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news
Richie Porte World Recce YouTube stillSky continue Col d'Eze dominance as Richie Porte wins Paris-Nice
Team Sky’s Richie Porte has won Paris-Nice for the second time in three years – and as he did in 2013, when he succeeded Sir Bradley Wiggins as winner, he sealed his victory in cycling’s most prestigious stage one-week race by winning the concluding time trial to the Col d’Eze above Nice.
Meanwhile, team-mate Geraint Thomas, winner of last month’s Volta ao Algarve, confirmed his growing strength as a stage racer by clinching fifth place overall, confirming he is in strong form ahead of the major Spring Classics.
Katusha’s Simon Spilak, second today, claimed third place on the podium behind runner-up Michal Kwiatkowski of Etixx-Quick Step, both men 30 seconds down on Porte.
Both Porte and Thomas, who had pulled off a Sky one-two on Thursday’s Stage 4 to Croix de Chaubouret, crashed towards the end of yesterday’s penultimate stage into Nice, won with a solo attack by Lotto-Soudal’s Tony Gallopin.
That victory put Gallopin into the race leader’s yellow jersey, but on today’s uphill time trial he was unlikely to be able to defend an advantage of just 36 seconds over Porte, sporting the green and gold bands of Australian national TT champion, and so it proved.
Afterwards Porte, like Thomas a resident of nearby Monaco, told the Team Sky website: “Credit to Tony [Gallopin]. I was a little bit nervous going into the day. Geraint and I threw time away yesterday – we were in a fantastic position, and for both of us to crash like we did wasn’t ideal. To win today though, is a fantastic feeling.
“It means a lot to me to be a two-time winner of an iconic race like Paris-Nice, and this one feels even sweeter than the last one because it was so hard. They threw everything at us yesterday, and to win on the top of the Col d’Eze this year, like I did in 2013, is incredible.
With results including Thomas’s win in the Algarve and Ian Stannard’s successful defence of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last month, Porte’s win today continues Sky’s strong start to the season following what, by its own standards, was a difficult 2014.
Porte added: “We have a fantastic team at Team Sky with Wout Poels winning at Tirreno-Adriatico yesterday and Chris Froome set to come back in. It’s good because we had a roller coaster season last year and we’re definitely back now,” he added.
Paris-Nice concluded with a time trial on the Col d’Eze each year from 1969 to 1995, but since then it has only featured as the final stage on three occasions, each won by a Sky rider –Wiggins in 2012, when it was reintroduced to mark the race’s 70th edition, and Porte in 2013 and again today.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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The impression I got from the commentary each day was where people had asked where Wiggo was and they said he'd done a very long turn before the live coverage started.
Also look at the list of those who abandoned in stage six. Must be about 20 names in there. I haven't seen criticism of them for withdrawing due to rain.
The thing about Wiggo is that you never really know which 'wiggo' you are going to get at the start of the race.. When his heart is not in it, he can be very ordinary - but when he's motivated, boom!
The one point I'll raise is that he seems a lot more switched on that this point in the season last year.
So as World Champion he has to race EVERY single TT going?
Sky had achieved their aim so what's wrong with focusing on Paris- Roubaix, a race that Wiggings does stand a good chance in given his effort last year.
A little more tactics and he could achieve it but so could Thomas or Stannard.
Well done Geraint and Richie.
A number of worrying unhealthy Wiggo obsessions in evidence here.
I'm enjoying the seasons races so far. The results are a good tonic to all the sniping that goes against Sky.
Really good effort by Porte, it was obvious how deep he was burying himself for that- great ride, brilliant rider. Impressive ride from Tony Martin too, he's a big bloke compared to the rest in that top ten and did well to blast it up that hill.
Hopefully Geraint will carry that form into the classics and have luck on his side, stay out of trouble and show us all what he's capable of. Him, Wiggo and Stannard could make a brilliant strike force over in Belgium in the next couple of months.
Indeed, impressive from Porte and Martin. Sky have now said Wiggins skipped the TT to concentrate on training. Still sounds odd when he's the current world champ. I suspect either:
a) He knew that, either because of form or the weight he has put on for other goals, he wouldn't have a chance of repeating his 2012 win on an uphill course, so didn't want to go out on a low.
Or, possibly, b) Sky didn't want him going out and setting a high bench mark so early on, setting a challenge to others that could potentially de-rail Porte's challenge.
I'm probably miles off the mark, but it's fun guessing!
Yawn!
Everyone knows I have little time for Wiggo, but after today's no show, in what would be his last TT for Sky in the world champs jersey should a complete lack of respect for Team Sky, Paris Nice and cycling in general.
Ok, he was to go off fourth because he was almost last on GC, he could have just spun around in the granny ring for all I care. It was 10km....hardly a big ask. Yet again his EGO shadowed the whole day. #COCK
Wiggo's ego overshadows your life. Get other him. I am sure his No. 1 priority is what Gkam thinks. #stopbeingaweirdhatestalker
Wiggins has more important things to think about (Paris-Roubaix for example) than spending a whole day wet and cold to ride 10km up a hill. These are professional riders making their living by riding a bike, they are not club riders out for a chat with their mates. I am sure that Sky would prefer to see him do well in the classics than to potter around a TT for 20 minutes.
He'll come nowhere in P-R. I'd be surprised if he doesn't climb-off.
How sad and pathetic you are, give it a rest no-one is interested in your continuous sniping.
We'll see!
Well we will, but no-one would be surprise if he abandoned or failed to win. If you get dropped in a classic you don't have much point in continuing. I find it a bit odd the focus on P~R when there are so many uncontrollables in this type of race. I understand if he hasn't won a monument he has to do it now. But there would be no need to crow if he failed, it just isn't his style of race. After all one can't be wonderful at everything can we? The Hour Record is really were we can expect a result for Wiggo. I see to remember a one day race in which Team GB tried to control things for one Mark Cavendish, BW abandoned but came back the following week to win a giant chocolate coin; 2012 I think it was.
I was just giving my opinion on Wiggo's chances at P-R, that's all. He's half-hearted at the moment, and you can't rock up to the biggest, toughest races with anything less than full commitment, and expect to do well. The other classics riders in P-N or T-A have been getting quality, tough miles in their legs, either taking turns pulling the peloton, getting into breaks, sprinting for points, etc. Where has Wiggo been?
Still rather sad not to see him, in the rainbow stripes no less. Wasn't this to have been his last ITT for Sky?
Technically by his own accord he is a Tasmanian so shouldnt be any pain at all.
I am not a Sky fan but that was a exceptional ride to secure the stage win and GC.
Geraint is my new fav rider
pains me to say it as a Kiwi, but fair dinkum to that Ozzie bloke from Tassie! #chapeau