2017 Paris Nice 5-12 March

[Eugene Oppelt]

There are only 15 riders left in this group now.

[Eugene Oppelt]

15km remaining from 192km

Nieve comes back to the front of the bunch as Yates opens up a 20-second lead.

[Eugene Oppelt]

Roche gets back on with Patrick Konrad on the descent. There are now 16 riders in the group.

[Eugene Oppelt]

8.5km remaining from 192km

 

35 seconds now for Yates!

[Eugene Oppelt]

What an attack by the Orica climber

[Eugene Oppelt]

Exciting racing ????????

[Eugene Oppelt]

4.5km remaining from 192km

 

We're coming to the bottom of the climb now, and Yates still has 35 seconds. Roche comes to the front now to up the pace.

[Eugene Oppelt]

Roche is suffering but giving it everything. Alaphilippe looks relaxed behind Henao, as does Gallopin nearer the back of the group.

[Eugene Oppelt]

The road levels out and kicks up slightly. The climb proper starts in a couple of kilometres, but the grimaces are out once more.

[Eugene Oppelt]

Remember there are 10 bonus seconds on offer for the stage winner.

[Eugene Oppelt]

2.5 to the white chalk

 

At the head of the race, Yates still sitting pretty at 35 secs

[Eugene Oppelt]

Roche is still on the front, in a world of pain, but he's not going as quickly as Yates.

[Eugene Oppelt]

45 secs for the Orica climber ????????????

[Eugene Oppelt]

Simon Yates is the big winner, with a prestigious addition to his palmares and a jump into eighth place, but Sergio Henao can be well pleased with his day's work. He's up into third and has cut the gap to Alaphilippe from 1:05 to 46 seconds

[Eugene Oppelt]

And now Dan Martin leads home Alaphilippe, the race leader.

[Eugene Oppelt]

Hugs and smiles between Alaphilippe and Martin. The Frenchman was in a spot of bother there, but his teammate did a great job for him in the final few hundred metres.