Paris - Nice 2016: Stage 3 cancelled due to snow

At 168 kilometres, stage 3 in Paris - Nice was to take the riders over six hills to the steep closing climb up Mont Brouilly, but after 100 kilometres in the saddle the race is neutralized because of the harsh conditions. Centimetres of snow on the roads makes safe racing impossible. The GC stays as it was at the start, so Michael Matthews is still in the lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

With around 10 kms done seven riders escape and another seven start chasing. After around five minutes the groups melt together. Aboard are Van Baarle, Burghardt, Pibernik, Swift, Gougeard, Yates, Trofimov, De la Cruz, Reza, Herrada, Lutsenko, Didier, Pichot and Fernandez, while Paul Martens and Roy Curvers join them after a long chase.

But it looks like the peloton is not too happy with these escapees. After the gain reached a maxium at 4’30” it gets down to 1 minute with 72 kms done. Alexis Gougeard jumps of the front and Alexey Lutsenko, Laurent Didier and Jesus Herrada join him. After Thomas De Gendt joins the break the five riders race to a 3 minutes lead over the peloton.

Because of the atrocious weather, the race is neutralized. Riders are taken to kilometre 125 to see if a re-start is possible. But later on it is clear that the conditions are still bad and the race is cancelled. The GC remains unchanged.

Read about the route.

GC after stage 3
1. Michael Matthews (aus)
2. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 0.14
3. Patrick Bevin (nzl) + 0.19
4. Ion Izagirre (spa) s.t.
5. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
6. Lieuwe Westra (nld) + 0.24
7. Dries Devenyns (bel) + 0.25
8. Arnaud Démare (fra) s.t.
9. Rafal Majka (pol) + 0.27
10. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
11. Tim Wellens (bel) + 0.28
12. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 0.30

17. Tony Gallopin (fra) + 0.33
18. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
27. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.42
28. Sergio Henao (col) + 0.43
29. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) s.t.
36. Rui Costa (por) + 0.49