Paris-Nice 2018 Stage 7: Simon Yates solos to victory and overall lead

Paris-Nice's Queen Stage is played out in wet and cold conditions. Following the race over four intermediate climbs the race culminates on the haul up to Valdeblore La Colmiane. Simon Yates wins the race ahead of Dylan Teuns and Ion Izagirre. The Briton is the new man in yellow. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 7th stage 2018 Paris-Nice

1. Simon Yates (gbr)
2. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.08
3. Ion Izagirre (spa) s.t.
4. Gorka Izagirre (spa) + 0.13
5. Tim Wellens (bel) s.t.
6. Patrick Konrad (aut) + 0.20
7. Sergio Henao (col) + 0.46
8. Marc Soler (spa) s.t.
9. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 0.48
10. Sam Oomen (nld) + 0.54

GC after 7th stage
1. Simon Yates (gbr)
2. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.11
3. Gorka Izagirre (spa) + 0.12
4. Tim Wellens (bel) + 0.13
5. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.27
6. Marc Soler (spa) + 0.37
7. Patrick Konrad (aut) + 0.39
8. Sergio Henao (Col ) + 0.57
9. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 1.48
10. Alexis Vuillermoz (fra) + 1.49

Race report
On the first climb, Côte de Gattières, Thomas De Gendt, Rory Sutherland, Tony Gallopin, Alessandro de Marchi, Nicolas Roche, Jarlinson Pantano, Amael Moinard and Jesus Herrada jump clear. De Gendt is the first rider over the top.

At the Gattières, Côte de la Sainte-Baume and Col Saint-Raphael De Gendt cements his KOM-lead, while Dan Martin abandons on the Sainte-Baume.

Descending the Saint-Raphael the peloton breaks and Tim Wellens and Sergio Henao wind up in the second group. Yet, they manage to track down the other GC guys after Côte de Villars-sur-Var, where De Gendt once again is the first rider over the top.

With 28 kms to go Pantano and De Marchi crash on descent. Sutherland and Herrada were dropped earlier and De Gendt stops his efforts too, so the front group is down to three riders: Roche, Moinard and Gallopin.

Astana and Mitchelton-Scott lead the peloton onto the lower slopes of Valdeblore La Colmiane with a 50 seconds deficit. One after the other, Moinard, Roche and then Gallopin are brought back. Esteban Chaves gets dropped early, Bauke Mollema with 7 kms to climb, while leader LL Sánchez can’t follow the pace 6 kms before the top.

Simon Yates attacks with 4 kms to go and Ion Izagirre jumps to his wheel. They open up a gap of 15 seconds. Alaphilippe is struggling and when Teuns accelerates he drops. Wellens goes after Teuns and Henao and Soler lose contact.

Yates speeds up once more to get rid off Izagirre and solos to victory. Teuns overhauls the Basque in the dying metres to finish in second.

Yates moves into the overall lead, 11 seconds and 12 seconds ahead of the brothers Izagirre. Wellens, who took fifth on the stage, sits a further second back in fourth.