses inserted into his employment contract he's back.

Over in Tirreno Cunego is taking on Sky all by himself. Good luck. The Italian is 58 seconds clear of Froome's team with 17km to go. There are two climbs in the finale so it's going to be tough for the pint-sized climber. You can follow the action right here.

Back to Paris-Nice and Moinard continues his good start to finish 3rd, 20 seconds down in the stage.

Scarponi is sprinting to the line and he sets a time of 20'19, 3 seconds fastest. He won't win the stage but that's a decent performance for the Lampre leader.

Russian TT champion Denis Menchov is out on the course. He's been there or thereabouts throughout the week but he's giving it everything at the moment, as Roche starts his time trial.

Menchov churns a big gear as he takes on the lower slopes of the climb. He's another rider who has opted for a road bike with bar extensions. Denifl finishes 4th fastest, meanwhile.

Roche is constantly out of the saddle, Menchov the complete opposite.

Roche has been working hard on his time trialing over the winter with Bjarne Riis. It's certainly had an effect with the Irish rider improving already.

Quintana is six seconds faster than Scarponi at the first time check and moves into the lead. As Monfort comes to the line and takes 11th.

There are just 11 riders left to start the race as  Andreas Kloden, a former winner of this race, starts his time trial.

As Menchov takes 7th at the first time check. He'll probably pick up a few places as the road events out in the middle section of the course.

Here comes Quintana, 19'43 and the first man under 20 minutes. That's a very impressive time from the Movistar man. He's 36 seconds ahead of Scarponi.

Roche again gets out of the saddle before nestling down on his TT bars again.

At the bottom of the climb van Garderen starts his time trial. This is certainly worth watching. The American hasn't been great against the clock this year, San Luis and the prologue in this race, he's not shown his 2012 form yet this year.

Kloden fourth fastest at the first time check at Peraud who did well in this stage last year, starts his time trial.

Van Garderen with his TT bars pointing up at an angle a la Landis.

Roche crosses the line in 40th place. Not a great showing from the Irish rider.

And Porte starts his time trial. He accelerates down the ramp and gets into a rhythm straight away. Kloden, meanwhile, comes to the line 4th fastest. That should move him into the top ten by the end of the stage. Spilak has gone 2 seconds faster than Quintana at the first time check.

Westra is a bit further down the climb. He's not quite at the same level as last year but he's still a huge threat for a stage win and place on the podium at the very least.

Van Garderen is 4th fastest at the first time check, seven seconds off the lead. Westra meanwhile clicks through the gears as he heads to the first time check.

Peraud is fastest at the first time check now by 2 seconds. He started the day within a minute of yellow so he's certainly pushing for a podium place.

Spilak comes to the line and he's going to move up to 5th at this stage unless van Garderen can pull something out of the bag in the second half of the time trial.

Chavanel in the green points jersey is sandwiched between Westra and Talansky on the road as Riche Porte continues to defend his yellow jersey. It's all to play for now.

Westra is 32 second down at the first time check. Peraud could move into second place at this race while Westra could be well off the top five.

Velits is coming to the line, he crosses the line in 17th. He started the stage in 7th place but he's probably going to finish outside of the top ten.

Spilak was 28 seconds slower than Quintana at the finish but he'll still move up.  van Garderen comes to the line in a time of 20'08 to take second. He certainly recovered in the final section of the course.

Talansky is under real pressure now because he has to pull out a strong ride. He's doing it though and he's fastest at the first time check. The Garmin rider is 6 seconds faster at the first time check.

The fog has really descended on the climb as Peraud comes to the line, second fastest 19.47 so Quintana still leads.

Porte is 21 seconds faster than Talansky at the first time check. Is there something wrong with the time check? 21 seconds?

11'24 for Porte, that's 21 seconds faster for the Sky rider.

Westra is coming to the line 17th place. He's well outside of the top five now.

I still don't know if that time check is right for Porte. It had him a whopping 21 seconds ahead of Talansky at the first time check..

500 meters for Chavanel. He's holding onto the podium by the skin of his teeth.

Here comes Chavanel 7th, 20'21. I think  Peraud has second or third and the Omega rider is goin to be down to fourth or fifth on GC.

Talansky has less than 1km to go.

Talansky comes to the line and is fastest 19'39. He'll finish second overall.

Porte has 1km to go.

19'16 for Porte and he takes the stage and the overall.

That's 23 seconds ahead of Talansky to win Paris-Nice.

Peraud finishes third on GC, van Garderen 4th, Chavanel 5th.Westra has to settle for 8th.

Porte finds Talansky at the finish who is warming down on the rollers. The pair shake hands but it's the Sky rider who has come out on top and taken the biggest GC win of his career.

Porte becomes the first ever Australian to win Paris-Nice.

1 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:19:16
2 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:00:23
3 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:27
4 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:32
5 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:52
6 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha 0:00:55
7 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:01:00
8 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:01:03
9 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:01:05
10 Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:01:06

 top 10 GC:

1 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 29:59:47
2 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:00:55
3 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:21
4 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:44
5 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:01:47
6 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha 0:01:48
7 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:01:54
8 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:02:17
9 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack Leopard 0:02:22
10 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:02:28

Thanks for joining us today, and all week. You an pick up the report and results from today's stage right here.

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