Paris-Nice 2014 Results 8th stage - Vichot take stage, Betancur GC

French Champion Arthur Vichot took the final stage of Paris Nice today, out-sprinting Jose Rojas in Nice. Carlos Betancur sealed the overall win ahead of the World Champion Rui Costa. (Slideshow route/profile)

The were some withdrawals from the race before the final stage today with Geraint Thomas (SKY), Edvald Boasson-Hagen (SKY), Stephen Cummings (BMC), Michael Matthews (OGE) and Julien Simon (COF) all pulling out.

The GC before the stage was as follows: Betancur, Rui Costa + 0.14 and Zdenek Stybar + 0.27 and with time bonuses available, Betancur did not have the race wrapped up just yet.

A group of 15 riders had a few minutes on the bunch but were caught 30 kilometres to go,apart from Trofimov who ploughed on alone at the head of the race. He was eventually caught on the Col d’Eze.

Fränk Schleck did his best to get away on the descent but never really got clear, leaving Vichot to take the stage honours, winning the sprint from the front group.

Rui Costa fell near the end of the stage but was given the same time as the leaders as it was inside the final three kilometres. Carlos Betancur finished 8th in the stage to claim the overall win with Costa and Vichot rounding out the podium.

Paris-Nice 2014 Results stage 8

1. Arthur Vichot (France)
2 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spain) s.t.
3. Cyril Gauthier (France) s.t.
4. Damiano Caruso (Italy) s.t.
5. Wilco Kelderman (The Netherlands) s.t.
6. Fränk Schleck (Luxembourg) s.t.
7. Tom Jelte Slager (The Netherlands) + 0.02
8. Carlos Betancur (Colombia) s.t.
9. Georg Bennet (Australia) s.t.
10.Eduardo Sepúlveda (Argentina) s.t.

GC after stage 8

1. Carlos Betancur (Colombia)
2. Rui Costa (Portugal) + 0.14
3. Arthur Vichot (France) + 0.20
4. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spain) + 0.21
5. Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) + 0.25
6. Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark) + 0.29
7. Cyril Gautier (France) + 0.31
8. Stefan Denifl (Austria) + 0.35
9. Simon Spilak (Slovakia) + 0.36
10.Peter Velits (Slovakia) + 0.39