2006 Paris–Nice

The 2006 Paris–Nice was the 64th edition of the Paris–Nice cycle race and was held from 5 March to 12 March 2006. The race started in Chaville and finished in Nice. The race was won by Floyd Landis of Team Phonak.

Teams

Twenty-one teams, containing a total of 168 riders, participated in the race:

• Template:Cycling data CSC
• Template:Cycling data PHO
• Template:Cycling data RAB
• Template:Cycling data LOT
• Template:Cycling data ONC
• Template:Cycling data GST
• Template:Cycling data GEO
• Template:Cycling data DSC
• Template:Cycling data C.A
• Template:Cycling data MOV
• Template:Cycling data COF
• Template:Cycling data QST
• Template:Cycling data TMO
• Template:Cycling data LIQ
• Template:Cycling data LAM
• Template:Cycling data BTL
• Template:Cycling data MRM
• Template:Cycling data EUS
• Template:Cycling data FDJ
• Template:Cycling data A2R
• Template:Cycling data AGR

Route

Stage characteristics and winners

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type		Winner
P	5 March	Issy-les-Moulineaux		File:Time Trial.svg	Individual time trial	Template:Flagathlete
1	6 March	Villemandeur to Saint-Amand-Montrond		File:Plainstage.svg	Flat stage	Template:Flagathlete
2	7 March	Cérilly to Belleville		File:Hillystage.svg	Hilly stage	Template:Flagathlete
3	8 March	Juliénas to Saint-Étienne		File:Mediummountainstage.svg	Medium mountain stage	Template:Flagathlete
4	9 March	Saint-Étienne to Rasteau		File:Mediummountainstage.svg	Medium mountain stage	Template:Flagathlete
5	10 March	Avignon to Digne-les-Bains		File:Mountainstage.svg	Mountain stage	Template:Flagathlete
6	11 March	Digne-les-Bains to Cannes		File:Mediummountainstage.svg	Medium mountain stage	Template:Flagathlete
7	12 March	Nice to Nice		File:Mountainstage.svg	Mountain stage	Template:Flagathlete

Stages

Prologue

5 March 2006 — Issy-les-Moulineaux to Issy-les-Moulineaux, (ITT)

The prologue stage saw 2005 GC winner Bobby Julich retain the yellow/white GC leader's jersey after defeating Kazakh Andrey Kaschechkin, who held the best time through most of the stage's duration, by a narrow margin of 1 second. As the winner of the first stage he also received the green/white points jersey. The blue jersey for best young rider went to Alberto Contador.

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data SAX	6' 07"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	+ 1"
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data FDJ	+ 2"

Stage 1

6 March 2006 — Villemandeur to Saint-Amand-Montrond,

By winning the peloton sprint in Saint-Amand-Montrond ahead of Allan Davis, Tom Boonen (who finished fifth in the prologue stage five seconds down on Bobby Julich) took over the yellow/white jersey due to the time bonus awarded to stage winners. He also took over first place in the points classification.

After a short solo breakaway effort by David Zabriskie, Frenchmen Cristophe Laurent and Stéphane Augé launched a long attack at the 60-km point but were caught by the chasing peloton only 2 km before the finish line. Augé was awarded the first red polka dotted jersey in the mountains classification.

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data QST	4h 56' 01"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	s.t.
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data GEO	s.t.

Stage 2

7 March 2006 — Cérilly to Belleville,

Stage 2 saw a repeat of Tom Boonen's victory over Allan Davis in the first stage, the Belgian finishing first in another bunch sprint.

The polka-dotted mountains jersey changed hands due to a long breakaway by French rider Nicolas Crosbie, who established a maximum lead of 27'30" after 81 kilometers. Crosbie was caught by the peloton 10 km before the finish line.

The blue jersey for the best young rider was awarded to Benoît Vaugrenard who took over first place with former leader Alberto Contador finishing 1'13 behind the pack.

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data QST	5h 20' 50"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	s.t.
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data LAM	s.t.

Stage 3

8 March 2006 — Juliénas to Saint-Étienne,

In the third stage to Saint-Étienne, where Kazakh racer Andrei Kivilev died after a fall in the 2003 edition of Paris–Nice (prompting the UCI to make the wearing of helmets mandatory during all UCI-sanctioned races), there were some changes to the race classifications as American Floyd Landis took over first place in the GC, placing second in the stage after Patxi Xabier Vila Errandonea.

Nicolas Crosbie and Tom Boonen retained their respective climber and sprinter jerseys, whereas the blue jersey for the best young rider was awarded to Stefan Schumacher who finished 1'25 behind the winner.

As expected of a hilly stage Stage 3 saw breakaway attempts on the different climbs, the defining break happening on the last climb of the day, the Col de la Croix de Chaubouret.

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data LAM	4h 23'28"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data PHO	s.t.
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data EUS	+ 1' 16"

Stage 4

9 March 2006 — Saint-Étienne to Rasteau,

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data QST	4h 40' 29"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	s.t.
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data GST	s.t.

Stage 5

10 March 2006 — Avignon to Digne-les-Bains,

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data MOV	4h 43' 34"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data RAB	+ 19"
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data BTL	+ 33"

Stage 6

11 March 2006 — Digne-les-Bains to Cannes,

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	4h 12' 08"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data COF	+ 1' 06"
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data FDJ	+ 1' 11"

Stage 7

12 March 2006 — Nice to Nice,

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data GST	3h 29' 38"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data LAM	s.t.
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	s.t.

General Standings

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data PHO	31h 54' 41"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data LAM	+ 9"
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	+ 1' 05"

Mountains Classification

	Cyclist	Team	Points
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data COF	51
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data AGR	42
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data MOV	39

Points Classification

	Cyclist	Team	Points
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data EUS	66
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data FDJ	63
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data BTL	52

Best Young Rider

	Cyclist	Team	Time
1	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data ONC	31h 58' 11"
2	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data RAB	+ 21"
3	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Cycling data FDJ	+ 52"

Best Team

	Team	Country	Total time
1	Template:Cycling data LAM	Italy	95h 51' 43"
2	Template:Cycling data DSC	United States	+ 3"
3	Template:Cycling data ONC	Spain	+ 34"