March 13, 2017 (France) – The 2017 edition of Paris-Nice concluded on Sunday with newly crowned Colombian champion Sergio Henao of Team Sky taking the overall general classification by the slimmest winning margin in Paris Nice history.

Henao, who took the race lead from Frenchmen Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step Floors) after Stage 7 faced a bold charge by Spaniard Alberto Contador (Trek Factory Racing) in the closing kilometers of the final Stage 8. Coming into the final day, Contador trailed Henao by 31 seconds, with Ireland’s Dan Martin (Quick Step Floors) sitting second overall at one second ahead of Contador.

The efforts of the Spaniard, known as El Pistolero made for an exciting day of attacking racing. With 5 categorized climbs over a relatively short 115.5km course, the final stage offered great opportunities for dynamic racing.

Canadian Michael Woods (Cannondale-Drapac) made an early move with several other escapees on the first climb of the day, before drifting back a little ways. Woods regained contact with the head of the race when around 20 riders bridged to the breakaway. With under 50km to go, the front group fractured, and several riders, including Contador and De la Cruz took up the race lead. The two, along with Mark Soler (Movistar) would go clear to the line, making an all-Spanish podium on the day.

Contador, who finished 2nd on the stage behind David De la Cruz (Quick Step Floors), collected six bonus seconds on the line and when the dust had settled trailed Henao by two seconds. Martin rounded out the final GC podium in 3rd at 30 seconds down.

The final stage of racing at this year’s Paris-Nice will not long be forgotten, and certainly shows that there is an ample supply of GC contenders in the pro peloton this season.

Results

Stage 4 – Mar. 8 – Beaujeu-Mont-Brouilly (ITT) – 14.5km
1. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 21:39
2. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo 00:19
3. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 00:20
4. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team
5. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 00:33
6. David De La Cruz (Esp) Quick-Step Floors 00:45
7. Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 00:47
8. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 00:48
9. Jon Izaguirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida 00:49
10. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 00:50

124. Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 03:19
156. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 04:27

Stage 5 – Mar. 9 – Quincié-en-Beaujolais-Bourg-de-Péage – 199.5km
1. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 4:43:35
2. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
3. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
4. Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
5. John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
6. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-Scott
7. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors
8. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
9. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
10. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe

141. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 00:29
155. Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 07:44

Stage 6 – Mar. 10 – Aubagne-Fayence – 192km
1. Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica-Scott 4:37:51
2. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 00:17
3. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 00:26
4. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 00:29
5. Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors
6. Jon Izaguirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida 00:32
7. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
8. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo
9. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
10. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal   

56. Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 09:23
81. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 18:08

Stage 7 – Mar. 11 – Nice-Col de la Couillole – 177km
1. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team    5:01:35
2. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo    00:21
3. Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors    00:32
4. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky
5. Jon Izaguirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida    00:55
6. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team    01:07
7. Pierre Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale    01:11
8. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin    01:21
9. Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar Team
10. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team

18. Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 04:04
78. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 24:30

Stage 8 – Mar. 12 – Nice-Nice – 115.5km
1. David De La Cruz (Esp) Quick-Step Floors 2:48:53
2. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo
3. Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar Team 00:05
4. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 00:21
5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors
6. Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
7. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
8. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team
9. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
10. Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie       

29. Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 02:54
DNF Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie

Final GC
1. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 29:50:29
2. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo 00:02
3. Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 00:30
4. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team 01:00
5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 01:22
6. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 01:34
7. Jon Izaguirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida 01:41
8. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Sunweb 04:07
9. Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica-Scott 04:39
10. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 09:14

54. Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 1:05:14