Paris-Nice. Luis Leon Sanchez takes the lead after Stage 3

A strong team performance in the final of today’s Stage 3 at Paris-Nice resulted in the yellow leader jersey for Luis Leon Sanchez. After attacks of Jakob Fuglsang on the final climb, it was Sanchez to take off with two other riders, finishing second behind Jonathan Hivert and taking over the lead from Arnaud Demare.

- First of all I want to say again thank you to the team for the great work they’ve done today, we keep holding this high level from the start of the season. At the final climb we did a good job together with Jakob Fuglsang, we stayed very focused in that moment. Later I saw a possibility for an attack, I thought it was a right moment and tried to use it. I went away with two guys and my first thought was to fight for a stage victory. So, finally it was possible to hold the advantage to the rivals and now I am in the yellow jersey and that’s of course really nice. Tomorrow we will have the first big test in this Paris-Nice. I hope to recover as well as possible after today's effort and to do my best in tomorrow's TT to keep my yellow jersey. Let's see how it works out, - told Luis Leon Sanchez.

It was the longest stage of this year’s Paris-Nice, with 210 kilometers, riding from Bourges to Chatel-Guyon. Right from the start the day’s breakaway went clear from the peloton, creating a large gap of maximum 7.30 minutes. These riders stayed in front of the bunch for a long time, dividing the points at the first intermediate sprint and two 3rdcategory climbs.

Going into the final local lap, everything was back together, preparing for the challenge at the final climb. Immediately there was firework with Jakob Fuglsang and Luis Leon Sanchez attacking in a big group taking an advantage on the peloton with the sprinters. After several attempts of Jakob Fuglsang to launch a smaller leading group, it was Luis Leon Sanchez who attacked and rode to the lone leader Remy di Gregorio, followed by Jonathan Hivert.

- I still feel some pain of the crash on the first day, but during this stage it didn’t bothered me and I was able to attack. I felt really strong and I’m really happy that Luis Leon Sanchez was able to take the lead in the General Classification. Now some challenging days are coming up, let’s see if we can continue to stay as strong with this team as we were today, - said Jakob Fuglsang.

While the other groups were back together, the 2 leaders were defending an advantage of 56 seconds going into the final 10 kilometers. They managed to stay in front of the chasing peloton, so Jonathan Hivert could sprint to a stage victory and Luis Leon Sanchez into the yellow leaders jersey.

Tomorrow the new leader will try to defend his jersey in a 18.4km-long Time Trial, going from La Fouillouse to Saint-Étienne. 

Photo credit: Bettiniphoto