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Welcome back to Cyclingnews' Live coverage of Paris-Nice! As we've mentioned
The climb just a few kilometres before the finish line is about 2.5 km long,
At 15.00 CET, the peloton is finally starting this mini-stage in what are still
There's still plenty of snow along the sides of the road. But what do you expect
The stage proper hasn't started yet. The riders are still in the neutral zone
Race director Christian Prudhomme looks like he's trying to take off, as he
And they're racing in stage 2!
1km remaining from 118km
Despite the snow, the roads are quite dry as the riders take off for the start.
2km remaining from 118km
Rabobank and CSC are riding pretty hard near the front, with Dekker and Voigt
3km remaining from 118km
The peloton snakes its way out of the town, and Quick.Step's Kevin De Weert
Matt Hayman does his turn at the front, followed by Tankink and De Weert (Quick.Step).
5km remaining from 118km
The bunch continues to motor along, led by Rabobank and Quick.Step. The dark
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues) is making his way to the back of the peloton, after
7km remaining from 118km
Voeckler is second last wheel as his teammates drop back to help him. It's a
Bouygues Telecom has to do a bit of chasing to get Voeckler back to the peloton,
13km remaining from 118km
The bunch flies through Pagnant and Voeckler's group is still 30m off the back.
There's an intermediate sprint coming up soon - Dekker and Voigt will be going
15km remaining from 118km
The sprint is at Maringues in 3 km. The bunch takes a right hander and will
16km remaining from 118km
The bunch is now very strung out along the snow covered flats. It's up to 60
16km remaining from 118km
A truck parked half on the road causes a few worries, but the peloton is in
17km remaining from 118km
De Weert (Rabobank) goes to the front and drives it for a bit. The sprint approaches.
Voigt either missed it completely or he was saving himself, trying to get his
19km remaining from 118km
The peloton splits on a big roundabout with Quick.Step and Rabobank continuing
21km remaining from 118km
Boven is now on the front for Rabobank. The bunch is getting really lined out
22km remaining from 118km
21 km in the first 23-24 minutes. Yep, they're movin!
This group of dropped riders is going backwards fast. There's not the same desperation
25km remaining from 118km
The peloton has bunched up a bit now as it finds some shelter. Another roundabout,
26km remaining from 118km
The concentration on the Rabobank/Quick.Step riders' faces is evident as they
Jens Voigt is glued to Dekker's wheel as they pass 20 km to go. Valverde is
Mountains leader Jimmy Casper (sic) is well placed too, on Philippe Gilbert's
28km remaining from 118km
The Rabo/Quick.Step boys continue to work. Mick Rogers has been enlisted to
29km remaining from 118km
The landscape is frozen but there's a blur of colour moving through it at between
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Hayman guides the peloton around a tricky, icy corner. The kilometres are ticking
32km remaining from 118km
Frank Schleck (CSC) takes a turn now, interrupting the Quick.Step/Rabobank rhythm
33km remaining from 118km
Some Davitamon-Lotto jerseys have moved into the second rank (for Evans), but
Hayman and Rogers swap off at the front. Flecha (Fassa) moves up. He could fancy
35km remaining from 118km
It's quite an incredible landscape here. The riders are the only colour in the
36km remaining from 118km
They pass the 10 km to go banner. No-one has attacked today, except out the
The climb starts and Niermann (Rabo) really pushes the pace, with three teammates
37km remaining from 118km
The climb is steepest at the bottom and the peloton is very strung out now.
38km remaining from 118km
Mattan's move gets him about 20m. He keeps it going. Now the reactions start.
Kirchen and Voigt have 50m as they reach the false flat. Dekker is in about
39km remaining from 118km
Voigt now does a turn. The gap is a good 10 seconds.
40km remaining from 118km
The bunch has been split to bits on this short climb as Valverde accelerates
Kirsipuu has been dropped. No surprises there.
Voeckler has been dropped.
41km remaining from 118km
A Saunier Duval rider is driving it - looks a bit like Jeker or Zaballa. They're
42km remaining from 118km
Now the descent starts with about 5 km to go. The Saunier rider looks back and
42km remaining from 118km
The Cofidis rider is Allez Chavanel. The descent is steeper now as they hit
43km remaining from 118km
Chavanel leads into the next corner - Jeez it's slippery here. No crashes in
Chavanel now has 30m as Rogers lets him go on the descent. Chavanel is flying.
44km remaining from 118km
Chavanel takes another tricky corner and gets company from a Lotto rider.
Leon Van Bon is the Lotto man. They only have 20m on the Rogers led peloton.
44km remaining from 118km
Chavanel continues to work, then Van Bon takes over. Quick Step is massing behind
They take another corner with 1 km to go. Van Bon attacks and has a gap but
Chavanel catches Van Bon as Hulsmans brings the peloton up with Boonen in second
46km remaining from 118km
Hulsmans still in front with 300m to go. Boonen looks comfortable as he smashes
