2008 Paris–Nice

The 2008 Paris–Nice was the 66th edition of the Paris–Nice cycle race and was held from 9 March to 16 March 2008. The race started in Amilly and finished in Nice. The race was won by Italian Davide Rebellin from Gerolsteiner, who finished second last year. The race started in Amilly and ended in Nice. The 2008 edition returned to the fabled climb of Mont Ventoux, with stage four finishing at the mountain's ski facility, Mont Serein. The Mont Ventoux stage saw a winning break by Cadel Evans and Robert Gesink. Evans took the stage victory as Gesink moved into the overall lead. However, Gesink could not hold on to the lead in stage six when Rebellin attacked on the final descent and took enough time to move into the overall lead.

2008 Paris–Nice

Race details
Dates	9–16 March 2008
Stages	7 & Prologue
Distance	1,230[1] km (764.3 mi)
Winning time	29h 02'48"
Results
Winner  Davide Rebellin (ITA) (Gerolsteiner)   Second  Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) (Ag2r–La Mondiale)   Third  Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) (Silence–Lotto) Points  Thor Hushovd (NOR) (Crédit Agricole) Mountains  Clément Lhotellerie (FRA) (Skil–Shimano) Youth  Robert Gesink (NED) (Rabobank)   Team Quick-Step
← 2007 2009 →

Davide Rebellin, col d'Eze

The event was marked by controversy before the race regarding the ongoing power struggle between ASO and UCI, excluding the race from the UCI ProTour calendar. The race organisers also decided to exclude Astana, the team of the 2007 edition winner Alberto Contador, due to "damage caused by the team during the 2007 Tour de France".^[2]

Teams

Each team started the race with eight riders. The following 20 UCI ProTour and UCI Professional Continental teams were selected to the 2008 Paris–Nice:^[3]

• Ag2r–La Mondiale
• Agritubel
• Bouygues Télécom
• Caisse d'Epargne
• Cofidis
• Crédit Agricole
• Euskaltel–Euskadi
• Française des Jeux
• Gerolsteiner
• Lampre
• Liquigas
• Quick-Step
• Rabobank
• Saunier Duval–Scott
• Silence–Lotto
• Skil–Shimano
• Slipstream–Chipotle
• Team CSC
• Team High Road
• Team Milram

Astana was the only ProTour team not to be invited to this event because of the "damage caused by the team during the 2007 Tour de France".^[2]

Route

Stage characteristics and winners^[4]

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type		Winner
P	9 March	Amilly	4.6 km (2.9 mi)		Individual time trial	Thor Hushovd (NOR)
1	10 March	La Chapelotte to Nevers	184.5 km (114.6 mi)		Flat stage	Gert Steegmans (BEL)
2	11 March	Nevers to Belleville	201 km (125 mi)		Hilly stage	Gert Steegmans (BEL)
3	12 March	Fleurie to Saint-Étienne	165.5 km (102.8 mi)		Medium mountain stage	Kjell Carlström (FIN)
4	13 March	Montélimar to Mont Ventoux	176 km (109 mi)		Mountain stage	Cadel Evans (AUS)
5	14 March	Althen-des-Paluds to Sisteron	172.5 km (107.2 mi)		Hilly stage	Carlos Barredo (ESP)
6	15 March	Sisteron to Cannes	206 km (128 mi)		Hilly stage	Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)
7	16 March	Nice to Nice	119 km (74 mi)		Mountain stage	Luis León Sánchez (ESP)

Stages

Prologue

9 March 2008 — Amilly, 4.6 km (2.9 mi) (ITT)^[4]

Prologue results Cyclist Team Time 1  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole 5' 28" 2  Markel Irizar (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 4" 3  Stefan Schumacher (GER) Gerolsteiner + 5" 4  Bradley McGee (AUS) Team CSC s.t. 5  William Bonnet (FRA) Crédit Agricole + 6"

General Classification after Prologue Cyclist Team Time 1  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole 5' 28" 2  Markel Irizar (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 4" 3  Stefan Schumacher (GER) Gerolsteiner + 5" 4  Bradley McGee (AUS) Team CSC s.t. 5  William Bonnet (FRA) Crédit Agricole + 6"

Stage 1

10 March 2008 — La Chapelotte to Nevers, 93.5 km (58.1 mi)^[4]

This stage was originally supposed to start in Amilly, but because of a storm with gale force winds and rain, the route was shortened by 91 km (57 mi) and started in La Chapelotte instead.

Stage 1 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Gert Steegmans (BEL) Quick-Step 2h 21' 29" 2  Jérôme Pineau (FRA) Bouygues Télécom + 2" 3  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole s.t. 4  Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Française des Jeux s.t. 5  Karsten Kroon (NED) Team CSC s.t.

General Classification after Stage 1 Cyclist Team Time 1  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole 2h 26' 55" 2  Gert Steegmans (BEL) Quick-Step + 6" 3  Jérôme Pineau (FRA) Bouygues Télécom + 12" 4  Karsten Kroon (NED) Team CSC s.t. 5  Andriy Hryvko (UKR) Team Milram + 17"

Stage 2

11 March 2008 — Nevers to Belleville, 201 km (125 mi)^[4]

Stage 2 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Gert Steegmans (BEL) Quick-Step 5h 29' 47" 2  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole s.t. 3  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Cofidis s.t. 4  Michael Albasini (SUI) Liquigas s.t. 5  Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Française des Jeux + 3"

General Classification after Stage 2 Cyclist Team Time 1  Thor Hushovd (NOR) Crédit Agricole 7h 56' 34" 2  Gert Steegmans (BEL) Quick-Step + 3" 3  Jérôme Pineau (FRA) Bouygues Télécom + 23" 4  Karsten Kroon (NED) Team CSC s.t. 5  Trent Lowe (AUS) Slipstream–Chipotle + 29"

Stage 3

12 March 2008 — Fleurie to Saint-Étienne, 165.5 km (102.8 mi)^[4]

Stage 3 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Kjell Carlström (FIN) Liquigas 4h 39' 14" 2  Clément Lhotellerie (FRA) Skil–Shimano s.t. 3  Pierre Rolland (FRA) Crédit Agricole + 43" 4  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner s.t. 5  Roman Kreuziger (CZE) Liquigas s.t.

General Classification after Stage 3 Cyclist Team Time 1  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Cofidis 12h 37' 01" 2  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne + 3" 3  Gorka Verdugo (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 8" 4  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner + 14" 5  Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) Quick-Step + 18"

Stage 4

13 March 2008 — Montélimar to Mont-Serein, 176 km (109 mi)^[4]

Stage 4 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Cadel Evans (AUS) Silence–Lotto 4h 32' 56" 2  Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank s.t. 3  Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) Ag2r–La Mondiale + 33" 4  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner s.t. 5  Fränk Schleck (LUX) Team CSC + 34"

General Classification after Stage 4 Cyclist Team Time 1  Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank 17h 10' 12" 2  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner + 32" 3  Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) Ag2r–La Mondiale + 35" 4  Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) Silence–Lotto + 42" 5  Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) Quick-Step + 1' 06"

Stage 5

14 March 2008 — Althen-des-Paluds to Sisteron, 172.5 km (107.2 mi)^[4]

Stage 5 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Carlos Barredo (ESP) Quick-Step 3h 58' 01" 2  Karsten Kroon (NED) Team CSC + 4" 3  Manuele Mori (ITA) Saunier Duval–Scott s.t. 4  Christophe Moreau (FRA) Agritubel s.t. 5  Pierre Rolland (FRA) Crédit Agricole s.t.

General Classification after Stage 5 Cyclist Team Time 1  Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank 21h 10' 28" 2  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner + 32" 3  Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) Ag2r–La Mondiale + 35" 4  Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) Silence–Lotto + 42" 5  Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) Quick-Step + 1' 06"

Stage 6

15 March 2008 — Sisteron to Cannes, 206 km (128 mi)^[4]

Stage 6 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Cofidis 5h 00' 25" 2  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne + 2" 3  Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC s.t. 4  Damiano Cunego (ITA) Lampre s.t. 5  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner + 6"

General Classification after Stage 6 Cyclist Team Time 1  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner 26h 11' 31" 2  Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) Ag2r–La Mondiale + 3" 3  Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) Silence–Lotto + 48" 4  Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank + 51" 5  Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP) Quick-Step + 1' 12"

Stage 7

16 March 2008 — Nice to Nice, 119 km (74 mi)^[4]

Stage 7 results Cyclist Team Time 1  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne 2h 51' 12" 2  Maxime Monfort (BEL) Cofidis s.t. 3  Carlos Barredo (ESP) Quick-Step s.t. 4  Christophe Moreau (FRA) Agritubel + 5" 5  Alexander Efimkin (RUS) Quick-Step s.t.

General Classification after Stage 7 Cyclist Team Time 1  Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner 29h 02' 48" 2  Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) Ag2r–La Mondiale + 3" 3  Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) Silence–Lotto + 48" 4  Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank + 51" 5  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne + 1' 09"

Final standings

General classification

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Davide Rebellin (ITA)	Gerolsteiner	29h 02'48"
2	Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA)	Ag2r–La Mondiale	+3"
3	Yaroslav Popovych (UKR)	Silence–Lotto	+48"
4	Robert Gesink (NED)	Rabobank	+51"
5	Luis León Sánchez (ESP)	Caisse d'Epargne	+1'09"
6	Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP)	Quick-Step	+1'12"
7	Gorka Verdugo (ESP)	Euskaltel–Euskadi	+2'17"
8	Carlos Barredo (ESP)	Quick-Step	+2'24"
9	Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)	Cofidis	+2'39"
10	Alexander Efimkin (RUS)	Quick-Step	+3'21"

Jersey progress

Stage (Winner)	General Classification	Points Classification	Mountains Classification	Young Rider Classification	Team Classification
0Prologue (ITT) (Thor Hushovd)	Thor Hushovd	Thor Hushovd	no award	Andriy Hryvko	Crédit Agricole
0Stage 1 (Gert Steegmans)			Dionisio Galparsoro		Quick-Step
0Stage 2 (Gert Steegmans)			Thierry Hupond	Trent Lowe
0Stage 3 (Kjell Carlström)	Sylvain Chavanel		Clément Lhotellerie	Luis León Sánchez
0Stage 4 (Cadel Evans)	Robert Gesink			Robert Gesink
0Stage 5 (Carlos Barredo)
0Stage 6 (Sylvain Chavanel)	Davide Rebellin
0Stage 7 (Luis León Sánchez)
0Final	Davide Rebellin	Thor Hushovd	Clément Lhotellerie	Robert Gesink	Quick-Step

Jersey wearers when one rider is leading two or more competitions

• On stage 1, Markel Irizar wore the green jersey
• On stage 2, Karsten Kroon wore the green jersey
• On stage 3, Gert Steegmans wore the green jersey
• On stages 5 & 6, Luis León Sánchez wore the white jersey

Withdrawals

Only 86 riders finished the race of the 160 that started. Almost 40 riders abandoned during the last stage.

	Stage	Cyclist	Team	Reason
DNF	1	Pierrick Fédrigo (FRA)	Bouygues Télécom	Groin injury due to crash
DNS	2	Óscar Pereiro (ESP)	Caisse d'Epargne	Losing 13:25 on the first stage
DNF	2	Dario Cioni (ITA)	Silence–Lotto
DNF	2	Beñat Albizuri (ESP)	Euskaltel–Euskadi
DNF	2	José Ángel Gómez Marchante (ESP)	Saunier Duval–Scott
DNF	2	Arkaitz Durán (ESP)	Saunier Duval–Scott
DNS	3	Roy Curvers (NED)	Skil–Shimano
DNF	3	Mikaël Cherel (FRA)	Française des Jeux
DNF	3	Christian Knees (GER)	Team Milram
DNF	3	Robert Wagner (GER)	Skil–Shimano
DNS	4	Philip Deignan (IRL)	Ag2r–La Mondiale
DNS	5	Leonardo Bertagnolli (ITA)	Liquigas
DNS	5	William Bonnet (FRA)	Crédit Agricole
DNS	5	David Millar (GBR)	Slipstream–Chipotle	Finished 21:07 after Evans, on the 4th stage
DNF	5	Tom Stamsnijder (NED)	Gerolsteiner
DNF	5	Carlo Westphal (GER)	Gerolsteiner
DNF	5	Francesco Gavazzi (ITA)	Lampre
DNF	5	Mario Aerts (BEL)	Silence–Lotto
DNF	5	Johan Van Summeren (BEL)	Silence–Lotto
DNF	5	Bradley McGee (AUS)	Team CSC
DNF	5	Rémy Di Gregorio (FRA)	Française des Jeux
DNF	5	Stef Clement (NED)	Bouygues Télécom	Injury due to crash
DNF	5	Samuel Dumoulin (FRA)	Cofidis
DNF	5	Mathew Hayman (AUS)	Rabobank
DNF	5	Freddy Bichot (FRA)	Agritubel
DNF	5	Andriy Hryvko (UKR)	Team Milram
DNF	5	Fumiyuki Beppu (JPN)	Skil–Shimano
DNF	5	Tom Veelers (NED)	Skil–Shimano
DNS	6	Sergio Ghisalberti (ITA)	Team Milram
DNS	6	Simon Gerrans (AUS)	Crédit Agricole
DNF	6	Albert Timmer (NED)	Skil–Shimano
DNF	6	Tyler Farrar (USA)	Slipstream–Chipotle
DNF	6	Eduardo Gonzalo (ESP)	Agritubel
DNF	6	Matteo Carrara (ITA)	Quick-Step
DNF	6	Bram Tankink (NED)	Rabobank
DNF	6	Iouri Trofimov (RUS)	Bouygues Télécom
DNF	6	Manuele Mori (ITA)	Saunier Duval–Scott
DNF	6	Jason McCartney (USA)	Team CSC
DNF	7	Thomas Peterson (USA)	Slipstream–Chipotle
DNF	7	Markus Eichler (GER)	Team Milram
DNF	7	Christophe Rinero (FRA)	Agritubel
DNF	7	Kevin Ista (BEL)	Agritubel
DNF	7	Kevin Hulsmans (BEL)	Quick-Step
DNF	7	Gert Steegmans (BEL)	Quick-Step
DNF	7	Sylvain Calzati (FRA)	Ag2r–La Mondiale
DNF	7	Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP)	Rabobank
DNF	7	Michiel Elijzen (NED)	Rabobank
DNF	7	David Moncoutié (FRA)	Cofidis
DNF	7	Marcel Sieberg (GER)	Team High Road
DNF	7	Vicente Reynés (ESP)	Team High Road
DNF	7	Craig Lewis (USA)	Team High Road
DNF	7	Servais Knaven (NED)	Team High Road
DNF	7	Andreas Klier (GER)	Team High Road
DNF	7	André Greipel (GER)	Team High Road
DNF	7	Bernhard Eisel (AUT)	Team High Road
DNF	7	Johann Tschopp (SUI)	Bouygues Télécom
DNF	7	Matthieu Sprick (FRA)	Bouygues Télécom
DNF	7	Anthony Geslin (FRA)	Bouygues Télécom
DNF	7	Juan José Cobo (ESP)	Saunier Duval–Scott
DNF	7	Jelle Vanendert (BEL)	Française des Jeux
DNF	7	Lilian Jégou (FRA)	Française des Jeux
DNF	7	Markel Irizar (ESP)	Euskaltel–Euskadi
DNF	7	Dionisio Galparsoro (ESP)	Euskaltel–Euskadi
DNF	7	Lander Aperribai (ESP)	Euskaltel–Euskadi
DNF	7	Fränk Schleck (LUX)	Team CSC
DNF	7	Christophe Brandt (BEL)	Silence–Lotto
DNF	7	Aleksandr Kuschynski (BLR)	Liquigas
DNF	7	Roman Kreuziger (CZE)	Liquigas
DNF	7	Enrico Franzoi (ITA)	Liquigas
DNF	7	Massimiliano Mori (ITA)	Lampre
DNF	7	Paolo Bossoni (ITA)	Lampre
DNF	7	Matteo Bono (ITA)	Lampre
DNF	7	Matthias Russ (GER)	Gerolsteiner
DNF	7	Andrea Moletta (ITA)	Gerolsteiner