Cadel Evans, one of the favorites for the 2008 Tour de France, won the first big race of the year...
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Cadel Evans beat Dutchman Robert Gesink on the Ventoux(Image credit: AFP)
Chavanel found the Ventoux(Image credit: AFP)
Gesink in yellow, surely not for the last time(Image credit: AFP)
The Mont Ventoux from the valley with the snow cap clearly visible. Brrrrrrr.(Image credit: Hedwig Kröner/Cyclingnews.com)
France's Secretary of State for Sport, Bernard Laporte, rides along with Christian Prudhomme (r) of the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) during the Paris-Nice.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) wins the stage on the Ventoux.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Evans beat Dutchman Robert Gesink who in turn took the overall lead.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
The sprint between Evans and Gesink on the right was close, but Evans was in command.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale) came from nowhere to get third and steal the bonification seconds from Rebellin. Fränk Schleck (Team CSC) is close behind.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) on the podium and smiling about his early season-form.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
The Aussie was working for Yaroslav Popovych but the Ukrainian got dropped in the last couple of kilometres.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Gesink in yellow, surely not for the last time in his career.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) smiles as he is the new leader of Paris-Nice. Will the young Dutchman be able to hang on to his lead?(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Evans is still pulling Gesink but realises moments later that his team-mate Popovych had been dropped. He would then stop working and eventually out-sprint Gesink for the stage victory.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Sylvain Chavanel gave it his all but in the end he came almost four minutes late and lost his yellow jersey.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Chavanel found the Ventoux a little too long.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) smiles to the spectators as the Aussie is showing good early season form.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Evans outguns Gesink to the line on the famous Mont Ventoux.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Aussie declared that he isn't in better shape than last year, but said he really felt comfortable within the team.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Winning on the Ventoux may be a good sign for the Tour this year.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Robert Gesink had to do lots of pulling for the final two kilometres, as Silence Lotto had the upper hand on numbers, with Popovych close behind.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) looks up the Ventoux and showed that he is a force to reckon with, although it will be hard for him to beat Gesink now.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Fränk Schleck (Team CSC) with some fashionable sunglasses is out of the saddle and storming up the Ventoux. He ended the day in fifth.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The unmistakable combat face of Jens Voigt, who tackled the Ventoux solo after dropping the breakaway partners right when the climb started. But he got passed and finished 15th.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) has shown in California in the last two years that he is a good climber.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Getting yellow on the Ventoux is special and if you are only 21 years old you may not even fully realise what you just accomplished.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Gesink receives a lion for his efforts as is custom for ASO multi-day events.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Evans was working for team-mate Yaroslav Popovych but the Ukrainian faded in the end and just managed to hang on for sixth place.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Evans out of the saddle showing a lot of strength on the Ventoux.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Ventoux draws cyclists and artists alike.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Evans on the left out-sprinted the young Dutchman.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale) came from nowhere to place third and even bested Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) and Fränk Schleck (Team CSC).(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) is showing good form ahead of the classics. He is now 32 seconds behind Gesink in the GC.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
David Moncoutié (Cofidis) rode in support of Chavanel but eventually got the green light to go ahead and came in 11th.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Rémy Di Gregorio (Française des Jeux) tries to stay warm after the finish.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
French sports secretary Bernard Laporte congratulates Evans for winning the stage.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Clément L'Hottelerie (Skil-Shimano) kept the polka dot for best climber with a brilliant ride on the Ventoux.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Gesink smiles in yellow and the question now is: 'will he be able to keep it until Nice?'(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
At only 21 years of age obviously Gesink also leads the young rider classification(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Bernard Hinault is never far form the action when the big races go through France.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Thor Hushovd is still in green and has managed to survive the toughest stage.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Hinault has won the Tour de France five times and stays involved closely with the sport.(Image credit: Petitesreines/Petitesreines.free.fr)
Runner-up Robert Gesink takes an option on final win
Cadel Evans, one of the favorites for the 2008 Tour de France, won the first big race of the year for the climbers as the claimed the Mont Ventoux at the station of Mont Serein located five kilometers before the top of the "giant of Provence". This confirms the good form already shown by the Australian when he won the mountain stage of the Ruta del Sol, his first race of the year in February.
"It's good to win but my goal was to put Popovych in the best possible position in the overall standings," Evans said. "My job is done." However, the lead of the race went to young Dutchman Robert Gesink who did most of the work uphill and created a 32 second gap over Davide Rebellin, who made it clear prior to Paris-Nice that the Mont Ventoux was too hard for him. The Italian did well to limit the damage, and actually passed Popovych in the final kilometre. Evans is confident his team-mate can finish well in the overall, and warned, "Popovych still has a chance of doing a very, very good Paris-Nice."
Gesink, the winner of the queen stage of the Tour of California had already shown his climbing abilities this year and wanted another stage win, but couldn't quite pull it off. He was rewarded with the leader's jersey, however. "This is what I was hoping for and my team worked a lot to get it," Gesink explained. "I felt really good today. The long climbs suit me because that's where I can keep the pace hard. When Popovych dropped off, I just went flat out till the finish. Evans didn't let me win the stage. That's cycling. I understand. I hope to come back here and win the stage up to the Mont Ventoux in some race one day. For now, I'm really happy to have this jersey. I have a very strong team and I hope to keep the lead in the next few days."
The main disappointment came from runner-up Luis-Leon Sanchez who looked in perfect position before the final battle, but showed some limits uphill in those special circumstances. So did the race leader Sylvain Chavanel.
The Frenchman held the yellow jersey for just one day. He had announced ambitious intentions of winning Paris-Nice overall, but he blew with seven kilometers to go. He didn't look too devastated at the end. "I'm mostly disappointed for my team-mates who have worked a lot for me," Chavanel commented. "The Mont Ventoux is difficult. We're only in March and I don't have my form of the Tour de France yet. The guys in front of me are the ones who can win in Nice. I haven't said my last word. I'll be noticed in this race again."
Gesink, 22, clearly has a promising career ahead of him. Already a stage winner at the Tour of California this year, he showed how strong he can be at the Pro Tour level last season when he came 2nd in the Tour of Poland, 5th in the Tour of Germany, 9th in the Flèche Wallonne and 15th in the Tour of Lombardy. He is a real climber who should enjoy the Tanneron on Saturday and the col d'Èze, and is now the hot favorite for the final win in Nice.
How it unfolded
At km 11, four men went away: Jens Voigt (CSC), Niki Tersptra (Milram), Aleksandr Kuchinsky (Liquigas) and Bernhard Eisel (High Road). There was no reaction at the head of the peloton where the Cofidis team of race leader Sylvain Chavanel took the responsibility for setting the pace.
At km 81, the maximum lead was reached for the four escapees of 7'15. Rabobank came to the front of the bunch to help Cofidis in the chase, making no doubt about the ambitions of Robert Gesink on the Mont Ventoux.
At the bottom of the Mont Ventoux, Voigt went solo in the front. The Gerolsteiner team-mates of Davide Rebellin were the most active in making the race hard behind the aggressive German veteran. Quick Step also looked to have big potential as a team around Juan Manuel Garate.
Chavanel got dropped 7km before the top of the climb, and his team-mate Maxime Monfort waited for him. Approaching the 5km to go mark, Gesink surged in the front of the chasing group. The strongest climbers of the day appeared on his wheel: Cadel Evans, Yaroslav Popovych, Davide Rebellin and Fränk Schleck. They caught Voigt within 4km to go.
3.2km before the top, Gesink accelerated. Only Evans was able to follow him. Popovych was 30 seconds behind at the 2km to go mark. Gesink passed first at the KOM and Evans out-sprinted him on the finish line.
Gesink becomes the new leader of Paris-Nice with a 32 seconds advantage over Rebellin.
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