2013 Paris-Nice – Stage 3 Results

Words couldn’t do justice to what happened in the Stage 3 of 2013 Paris-Nice. It was very gloomy at the start village in Châtel-Guyon as the peloton was treated to a seasonal downpour. In chaotic conditions where Vasili Kiriyenka hit the tarmac during high-speed descent, the upcoming American stage race talent Andrew Talansky (GRS) outwitted Richie Porte (SKY) to win the stage and slip into the leader jersey.

Race Report

American cycling still has a bright future ahead as Andrew Talansky showed when he surged in the final stretch of the third stage of Paris-Nice in Brioude to take the reins of the Race to the Sun. It was actually a race in the rain on the 170.5 kilometres from Châtel-Guyon and the Miami-born Talansky displayed his all-round skills to outsprint a group of seven escapees, who held the peloton at bay in the final ten kilometers.

The final second category climb was decisive but in its downhill part when the break took shape and the 24-year-old American outwitted Italy’s David Malacarne (EUC) and Spain’s Gorka Izaguirre (EUS) on the line. Overall, Talansky now leads the man who launched the decisive move, Ukraine’s Andriy Grivko (AST), by three seconds.

The start was given in the rain at 11:57 to 176 riders. Ivan Guttierez (MOV) did not start. Four riders moved away at kilometre 3. They were Martijn Keizer (VCD), Sébastien Minard (ALM) , Mads Christensen (TST), already in a break in stage 2, and Alexis Vuillermoz (SOJ). The break rapidly gained momentum and remained stable at around four minutes. Christensen won the first intermediate sprint of the day (Km 34) ahead of Vuillermoz and Keizer.

The Vacansoleil rider had obviously gone in the break to keep the polka-dot jersey in the team. He was first on top of the Col de Potey (km 85) and Cote de la Foret de la Comte (km 95.5), both times ahead of Vuillermoz. While the Cannondale team-mates of Elia Viviani led the chase, they were joined by Tom Boonen (OPQ), who spent many miles in the lead, gearing up for the upcoming classics.

As a result, the four were caught by the pack at kilometer 148, before reaching the last climb of the day. Team Sky imposed a fast pace in the Cote de Mauvagnat, too fast for leader Viviani, who lost ground with 18 kms to go.

In the descent Andriy Grivko (AST) attacked with Vasili Kiriyenka (SKY), who crashed, but was still joined by two other Team Sky riders, Richie Porte and David Lopez Garcia, local favorite Romain Bardet (ALM), David Malacarne (EUC), Gorka Izaguirre (EUS) and Andrew Talansky (GRS). The seven worked perfectly together and managed to hold a chasing bunch of 22 at bay until the finish line. While the Sky riders had done a great share of the work, they paid it in the finale and there was no stopping Talansky when he surged to snatch his major win to date.

Among the big names to lose vital time today were Robert Gesink (BLA), who lost a minute, Simon Gerrans (OGE), who finished 2:58 behind, or Thomas de Gendt (VCD), who lost 5:29.

Tomorrow’s hilly stage 4 is 200 km long from Brioude to Saint-Vallier.

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2013 Paris-Nice – Stage 6 Results 2013 Paris-Nice – Stage 7 Results 2013 Paris-Nice – Stage 4 Results 2013 Paris-Nice – Stage 5 Results