Live Coverage: Paris-Nice, Stage 6

Welcome to Saturday Morning Live, from Paris Nice. It’s the same as VeloNews’s weekday live coverage, we’re just dressed more casually.

Today’s sixth stage is another tough one. The 206km journey from Sisteron to Cannes is the longest stage of the race. It features seven rated climbs, including the decisive cat. 2 Col du Tanneron with 20km to go.

Wind can be a factor on the finale as the pack — or the remnants of it — powers into glamorous Cannes.

The race got rolling at 11:47 with 130 riders.

Credit Agricole’s Simon Gerrans and Milram’s Sergio Ghisalberti did not start. We’ll try to remember to talk more about the race’s attrition later. We’ve been getting a few questions.

We have our Daily Coffee Break(away).

Eight riders have pulled away, among them American Bobby Julich, the 2005 Paris-Nice champion.

With Julich, we see Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner), two-stage winner Gert Steegmans (Quick Step), climber’s jersey-wearer Clement Lhotellerie (Skil-Shimano), Kevin Ista (Agritubel), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Chris Sorensen (CSC) and Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom).

Some heavy hitters, there. But none in position to challenge young race leader Robert Gesink’s GC standing, we don’t think.

The FD Jeux rider is about half way there. Our break has 45 or 50 seconds on the pack.

The break is working well together trying to establish a solid gap that they can then maintain on this long day … sorry Mr. Casar, the train has pulled out.

The latest time check, at km36, is 2:55. They are rolling steadily up toward the village of Chateauredon.

Several readers wrote in yesterday asking about all the riders pulling out on the stage. We asked Our Guy Andrew Hood what’s up with that.

Could be a number of things, Andrew said.

“Horrendous weather in first three days led to a lot of crashes, so complications from those aches and pains are adding up; the first long stage race of year is always hard, added to that Paris-Nice 2008 is harder than it’s been recently.”

He went on: “Mont Ventoux vs. spring legs doesn’t help either, plus — the doping controls might be working better … also — only 98 riders finished in 2007, so we’re still above that number with two stages to go.”

Thanks Hoodie. Does that help?

Agritubel’s Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez and Skil-Shimano’s Albert Timmer have unpinned their numbers.

And our break has 4:30 gap.

Is working well together. They are coming into the village of Norante.

We stirred up a nest when we gave our opinion of race radios earlier this week. Let’s see if we can give a representative sampling of the responses:

“Ditch them completely!” says Jay Downs of WVU Healthcare Cycling. “It adds to the unpredictability of a race and keeps the riders on their toes more. Then you can’t have them falling asleep in the pack til the call comes in from the team director in the car to go to the front and start working.

“There’d be a greater chance of screwing up big time in the major stage races if someone tried a gamble like Landis’ team did in the 06 Tour,” he says.

From Greg Wood:

“For those who believe thinking is a big part of being a bike racer, the unfortunate thing about race radios for riders is that — especially combined with live TV feeds available in team cars — it decisively shifts the center of on-the-fly strategy and tactics away from the racers.

“The technology-out-of-the-bag argument is silly in bike racing, where technology is artificially limited in lots of regards. Anyone want to move to recumbents for flat stages?”

Our leaders have started up the Col des Leques. Let’s see how big sprinter Steegmans fares in this crowd.

Just before the climb, the gap was 4:55.

The cat. 2 climb is 6.7km, with an average grade of 5.1%.

But don’t tell the racers; it’s more fun when they don’t know what’s going on. (Sorry, couldn’t resist, Mr. Downs)

Lhotellerie got the 1st place KOM points, Julich got second. We’ll get a time check in a sec’.

Rick Roof says:

“If you have a radio you have some guy in a car watching the race on TV, listening to race radio telling you what to do. The racers do not even have to pay attention to what is actually happening on the road.

“If they did not have radios they would have to pay attention to who actually gets away in a break and not wait till they are told that so and so is off the front so bring it back. Let the racers decide the race. These guys are pros they ought to be able to figure this out for themselves.”

Our next climb is coming up quickly, the Col de Luens, another cat. 2. This one is 7km at 4.6%

Ryan Newill:

“I think eliminating the radios is a good step in adding some interest back to racing. Without a hotline to a TV-equipped director and their teammates, riders will have to return to using their own eyes, ears, and wits to read races, which will result in less predictable racing. Isn’t that what people want in sport?”

“Looking farther ahead,” Ryan says, “the guys directing the action from team cars now are mostly riders who raced at least a portion of their careers in the pre-radio days, and had to think for themselves. Once they’re gone, we’ll have a bunch of riders who have been spoon-fed their tactics sitting in the directors seat. What then?”

Pretty soon we’ll have a bunch of riders who can’t use a downtube shifter or tighten a toe strap — what then?

There’s the time check we were looking for. So they picked up ten seconds on the climb. Shhh. Don’t tell them.

They’ve just posted Andrew Hood’s article on Slipstream-Chipotle’s disastrous Paris-Nice campaign, over at VeloNews.com.

And out on the road here, Rabobank’s Bram Tankink and Slipstream’s Tyler Farrar have pulled over and shut up shop. Hope to see you at the Tour, Mr. Farrar.

The break is over the Col, and Lhotellerie got the first place KOM points. He’s really padding his lead in that competition.

there must be one here somewhere.

Boy, these climbs are coming fast and furious. The next is the Cote du Mousteiret, a little cat. 3, just 3.1km of fun at 5.3%. Our leaders are coming up on km95.

He gets the KOM points atop the Mousteiret.

Our KOM leader, Lhotellerie, is sitting up, apparently waiting for the bunch. I guess the Skil-Shimano rider padded his KOM lead sufficiently.

Seven men in the break with a 5:35 lead. They are at about the 100k mark.

The boys will get their feed at km106, in La Bastide. After that, just another 100km and four more rated climbs, including the cat. 2 Col du Tanneron.

We have a seven-man break with upwards of a five-minute lead as we approach the half-way point of this, the longest stage of Paris-Nice.

The break includes: CSC’s Bobby Julich and Chris Sorensen, Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner), Gert Steegmans (Quick Step), Kevin Ista (Agritubel), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), and Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom).

Back in the bunch, race leader Robert Gesink’s Rabobank team has been at the front.

It’s at 5:50 after 102.5 km.

The remaining break riders were none too pleased with his decision to redeploy his forces. They are putting their anger to the pedals, looks like.

Our boys are fed and on the Cote du clos d’Espargon

The CSC rider took the KOM points. They have a 5.25 gap.

CSC’s Jason McCartney is looking to find more balance in his life. He has quit the race.

It’s a bit cloudy, uncharacteristically. Forecast is for a high of 59F, partly cloudy.

with 73.4km to go, the gap is 4:39

We are on the Col de Saint-Arnoux, the last 3rd cat. climb today. After this we have two cat. 2 monsters.

Caisse d’Epargne and Lampre are helping out Rabobank in the chase. The gap is down to just over 4 minutes.

over the Saint-Arnoux

Gilbert we think.

the break is slipping down a very narrow descent. Looks fun. But their lead is shrinking as we are approaching those cat. 2 climbs.

Our colleagues at VeloNews.com have put up a new poll on the home page: should race radios be banned? Vote early, vote often.

The gap is shrinking. The chase/peloton is strung out coming into Seillans.

No radios needed here, Gert Steegmans is having a few words with his team car, in person.

Gesink sitting about sixth in the bunch. They are in a heavily wooded area.

The seven-man break is on the Col de Bourigaille. They are rolling through nicely, taking short pulls. Julich and Sorensen look strong.

We haven’t seen many Rabo Riders at the front in a while. But Gesink is up there at the front with Dekker.

They have been at the front for most of this climb. Working for LL Sanchez, we suppose. Sanchez is in 7th on GC, and would like to move up — and take a stage.

is all but stopped. a tech issue?

Ista falls off, too. Steegmans seems to have just blown up. The CSC duo is still looking solid.

The break: Bernhard Kohl (Geroslteiner), Bobby Julich (CSC), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Chris Sorensen (CSC), Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom).

The break and the peloton are chugging up the Col de Bourigaille.

We will still have 51km to go when we get over this puppy. The CSC boys are picking up the pace.

And back in the bunch, wily ol’ Rebellin is starting to show up, elbow to elbow with Gesink.

Sorensen looks the strongest in the break on this climb.

Sorensen gets the first KOM points

He’s still near the front, but we can’t see many orange Rabobank jerseys up there near him … They are approaching the top of this penultimate climb.

Still has two riders at the front of the bunch as they come over the top.

Our gap at the top of the col.

one, two, three, four – d’Epargne riders leading the chase on the descent. Then Moreau, then Gesink.

the gap is 3:21 with 44km to go

flats! Flecha gives him a wheel.

Gesink is all alone, trying to catch on the descent.

He’s got a teammate with him now.

narrow, twisty descent. Gesink is stuck in the follow cars …

He’s at the back of the peloton. He’s got a bit to go to get back to the front.

The pack does not appear to be taking advantage of his flat.

they are waiting for our race leader to come back up. They just caught Steegmans, too.

the break probably will benefit most from Gesink’s flat. THEY didn’t slow down.

Working together. They just passed a very American-looking strip mall.

With Sorensen and Julich there, CSC’s got the most cards to play. And with their sponsor pulling out of the sport they are likely quite motivated.

Julich is an excellent, generous team rider. Look for him to bury himself for Sorensen later, perhaps on that last climb and on the run down to the finish in Cannes.

And the gap is 2:45.

They are on a bit of an ascent before the real climb begins.

They have really taken over leadership of this stage.

They’ve hit the toughest climb of the day. Look for some fireworks in the break and the bunch. Despite the pace, the bunch is still quite large.

They are up there at the front now. Like yesterday, they’d like to move their guy Garate up.

He rather abruptly dropped off of the break, and now he’s at the front of the chase.

The break is on the climb, 20km to go. They just passed over the most charming little bridge, looked barely wide enough for a Smart Car.

The CSC rider has a gap.

little response from the other break riders

The pack is blowing apart. Caisse d’Epargne’s Sanchez is attacking – no surprise there, his team’s been setting him up for many k’s.

Sorensen is caught and Julich counters

He is, um, not prominent at the front as attacks are being thrown down by Quick Step and d’Epargne.

Gesink chose a bad line through a tight lefthander, cost him some time. Rebellin is up front now …

The man can climb. But this is a bit of power climb, not real steep.

It’s 5.8km @ 5.3%

It’s under one minute.

They have dropped the other three (Sorensen of course is not chasing). They are a couple turns from the top.

are trading pace, they are over the top

Is with the leaders going over the top. Chavanel is first over in the bunch. Our former race leader …

They need to make the most of this.

In the pack, there is some separation amongst the bunch, and Gesink is not on the right side of that separation … but Rebellin is.

Frank Schleck is down

two others followed him off the road, Gesink avoided them.

The Old Boy’s got a gap and a teammate.

Julich is all alone now out front. 14k to go

whoa! Cunego almost lost it. Julich is hammering. He’s got an opportunity. 13km to go

It all came apart on the descent. Gesink is in trouble. He’s with L’hotellerier and two others … Rebellin is disappearing up the road with five or six others, including Chavanel.

They’ve got him

Sanchez, Rebellin, Julich, Cunego, Nocentini …

Are chasing back. Evans is not helping.

Is in the front group, helping his teammate, Rebellin.

The Gerolsteiner rider started the day 32 seconds behind Gesink. He may be headed to yellow here. He’s been on the podium at Paris-Nice several times, but has never won.

5.7km to go. The Gesink-Evans-Lhotelleier group has been sucked up by a larger bunch.

Kohl has dropped off; it’s 28 seconds back to the Gesink group.

Forgot to say that Sorensen is in the lead group. The gap is 33 – just enough for Rebellin to be in yellow

It’s Rebellin, Julich, Sorensen, Nocentini, Chavanel and Cunego, working furiously, 34 seconds on the yellow jersey

1km to go

the former race leader

Redemption. Sanchez is second, Julich third.

to be in yellow.

He’s got it.

Chavanel went up the right side to redeem himself after a less-than-stellar ride up Ventoux on Thursday. Rebellin takes the jersey thanks to some savvy team work that took advantage of Gesink’s nervous descending …

Nocentini is just three seconds behind Davide Rebellin; it will be a smart race tomorrow. Rebellin made sure that the Italian rider didn’t get any time bonuses at the finish, opening the door for Chavanel.

Thanks for following along. We’ll see you back here tomorrow for the final stage. Check back at VeloNews.com soon for a full report by European Correspondent Andrew Hood, photos by Graham Watson and complete results.