64th Paris-Nice - ProTour

France, March 5-12, 2006

Photography

Stage 7 - March 12: Nice - Nice, 135 km

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Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner) wins the final stage in Nice
• The final podium (L to R): Patxi Vila (2nd), Floyd Landis (1st), and Antonio Colom (3rd)

Images by AFP Photo

• Floyd Landis (Phonak) was looking forward to the last stage
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) on a descent
• Axel Merckx leads the Phonak train
• David Moncoutie (Cofidis) on his own
• The peloton beachside
• The peloton rides through Nice during the final stage
• Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner) attacks on La Turbie
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) with Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) on the Col d'Eze
• Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner) wins the final stage
• Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner) celebrates
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) the winner of the 64th Paris-Nice
• The final podium (L to R): Patxi Vila (2nd), Floyd Landis (1st), and Antonio Colom (3rd)
• The place getters congratulate each other
• The jersey winners (L to R): Samuel Sanchez (points), Floyd Landis (overall), Luis Sanchez (young rider), and David Moncoutie (mountains)
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) is the king of Nice

Images by Hedwig Kröner/Cyclingnews.com

• The Promenade des Anglais is where it's at in Nice
• Alexandre Vinokourov (Liberty Seguros) made an impromptu appearance
• Alexandre Vinokourov (Liberty Seguros) at the final stage of Paris-Nice
• Alexandre Vinokourov (Liberty Seguros) signs an autograph
• Nico Mattan (Davitamon-Lotto) with Richard Virenque at the start
• Nicolas Crosbie (Agritubel) hoped to defend his team's mountains jersey today
• The start on Nice's Promenade des Anglais
• Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) waits for the sart
• Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner) very happy after the stage
• Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues) finishing

Stage 6 - March 11: Digne-les-Bains - Cannes, 179 km

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Images by AFP Photo

• Jens Voigt (CSC) was one of the early aggressors
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) glides down a descent
• David Moncoutie (Cofidis) rides in the breakaway
• The bunch strung out on one of the many descents today
• The peloton bound for Cannes
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) sits behind teammate Koos Moerenhout
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) powers away from the break on the Col du Tanneron, in pursuit of Evgeni Petrov
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) puts paid to Evgeni Petrov (Lampre-Fondital) on the Tanneron
• Chavanel and Voeckler ride in pursuit, along with Van de Walle
• Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) was not strong enough to catch the Kash man
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) wins the stage into Cannes
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) celebrates his victory
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) with a P-N winner's trophy
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) is now enjoying the sunshine

Images by Hedwig Kröner/Cyclingnews.com

• Mountains loom in the background en route to Digne
• Riders gather at the start in Digne
• Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) looking to try something
• Manolo Saiz is Liberty's winning team manager
• Frank Schleck (CSC) holding down 5th on GC
• Bjarne Riis predicted Jens Voigt might get in a break, and he was right, strangely enough.
• Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) thinks improving beyond third on GC will be hard
• The Orbea belonging to Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel)
• Erik Dekker (Rabobank) relaxes in a café at the start
• Tom Boonen's bike is there among the other Time machines
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) smiles at the start
• On the col des Leques there was still snow

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) celebrates his victory
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) on the ppodium

Stage 5 - March 10: Avignon - Digne-les-Bains, 201.5 km

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Images by AFP Photo

• The pack strings out during the fifth stage
• Nicolas Crosbie (Agritubel) takes teammate Christophe Laurent with him in pursuit of more mountain points
• David Moncoutie (Cofidis) was a marked man today
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) surrounded by CSC riders
• It's hard getting a feed while going upwards
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) attacks with Joost Posthuma, David Moncoutie and Alberto Contador
• Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) tries to get a gap
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) accelerates
• Frank Schleck (CSC) tried several times to break clear
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) wins the fifth stage
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) more comfy in yellow
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) with his haul
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) celebrates his victory

Images by Hedwig Kröner/Cyclingnews.com

• Floyd Landis (Phonak) prepares for another tough stage
• Floyd's bike a shiny red and black BMC
• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) is happy where he is, but may try to do something
• Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital) wouldn't finish today
• Chris Horner (Davitamon-Lotto) at the start
• Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) before the stage start
• Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) was suffering a little before the start
• The riders gather at the start outside the walled city of Avignon
• The feed zone at Focalquier
• The road towards Digne-les-Bains

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) shows the effort of his solo attack
• Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) claims victory - the pain rewarded

Stage 4 - March 9: Saint-Etienne - Rasteau, 193 km

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Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

• Floyd Landis (Phonak) enjoying that yellow feeling
• French students protest against job cuts and stop stage 4 of Paris-Nice
• Gendarmes try to keep the road clear for the riders
• Things got a bit tricky at the scene of the protest
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) wins the fourth stage by a big margin
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) too quick for Davis and Schumacher
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) gets another yellow jersey
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) is unbeatable in the points jersey
• Christophe Laurent (Agritubel) is the new mountains leader

Images by AFP Photo

• Riding through the Rhône valley during stage 4
• Martin Elmiger (Phonak) tries to get through the protesters
• Renaud Dion (AG2R) is stopped by the protest after 69 km
• Race director Christian Prud'homme restarts the stage after another roadside protest
• Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) leads Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas Voeckler on the last descent
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) wins stage 4 ahead of Allan Davis and Stefan Schumacher
• Nick Nuyens (Quick.Step) congratulates Tom Boonen on another stage win
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) on the podium after his 10th victory this season
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) loves the lion

Images by Jean-Francois Quenet/Cyclingnews.com

• French students protest against job cuts and stop stage 4 of Paris-Nice
• The protesters make their point
• Trying to get through
• The riders have to stop
• The caravan is stopped by a student protest

Images by Hedwig Kröner/Cyclingnews.com

• Vineyards were a feature of stage 4 in Provence
• Watching the big screen near the finish in Rasteau
• Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) after crossing the line
• Linus Gerdemann (T-Mobile) smiles at the finish of stage 4

Stage 3 - March 8: Julienas - Saint-Etienne, 168.5 km

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Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) and Floyd Landis (Phonak) in front
• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) ecstatic about winning stage 3
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) in yellow after stage 3

Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) signing autographs
• Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) before the start
• Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) in early season mode
• Brad McGee (Francaise des Jeux) didn't find the cold to his liking, and didn't finish the stage
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) on the col de la Croix de Chabouret, with Patxi Vila on his wheel
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) on the col de la Croix de Chabouret, with Patxi Vila on his wheel
• Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) leads Toni Colom (Caisse d'Epargne) and Frank Schleck (CSC) in pursuit of Landis and Vila
• Erik Dekker (Rabobank) leads Axel Merckx (Phonak)
• Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital) with Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole)
• Riders make their way up the snow covered final climb
• Benoit Joachim (Discovery) suffers up the final climb
• Didier Rous (Bouygues) wants it to be over
• Arkaitz Duran Aroca (Saunier Duval)
• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) lost nine minutes today
• Johan Vansummeren (Davitamon-Lotto) was one of the aggressors
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) was dropped, but only lost five minutes
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) comes up the climb with Johan Vansummeren and others
• Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) was over four minutes down
• A dropped group comes up the climb
• Cedric Vasseur (Quick.Step) suffers a lot

Images by AFP Photo

• Floyd Landis (Phonak) with the battle gear on
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) rides in third position during stage 3
• Andriy Grivko (Milram) leads Luis Sanchez (Liberty)
• David Moncoutie (Cofidis) attacked first on the col de la Croix de Chaubouret
• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) with Landis and Schleck in tow
• Frank Schleck (CSC) and Floyd Landis (Phonak) work hard on the Chabouret
• Alexandre Botcharov (Credit Agricole) leads the chase
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) rides away from the rest
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) with Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) in tow
• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) beats Floyd Landis to win stage 3
• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) is very happy with his win in St Etienne
• Patxi Vila (Lampre-Fondital) blows a kiss as the stage winner
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) in yellow after stage 3

Stage 2 - March 7: Cerilly - Belleville, 200 km

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Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

• Boonen uncorks his sprint and no-one can touch him
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) beats Allan Davis to win stage 2
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) has time to celebrate
• And it's Tom Boonen who triumphs again
• Servais Knaven congratulates his Quick.Step teammate
• The World Champ continues to make a good impression
• A very happy Tom Boonen (Quick.Step)
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) in the leader's jersey
• Nicolas Crosbie (Agritubel) got the mountains jersey as a reward for his long, solo effort

Images by AFP Photo

• Nicolas Crosbie (Agritubel) on his own
• Nicolas Crosbie (Agritubel) navigates some train tracks
• A crash took out Pierrick Fedrigo and Bradley Wiggins
• The peloton strings out
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) rides mid-pack
• Ivan Parra (Cofidis) leads teammate Thierry Marichal in pursuit of Crosbie
• Johan Vansummeren (Davitamon-Lotto) escapes with Aitor Osa (Liberty Seguros)
• Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R) leads Andriy Grivko (Team Milram) in a late breakaway

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• All hail the king says Tom Boonen as he wins another stage
• Another day, another podium appearance for Tom Boonen
• A winning Boonen is a happy Boonen, and it shows.

Stage 1 - March 6: Villemandeur - Saint-Amand-Montrond, 193 km

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Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

• With acres behind him, Tom Boonen (Quick Step) wins stage 1

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Time to soar - again for Quick Step's resident world champ, Tom Boonen
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) puts on the leader's yellow jersey

Images by AFP Photo

• Dude, that looks cold! Riders make their way through the snow which characterises Paris-Nice
• Julich and Boonen ride together during stage 1
• The peloton leaves Villemandeur on their way to Saint Amand-Montrond
• Sucked in, you have to ride today! Bjarne Riis lets journalists know who has to do the hard yards on stage 1
• We're doing this to stay warm... Boby Julich and Tom Boonen shake hands before the start
• A few final checks for Mr Boonen before the stage starts
• Christophe Laurent (Agritubel, l) and Stephane Auge (Cofidis) were two French riders who spent some time out front today
• Bobby Julich (CSC) feels the cold during stage 1

Prologue - March 5: Issy-les-Moulineaux ITT, 4.8 km

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Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) was relaxed, but fast
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) close up
• Brad McGee (Francaise des Jeux) en route to third
• Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) riding hard
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) flying
• Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis) gasps in air
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) in the aero tuck
• David Zabriskie (Team CSC) drives it home
• Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues) was 110th
• Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery) in early season mode
• Nico Mattan (Davitamon-Lotto)
• Axel Merckx (Phonak) grits his teeth
• Jens Voigt (Team CSC) wasn't at his best
• Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) getting going
• Didier Rous (Bouygues) finished top 20
• Dario Cioni (Liquigas) was 74th
• Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile) working hard
• Pietro Caucchioli (Credit Agricole) suffering
• Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner)
• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) smiles in yellow
• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) in yellow

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) storms home for the win
• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) puts on the yellow

Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

• Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) looking forward to the climb
• Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) gave Liberty another rider in the top 5
• Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros) was almost the winner today
• Antonio Colom (Illes Balears) has all the right stuff
• Axel Merckx (Phonak) in his Phonak gear
• Tom Boonen warming up
• Bobby Julich (Team CSC) very fast
• Carlos Sastre (Team CSC) looks ahead
• Chris Horner (Davitamon-Lotto) putting the power down
• Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) winds it up
• David Zabriskie (Team CSC) cutting through the air
• Floyd Landis (Phonak) wasn't too far off in 11th
• Gert Steegmans (Davitamon-Lotto) was ninth on the day
• Jens Voigt (Team CSC) gets some air
• The lanky Johan Van Summeren (Davitamon-Lotto)
• Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile) was 101st
• Matthew Hayman (Rabobank) focuses
• Nico Mattan (Davitamon-Lotto) couldn't realise his goal of a top 3
• Nick Nuyens (Quick.Step) isn't a prologue specialist
• Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis) rode to a top 10
• Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) corners hard
• Simone Cadamuro (Milram) concentrates
• Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) in action
• Wilfried Cretskens (Quick.Step)
• Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery)
• Vladimir Gussev (Discovery)
• Linus Gerdemann (T-Mobile)

Images by AFP Photo

• Jens Voigt (Team CSC) powers along
• Michael Blaudzun (CSC) side on
• Roger Hammond (Discovery Channel) finished 126th
• Brad Wiggins (Cofidis) storming
• Jose Azevedo (Discovery) in action
• Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery) finished halfway down the field

Images by Alain Quenderf

• Thomas Lövkvist (Francaise des Jeux) warms up before his run at the 4.8km TT
• Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom) looks relaxed before the start
• Angel Gomez (Saunier Duval-Prodir) sits high on the bike
• José Luis Rubiera (Discovery Channel) looks ahead as he exits this turn
• Aitor Osa (Liberty Seguros)
• Dave Zabriskie (CSC) looks ahead through this corner
• Mikel Astarloza (AG2R) follows the lead of teammate Christophe Moreau and gets the tongue happening
• Sebastian Siedler (Milram) gives it everything he's got
• Mirko Celestino (Milram) looks a little worried coming into this corner
• Didier Rous (Bouygues Telecom) may have gone into this turn a little hot
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) finished the day in fifth
• Antonio Colom (Illes Balears) looks strong through this corner
• Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) concentrates hard going through the turn
• Gert Steegmans (Davitamon-Lotto) stays focussed heading into the apex
• Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) finished the day in 19th
• Cornering perfection for Bobby Julich on his way to winning the prologue

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.com

• Nicolas Crosbie (Agritubel) is the first rider to start in the 84th Paris-Nice.
• Christophe Rinero and Nicolas Portal have a chat before their runs
• Linus Gerdemann (T-Mobile) waits for the start
• Dave Zabriskie (CSC) warms up
• David Moncoutié's pins took him to 122nd in the prologue
• Chris Horner (Davitamon-Lotto) is ready to go
• Cyril Dessel (AG2R) is one of the favoured French riders at Paris-Nice
• Hans Dekkers (Agritubel) looks a little nervous before the start
• In case you didn't know... this is the face of Tom Boonen
• Boonen waits for the start
• Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel) in the starter's gate
• Jens Voigt (CSC) has enjoyed success at Paris-Nice in the past
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step)
• Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) would've been feeling the cold compared to the Aussie summer!
• Bobby Julich (CSC) on the start line
• Bobby Julich takes the win in Issy les Moulineaux
• Hey, that's me... Bobby Julich seems amused by something
• Hey, now that's really nice! Bobby Julich (CSC) is happy with his win
• Julich is the leader after the prologue of this year's Paris-Nice