Degenkolb Wins Paris-Nice Stage Three

Last updated : 11 March 2014 By Covsupport News Service
Giant Shimano's John Degenkolb  won the third stage and took overall control of the 72nd Paris-Nice race.
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One hundred and sixty four riders minus Gianni Meersman, Lars Boom of Belkin and Lotto's Kris Boeckmans all victims of crashes on stage two, started the third stage from Toucy to the motor racing circuit at  Magny-Cours.
 
After 2.5 kilometres of this 180km stage which was led by Nacer Bouhanni of FDJ,  Perrig Quemeneur of Europcar, Julien Fouchard of Cofidis and Romain Feillu of the Bretagne Seche Enviroment team, who have been given a wildcard selection for the Tour De France by organisers A.S.O, got away.
 
At an average speed of 38.1km/h for the first hour, the trio had built up a lead of 3.10 but dropped to 2.15 when Feillu took the four points on offer for the day's only climb - the category three Cote de la Chapelle Saint-Andre after 74 kilometres. ahead of Julien Focuhard and Perrig Quemeneur, who won the first sprint four kilometres later.
 
Omega Pharma Quick Step put the hammer down and brought the gap down to two minutes at the feedzone.
 
Fouchard punctured but Quenmeneur and Feillu waited for him and a further twenty seconds were lost as they went into the final fifty kilometres.
 
Twenty five kilometres later and the gap was still at 1.10 but another surge from the peloton saw the trio's lead reduced to a mere forty five seconds with fourteen kilometres remaining.
 
Five kilometres later and Q‎uemeneur struck out for home as Fouchard and Feillu were caught.
 
The Europcar ride lasted until two kilometres to go. Omega Pharma Quick Step, Belkin and Giant Shimano took the front and John Degenkolb attacked and took the win ahead of  ‎Goss and Rojas, followed by‎ Bozic, Boonen, Kristoff , Bouhanni Hushovd, Steegmans and Hofland.
 
Degenkolb's win sees the German take over as the leader of the race. 
 
The Giant Shimano rider leads by ‎eight seconds from Bouhanni, twelve seconds from Hofland, eighteen from Rojas and twenty one seconds from Team Sky's Geraint Thomas who drops to fifth.