Paris-Nice: De Gendt Back on Top

Voeckler wins sprint for stage There are some things in cycling that just don't happen very often. We have seen quite a few of them already this week, and we can add another one to the list because Thomas De Gendt is back in yellow. De Gendt was a part of a 4 man early morning breakaway that managed to elude the chasing sprinters yet again by the skin of their teeth.

De Gendt clearly had plans to take back his yellow jersey, as he was the first one to attack shortly after the gun fired. He was soon joined by Thomas Voeckler, Remi Pauriol, Remy Di Gregorio, and Francis De Greef. De Greef was later dropped and it became a breakaway of 4.

Today was a double whammy for HTC, because not only were they unable to set up Goss for the sprint but they lost his yellow jersey as well. The first may not have mattered anyway, because Goss was struggling with stomach cramps. (but he did manage to stay with the peloton)

That left the breakaway to decide the stage winner amongst themselves, and it came down to who had the most left.

Thomas Voeckler just kept chugging down most of the finish straight and although Pauriol also kicked, he just could not get around Voeckler. Voeckler was ecstatic about his victory, and said that it was a huge addition to his already impressive 2011.

Many of the other GC contenders just took it easy in the peloton today. Tomorrow and Friday is when things will really heat up. Stage Results
1. Thomas Voeckler
2. Remi Pauriol
3. Thomas De Gendt

General Classification
1. Thomas De Gendt
2. Thomas Voeckler -10
3. Remi Pauriol -16
4. Matt Goss -21
5. Remi Di Gregorio -24
6. Heinrich Haussler -27
7. Jeremy Roy -30
8. Tony Gallopin -31
9. Cyril Gautier -32
10. Jens Voigt -35
17. Nicolas Roche -37
21. Roman Kreuzinger
22. Tony Martin
23. Peter Sagan
29. Janez Brajkovic
32. Jurgen Van Den Broeck
37. Richie Porte
40. Tejay Van Garderen
44. Alexandre Vinokourov
47. Luis Leon Sanchez
52. Samuel Sanchez
55. Xavier Tondo
66. Bradley Wiggins
71. Ryder Hesjedal
85. Levi Leipheimer
90. Frank Schleck
120. Greg Henderson -13:24
DNS- Nicolas Maes

Points
Heinrich Haussler- 76

KOM
Remi Pauriol- 35

Teams
Vacansoleil-DCM

Stage 5

Finally the big boys come out to play. The herd should be thinned after the Col de Chaubouret and then the stage will be decided on the Mure and the tiny climb after it.

Prediction: Tejay Van Garderen