Paris-Nice (st. 6)

Late overcoming for the Spaniard into the final meters of the sprint comes short to reach Chavanel and Gilbert, the two fastest in the elite group at the Promenade des Anglais

José Joaquín Rojas closed in on a stage win in the 71st edition of Paris-Nice on Saturday after a marathon 220 kilometers from Manosque to the capital city of the Côte d’Azur, with the field of about 50 riders at the end of the day including Movistar Team’s Nairo Quintana and Rubén Plaza –Javi Moreno only dropped in the final run along the coast-.

Well positioned after the work from his teammates, Rojas came at the front into the coastline finishing straight in the Promenade des Anglais, the wind always paying a fundamental role, and found his way to the victory with 100 meters remaining, overcoming riders until settling to 3rd behind Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel (OPQ) and World champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC).

The general classification stays as in Friday, with Richie Porte (SKY) in the lead before the 9.6-kilometer mountain TT up the Col d’Eze, where Alejandro Valverde claimed a GC podium spot last year in the ‘Race to the Sun’.