Paris-Nice 2019: Stage 5 (ITT)

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January 1 - March 17, Barbentane, Nice, Road - WorldTour

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Hello, and welcome to live coverage of stage 5 from Paris-Nice.

 

Hello, how have you been? Welcome to our live coverage from stage 5 of Paris-Nice. It's time trial day at the Race to the Sun and we're in for another cracking stage with riders pinging down the startlist every minute for the next few hours. 

Ahead of the riders, a course that's 25.5km in length that starts and finishes in Barbentane. The majority of the course is flat but there are a few inclines to keep the riders and those of you following at home awake. The main climb comes at around 15km but the finish is uphill too. 

We've already had a few rides start their efforts. It was Julien Vermote who opened proceedings just over five minutes ago, and since then we've seen four more - make that five - athletes set out on the course. Here are your starters, so far.

The last 12 riders start out at two minute intervals. Here are those names for a little later this afternoon:

And here's how things stand in GC coming into today's stage:

Both Nairo Quintana and Wilco Kelderman are just outside the top ten but it'll be interesting to see how both riders fair today. Kelderman is a more than sold tester and will look to break into the top five today. Zakarin is tied on the same time  - 19 seconds off yellow - and he could do with a decent result. 

Suns out, Gaudin's out. The Frenchman starts a bit later, and is one of the early riders to follow. He won the opening prologue here a few years back, and the course is probably too long for him, but he's in form at the moment and probably won't hold back. Not sure if he knows how.

Mikel Nieve has just rolled down the start ramp. The Mitchelton rider has crashed twice over the last two days and will be looking to get through today without any fuss and use the rest of the afternoon/evening to recover. 

Quite a bit of news to go through today but perhaps the biggest involved Nacer Bouhanni. He was eliminated from the TTT in Tirreno yesterday. What's the big deal, I hear you ask?  Well, here's Cofidis Roberto Damiani on what happened. Quotes from from L'Equipe.

The big question facing Cofidis is whether they bring Bouhanni to Milan-San Remo. He's clearly a disruptive influence but from his actions yesterday - and we dont have his take on the matter - he's surely just eliminated himself from selection. Last month the team told Cyclingnews that San Remo was on his schedule. 

Onto another troubled star... Fabio Aru. He quit Paris-Nice this week but at least he gave it ago. We spoke to him before the race about how he's rebuilding his career after a terrible 2018. The Italian opened up about a few things, and you can read the piece, right here.

We wanted to call the piece, 'Aru with a view', or 'Aru having a laugh' which makes no sense, but both were vetoed. Reminds me of the time David Millar broke a collarbone and was operated on by a Dr Potter. Wanted to call the story 'Dr Potter and cyclist's clavicle' but apparently that would have tanked on SEO. Still, managed this a couple of years ago.

Barta is leading by the way with a time of 1946 and he has a 27 second lead over Sutherland. 

We're chugging through the startlist faster than Gianni Moscon on a diversity course. Here's the latest batch of riders:

We're also expecting some big news from California in just a few minutes...

Meanwhile Scully has set the fastest time. He finished the course in 18'56 and put a massive 50 seconds into the time set by Barta. Impressive.

Apologies, that's 50 seconds faster at the intermediate. Scully is fast but not that fast. Barta still leads at the finish from Vermote and Sutherland.

And here's the big news from the Tour of California with the teams announced for this year's race. 

The line-up for the men's race looks impressive. Dennis, van Garderen, George Bennett and Peter Sagan all feature. 

The women's race sees defending champion cKatie Hall return, while the 16-team women's field will also include newcomer Trek-Segafredo, which has been off to a fast start so far this season. The team will feature 2018 runner-up Tayler Wiles and 2018 Giro Rosa stage winner Ruth Winder, along with 2015 world champion Lizzie Deignan.

Angus Greig has emailed in and suggested 'Aru Being Served' as a possible headline for the Aru interview we published earlier today. Nice work, Angus.

Scully still leads at the intermediate but Jack Bauer has gone through the 15km point just 155 seconds down on the EF Education First rider. 

Caleb Ewan has also sauntered through the intermediate but in a slightly more pedestrian speed than his ex-Mitchelton teammate. The Lotto Soudal rider is 1'56 down after 15km of racing. 

Scully does indeed set the fastest time in the final. 30'55 for the EF man with Barta 1'03 slower. 

Bauer fades in the back end and comes over the line in second, 18 seconds down on Scully. Barta is clinging onto third as Greipel rolls down the start ramp for his TT. Demare, and Degenkolb will follow.

Barta is now out of the top three, with Senechal moving in behind Scully and Bauer, 55 seconds off the stage lead. We've got 80 riders still to start, however, so expect more changes at the top of the leaderboard. 

And now Gaudin moves into third at the finish with a time of 31'47. That's 54 seconds off Scully's lead however.

Five minutes until Simon Yates starts his time trial but before that we have Sosa and Coquard. 

The next batch of starters:
 

 

EF Education are posting some fair times today, as Mitch Docker moves into third finish. Scully still leads with Bauer in second. 

64 riders left in the start house with the top three of Scully, Bauer and Docker untroubled at the finish for now. Turgis is out there though and he's gone third fastest at the intermediate though. 

Turgis does indeed finish third for Direct Energie, in a time of 31'29 no less. that's still 36 seconds down on Scully, while last year's winner Soler, goes through the intermediate 26 seconds down on the lead. He's had a torrid time with crashes during this year's race.

That said, Soler's time is good enough for third at the intermediate, so the form isn't too shabby. 54 riders left to go.

A reminder of the GC heading into the stage:

Simon Yates, who lost time earlier in the race  and dropped back yesterday after working for his teammates Matteo Trentin was second at the intermediate, 4 seconds down Scully. The Mitchelton rider won't have too many TT chances between now and the Giro, so this is an important test for him. 

Soler comes over the line three seconds slower than Scully and in a time of 30'56. That's good enough for second at the moment.

Tao Geoghegan Hart is starting soon. Just a couple of minutes from now, and the London born rider is a bit of a dark horse for the top-ten today. Meanwhile, we're getting closer and closer to the big hitters.

Henao. Not that one, the one that stayed at Team Sky, comes over the line in 32'50 but all eyes on Simon Yates as he closes in on the finish. Could he take the lead as he was just four seconds off at the intermediate?

Just as we say that, Chaves goes through the intermediate in 19'32, which is 36 seconds down on Scully. And there you go, Yates takes the lead on the stage with a time of 30'26. That's a massive 27 seconds faster than Scully. 

Chaves is coming to the line, and climbs to 4th on the stage. That's not bad for the pint-sized climber as he looks to build on some early season form after an illness plagued 2018.

Looking at Lopez, he's struggling out there as De Gendt comes to the line in 31'33, which gives him seventh on the stage at this stage.

Looking at Lopez, he's struggling out there as De Gendt comes to the line in 31'33, which gives him seventh on the stage at this stage.

Back at the start Zakarin and Jungels are both warming up. The Luxembourg rider is a definite favourite for today, while question marks remain over Zakarin. To be fair to the Katusha rider he's made it through the first few stages, despite a few scares, and he's in contention for a top-ten on GC.

Tao Geoghegan Hart isn't going to feature today. He's around a minute down at the intermediate. 

And Jungels, who won Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, sets off on his TT as at the finish Edvald Boasson Hagen moves into fourth. 

Lopez 1'22 at the finish, as Nairo Quintana takes on his TT. The Movistar man has looked really good in the cross-winds all week, and he quickly settles on the saddle and reaches speed. 

Further up the road, and Jungels looks good, as he taps out a steady rhythm. The Quick-Step rider is about 5km from the intermediate check. 

No changes at the finish. Yates, leads Scully, Soler and Chaves. 

Ion Izaguirre comes to the line and finishes with a time of 31'09 and that moves him into fourth place. Yates still leads. 

Here comes Politt and he's going to cause a few surprises with 30'33 and second on the line. 

1 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:30:26
2 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin 0:30:33
3 Tom Scully (NZl) EF Education First 0:30:53
4 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team 0:30:56
5 Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:31:09

Van Garderen takes 7th at the intermediate, 33 seconds off Yates' pace. Bardet will be the next rider to start the TT, and we're into the final few riders.

Jungels is closing in on the intermediate and he looks rapid. Arched over the TT bike, his position looks excellent, and this could be the fastest time so far.

Over in Tirreno, there's just under 30km to go and you can follow the action live, right here.

Wow. He might look rapid but Jungels can only manage 11th at the intermediate time check, while Zakarin can't even manage that. The Russian is 46th, and 1'21 down on the fastest time. 

Daniel Martinez continues to impress. The EF rider takes third at the finish but it's still Yates who leads the stage. 

Kelderman isn't having a great day either. He's 53 seconds down at the intermediate. Has the wind direction changed?

Quintana is over a minute down at the intermediate time check, while van Garderen has clawed some time back in the second half of the stage. The American comes over the line in a time of 30'41. Third place on the stage so far, as Gilbert starts his TT.

Bernal in white has started and so too has Luis Leon Sanchez. That leaves just Kwiatowski left to start the TT.

And the yellow jersey is out and on the road. He's the man to beat today. Jungels can only manage 8th at the finish.

Zakarin is having a poor day out and comes over the line 1'42 down on Yates. 

The latest times:

Collectively EF have done well today but of course they're without Uran, who crashed out earlier in the race. At the finish Kelderman comes over the line in 13th, with a time of 31'15.

Bardet is 1'12 down at the time check but Quintana comes to the finish in 14th place. That's not fantastic, it has to be said, as Yates sees another rider fail to impress. 

The race leader is almost 10 minutes into his effort but we're still some way off a time check as he covers the opening sector of flat roads. Bernal, meanwhile, is climbing and close to the first check. 

Trentin is about to be caught by Bernal, who is 6th at the time check. He'll move up today on GC, surely but right now it's Yates - no threat on GC - who leads the stage.

Bardet is at the bottom of the climb at the finish and is approaching the line. He's out of the saddle and being roared on but it's not great - 1'14 down and 24th place. It's the time to Quintana and co that really matter though. 

Sanchez is down on Bernal by 5 seconds, but that's not too shabby. Bernal could move into second on GC but here comes Kwiatowski at the first check. He's slower, 7 seconds slower than the Colombian. Sky look like going 1-2 on GC by the end of the stage.

Gallopin finishes his TT. He isn't a factor for the win, losing well over a minute but Bernal is powering towards the line. Not sure he can win the stage but he's the closest rider still out there.

Bernal is on the climb, and he's close but not close enough for the win. The Team Sky rider finishes in a time of 30'41. 14 seconds off  Yates' time. That could move him into the yellow jersey. 

That's fifth at the line for Bernal, who goes level with Martinez, who beat him at the Colombian nationals earlier in the year. That's incredible ride if it's true that the wind has picked up as the stage as unfolded. Three riders left on the road, Gilbert, Sanchez and the race leader, Kwiatkowski. 

As things stand in the race for the stage:

Sanchez comes to the line and remains in contention for GC but he's slower than Bernal by 15 seconds. 

And now here comes Kwiatkowski but it's not enough. Yates wins the stages. Team Sky's leader keeps yellow and puts more time into his rivals, while Bernal should move into second on GC.

That's Yates' first TT win in the pro ranks. A huge boost ahead of the Giro d'Italia, even if his GC bid here has faltered. 

Here are the results from the stage:

General classification after stage 5

1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 17:23:00
2 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky 0:00:19
3 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:28
4 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:01:01
5 Bob Jungels (Lux) Deceuninck-QuickStep
6 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:01:05
7 Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:09
8 Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:19
9 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:22
10 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:25

No spoilers but you can find out the stage result from Tirreno-Adriatico, right here.

A reminder of the GC though here in Paris-Nice.

The likes of Bardet and Quintana are not completely out of the picture though, and they'll attack if they can over the next three days. 

Full results are now available for Tirreno-Adriatco. 

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