Cycling, Paris-Nice, 6th stage

The suspense is at its peak! As is often the case in Paris-Nice, everything will be played Sunday at the final stage leading to the Promenade des Anglais. For the penultimate round, on Saturday, brought an unexpected turnaround. Unexpected in his scenario because the Yellow Jersey has not cracked in the many climbs scattered along 206 km, but in the final descent. Irresistible hitherto, Robert Gesink has shown its limits, which is also the rout of the Rabobank team. The Dutch had 31 seconds ahead on Saturday morning Davide Rebellin. He accuses now more than a minute behind the Italian, after a crazy stage. Lhotellerie ensures peas On a journey made to the attack, seven men (Julich, Sorensen, Kohl, Kuschynski, Sprick, Ista, Steegmans) have long led the race. Among them was a time… Lhotellerie Clement. The increvable runner Skil-Shimano, a true revelation of the French Paris-Nice, had the idea to take advantage of the seven climbs of the day to consolidate his polka dot. In fact, the young Habs do crossed that three in the lead, deciding simply to recover after the coast of Mousteiret (km 96). The reason was twofold: first, his companions had made him feel that his presence among the breakaway meant death assured of the coup. And most importantly, his tunic guarantee, it preserved some forces in preparation for the final stage Sunday, including three first category passes. The disappearance of the 10th overall was not enough, however, to calm the pack. Led by the Caisse d'Epargne, which reduced the gap from six to three minutes a few kilometres. The formation worked for his Spanish leader Luis Leon Sanchez, white jersey for best young rider on the shoulders and who had not yet desperate to win the race to the sun. This did not prevent his team to stop its hunt very sportingly space of a moment, the time to allow the Yellow Jersey to rejoin the peloton after a puncture. Gesink trapped Soon, skimming arose leading the race, Steegmans and Ista releasing logically taken on land not really at their convenience. The five escapees (Julich, Sorensen, Kohl, Kuschynski, Sprick) continued to get more to save appearances. Because the pack based on them as we approach the Col du Tanneron, the last difficulty of the day, nourishing new hope. From the earliest grades, it exploded, under the battering expected Sanchez, relayed by Evans. Isolated, Gesink resisted well, maintaining its position in a pack anyway gap. Thus, Sprick and Julich, the last two survivors of the escape, were still 30 seconds ahead when addressing the descent into Cannes. Finally, the race was being played there. Before the first place, the runner Bouygues Telecom releasing the American until he turned rate. And especially behind Gesink could not keep pace printed by Sanchez. The emotion of Chavanel All strong (Rebellin, Nocentini, Cunego, Chavanel) were in a small group, incorporating Julich. Esseulé, Dutch, tongues hanging out, received only the support of Lhotellerie, constantly losing ground. In the end, the disbursements are expected even in minute (1'28'') for the Yellow Jersey, now 4th overall. The stage, it was tantamount to a full Chavanel opportunism, in attacking the flame red. Unable to betray their joy, the sky boxant his fists and shouting almost rage, "Mimosa" finally won the great victory behind which he ran for so long. New leader Davide Rebellin Nice start Sunday morning with three small seconds ahead of Rinaldo Nocentini. Needless to say anything.