March 13, 2015 (Rasteau, France) – Davide Cimolai surged in the final stretch to steal the show from more renowned sprinters in the 192.5-km 5th stage of Paris-Nice in Rasteau. The 25-year-old Italian perfectly timed his effort to beat France’s Bryan Coquard (EUC) on the line while stage 3 winner Michael Mathews (OGE) completed the podium to strengthen his points classification green jersey. The yellow jersey remained on the back of Poland’s Michal Kwiatkoswki, whose Etixx Quick Step team-mates perfectly controlled the race all day. A long break involving polka-dot jersey holder Thomas De Gendt was quashed under the red flame, setting the stage for another bunch sprint and an unheralded winner, who had not previously won a World Tour race.
Bryan Nauleau (EUC) was the first man out on the Col de la Republique. After several attempts, polka-dot jersey Thomas De Gendt (LTS) went to collect the ten points on offer at the top, taking with him Romain Sicard(EUC) and Andrew Talansky (TCG), two riders eager to avenge a disappointing showing on stage 4. The three reached the top in that order, followed by Egor Silin (KAT) and Pawel Poljanski (TCS), who caught up with them in the descent. The five received the peloton’s go-ahead and their lead stabilised quickly to never exceed 3:40 (km 125) over a pack led by Michal Kwiatkowski’s Etixx-Quick Step team-mates.
De Gendt keeps collecting
Thanks to tailwind, the speed was much higher than in previous days and De Gendt kept collecting points on the day’s hills as Cofidis joined Etixx Quick Step in the chase. Despite the sprinters teams effort, the five maintained their lead, which reached 2:20 at the second intermediate sprint in Cornas, won by Poljanski. Trek Factory joined forces with Cofidis at the front, later helped by Team Sky and the gap had gone under the minute with 15 kms to go.
Bold sprint by Coquard
In the last climb, Cote de Buisson (Km 184), again led by De Gendt, Sicard and Poljanski were unable to stay in the leading group. Talansky also lost ground with three kilometres to go, leaving De Gendt and Silin to battle it out in front. The polka-dot jersey holder went on his own under the red flame, hoping to hold the peloton at bay but he was reeled in 500 metres from the line as Coquard boldly tried to force ahead. The Frenchman moved a little too early and could not find an extra gear when Cimolai upstaged him.
Results
1. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida 4:12:09
2. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
3. Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
4. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
5. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar Team
6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
7. Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
8. Daniel Mclay (Gbr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
9. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
11. Ben Swift (Gbr) Team Sky
12. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Etixx-Quick-Step
13. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Team Sky
14. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr
15. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
16. Rafael Valls Ferri (Esp) Lampre-Merida
17. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
18. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
19. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
20. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
21. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal
22. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
23. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team
24. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
25. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
26. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
27. Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky
28. Rui Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
29. Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha
30. Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
31. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Tinkoff-Saxo
32. Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
33. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx-Quick-Step
34. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
35. Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
36. Vicente Reynes (Esp) IAM Cycling
37. Mathias Frank (Sui) IAM Cycling
38. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
39. Michal Golas (Pol) Etixx-Quick-Step
40. Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Astana Pro Team
41. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr
42. Yury Trofimov (Rus) Team Katusha
43. Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica GreenEdge
44. Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
45. Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr
46. Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin
47. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal
48. Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
49. Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing
50. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
51. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
52. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha
53. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar
54. Luis Angel Mate (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
55. Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha
56. Ama’l Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
57. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
58. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
59. Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha
60. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
61. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
62. Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team
63. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
64. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
65. Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
66. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
67. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal
68. Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
69. Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
70. Silvan Dillier (Sui) BMC Racing Team
71. Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ.fr
72. Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team
73. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha
74. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
75. Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
76. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky
77. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
78. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
79. Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek Factory Racing
80. Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin
81. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
82. Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Lampre-Merida
83. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Team Europcar
84. David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling
85. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
86. Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
87. George Bennett (Nzl) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
88. Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team
89. Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
90. Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
91. Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling
92. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
93. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
94. Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Team Europcar
95. Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
96. William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr
97. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr
98. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge
99. Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
100. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
101. Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica GreenEdge
102. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr
103. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Team Sky
104. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
105. Romain Sicard (Fra) Team Europcar 1:45
106. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx-Quick-Step
107. Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida
108. Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
109. Johan Van Summeren (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
110. Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
111. Sergio Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
112. Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida
113. Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida
114. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
115. Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
116. Rein Taaramae (Est) Astana Pro Team
117. Sebastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ.fr
118. Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
119. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
120. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
121. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
122. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
123. Greg Henderson (Nzl) Lotto Soudal
124. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
125. Jack Bauer (Nzl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
126. Daryl Impey (Rsa) Orica GreenEdge
127. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal 3:56
128. Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx-Quick-Step
129. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
130. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team
131. Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge
132. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team 4:35
133. Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky 4:39
134. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Team Sky
135. Mario Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
136. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
137. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
138. Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar
139. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
140. Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
141. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
142. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx-Quick-Step
143. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx-Quick-Step
144. Ion Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team
145. Ruben Fernandez (Esp) Movistar Team
146. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 6:00
147. Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
148. Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling
149. Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar
150. Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 6:13
151. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 6:37
152. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
153. Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling 7:01
154. Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 7:55
DNS Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNS Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal
GC after Stage 5
1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Etixx-Quick-Step 23:56:20
2. Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky 0:01
3. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Team Sky 0:03
4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:27
5. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:32
6. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:38
7. Rui Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida 0:41
8. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team 0:44
9. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha 0:50
10. Rafael Valls Ferri (Esp) Lampre-Merida 0:51
11. Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha 0:52
12. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:53
13. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:01
14. Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Astana Pro Team 1:12
15. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 1:13
16. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:23
17. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal 1:25
18. Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek Factory Racing 1:30
19. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
20. Mathias Frank (Sui) IAM Cycling 1:31
21. Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 1:35
22. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 1:36
23. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr 1:42
24. Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:47
25. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 1:50
26. Yury Trofimov (Rus) Team Katusha 1:51
27. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar 1:52
28. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx-Quick-Step 2:07
29. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Tinkoff-Saxo 2:12
30. Ama’l Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 2:26
31. Luis Angel Mate (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 2:42
32. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 2:45
33. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team 2:55
34. Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 3:06
35. Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 3:09
36. Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing 3:27
37. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 3:32
38. Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 3:33
39. Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica GreenEdge 3:40
40. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 3:48
41. Romain Sicard (Fra) Team Europcar 5:07
42. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 5:09
43. Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin 5:54
44. Ruben Fernandez (Esp) Movistar Team 6:01
45. Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Lampre-Merida 6:15
46. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky 6:37
47. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team 6:41
48. Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha 7:13
49. Rein Taaramae (Est) Astana Pro Team 7:55
50. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 8:15
51. Silvan Dillier (Sui) BMC Racing Team 8:33
52. Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ.fr 8:34
53. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 8:43
54. Vicente Reynes (Esp) IAM Cycling 8:51
55. George Bennett (Nzl) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 8:53
56. Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team 9:02
57. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 9:04
58. Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 9:09
59. Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling 9:57
60. Ben Swift (Gbr) Team Sky 0:10:45
61. Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 0:10:53
62. Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx-Quick-Step 0:11:36
63. Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida 0:12:12
64. Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha 0:12:19
65. David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling 0:12:28
66. Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team 0:12:49
67. Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:12:54
68. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:12:58
69. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:12:59
70. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team 0:13:20
71. Michal Golas (Pol) Etixx-Quick-Step 0:13:23
72. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:13:29
73. Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica GreenEdge 0:13:52
74. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:14:03
75. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx-Quick-Step 0:16:01
76. Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:16:07
77. Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:16:41
78. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:17:02
79. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge 0:17:32
80. Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:17:34
81. Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team 0:17:40
82. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling 0:17:49
83. Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:17:50
84. Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar 0:18:45
85. Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:18:52
86. Daryl Impey (Rsa) Orica GreenEdge 0:19:43
87. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal 0:19:57
88. Ion Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team 0:19:59
89. Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky 0:20:43
90. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 0:22:16
91. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar Team 0:22:20
92. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:22:32
93. Johan Van Summeren (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:22:40
94. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:22:49
95. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
96. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:22:53
97. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:23:00
98. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:23:02
99. Jack Bauer (Nzl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:23:04
100. Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 0:23:23
101. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:23:26
102. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 0:23:35
103. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 0:23:39
104. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar 0:23:40
105. Greg Henderson (Nzl) Lotto Soudal 0:23:42
106. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr
107. Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:23:44
108. Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:23:45
109. Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:23:50
110. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 0:23:55
111. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge 0:23:56
112. Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:24:04
113. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:24:08
114. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
115. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:24:24
116. Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge 0:24:27
117. Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing 0:24:30
118. Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team 0:24:36
119. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Team Europcar 0:24:52
120. Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Team Europcar 0:25:03
121. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:25:12
122. Sebastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ.fr
123. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha 0:25:14
124. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:25:15
125. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha 0:25:23
126. Daniel Mclay (Gbr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 0:25:59
127. Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 0:26:18
128. Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica GreenEdge 0:26:21
129. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:26:23
130. William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:26:26
131. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Team Sky 0:26:53
132. Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:27:59
133. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory Racing 0:28:21
134. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:28:25
135. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:28:43
136. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal 0:28:52
137. Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:28:54
138. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx-Quick-Step 0:29:15
139. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 0:29:20
140. Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:29:22
141. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Team Sky 0:29:30
142. Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar 0:29:55
143. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge 0:30:22
144. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:30:43
145. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:31:26
146. Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 0:31:47
147. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:32:16
148. Sergio Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:33:23
149. Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:33:40
150. Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling 0:34:58
151. Mario Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida 0:35:33
152. Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling 0:35:35
153. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx-Quick-Step 0:38:14
154. Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:46:14