Bouhanni wins stage 1 of Paris-Nice
Degenkolb, Meersman round out top three
Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) claimed a fraught opening stage of this year’s Paris-Nice ahead of John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) and Gianni Meersman (Omega Pharma-QuickStep).
The French rider struck for home inside the final 200 meters to take a comprehensive win and the first yellow jersey in this year’s race. The stage saw several crashes with Bouhanni himself coming down in one of the earlier falls, but the biggest casualty of the day was perhaps Tejay van Garderen (Team BMC) who retired during the stage through illness.
The riders began under beautiful conditions in Mantes-la-Jolie with Christophe Laborie (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) slipping clear in the opening stages. The Frenchman attacked from the gun and was allowed to build up a lead of over ten minutes. After 70 kilometres of racing the lone leader had lost some of his advantage, with the gap down to seven minutes.
Back in the bunch and Bouhanni was one of the first riders to fall. Although he was quickly back on his bike it was a sign of things to come for the rest of the day’s action. The Frenchman had crashed out of last year’s race while leading and despite what looked like a damaged right knee he was given the all clear from the race doctor.
Vasil Kiryienka (Sky), Mattia Cattaneo and Jose Serpa, the latter both Lampre-Merida, were the next riders to hit the tarmac, with Alessandro Vanotti (Astana) going down soon after.
Although Laborie was doing enough to claim the first KOM jersey of the race he could do little as Lampre-Merida and Europcar whittled down his lead to three minutes. With 50 kilometres remaining the solo Frenchman was back with the bunch.
The most significant fall of the day saw Andy Schleck (Trek Factory Racing), Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale), and Thor Hushovd (BMC Racing) losing ground and time on the main race favourites.
At the head of affairs Belkin, Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Giant-Shimano vied for control of the peloton. Giant-Shimano looked to have the measure of everyone as they hit the front with less than two kilometres to go but Degenkolb found himself caught up in the wheels and was forced to come around a number of riders before he could unleash his sprint.
It allowed Meersman to open up proceedings but the Omega sprinter went too soon, with Bouhanni timing his sprint to the line to perfection.
1 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ.fr | 3:53:11 |
2 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Gianni Meersman (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin Sharp | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Luca Wackermann (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Marko Kump (Slo) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Kevin Ista (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Cannondale | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Garmin Sharp | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Sergei Chernetckii (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Nelson Filipe Santos Simoes Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team Sky | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Jos van Emden (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Belisol | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Garmin Sharp | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Jerome Coppel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Jetse Bol (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Nicki Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Team Katusha | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Lampre-Merida | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:16 |
95 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Belisol | 0:00:17 |
96 | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:00:24 |
97 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:25 |
98 | Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:00:48 |
100 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:03 |
102 | Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | 0:01:09 |
103 | Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Sky | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | George Bennett (NZl) Cannondale | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Iurii Trofimov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin Sharp | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | John Gadret (Fra) Movistar Team | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Alex Howes (USA) Garmin Sharp | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin Sharp | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek Factory Racing | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
135 | Fränk Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
137 | Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
138 | Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Movistar Team | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
139 | Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
140 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
141 | Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
142 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
143 | Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
144 | Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
145 | Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
146 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
147 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
148 | Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
149 | Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
150 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
151 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
152 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
153 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
154 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
155 | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
156 | Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
157 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
158 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Belisol | 0:01:47 |
159 | Andy Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | 0:01:50 |
160 | Thierry Hupond (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:02:12 |
161 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
162 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge | Row 161 - Cell 2 |
163 | Danilo Hondo (Ger) Trek Factory Racing | 0:03:14 |
164 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | 0:07:11 |
165 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling | 0:07:45 |
166 | Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin Sharp | Row 165 - Cell 2 |
167 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:19:16 |
DNF | Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 167 - Cell 2 |
1 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | 3 | pts |
2 | Gianni Meersman (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
1 | Gianni Meersman (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling | 1 |