Paris Nice 2008 stage 6

Sylvain Chavanel of Cofidis won the Paris-Nice sixth stage on Saturday, March 15 as Gerolsteiner's Davide Rebellin took the overall race lead following a 206km run between Sisteron and Cannes.

Sylvain Chavanel attacked late to win

After a frantic late dash, Chavanel crossed the line in 5hr 00min 25sec to edge out Leon Sanchez, Bobby Julich and Damiano Cunego by 2sec with Rebellin fifth in this longest stage of Europe's first major stage race of the season.

Rebellin moved into overall command in 26hr 11min 31sec, 3sec ahead of fellow Italian Ronaldo Nocentini as former yellow jersey holder Robert Geesink slid off the podium placings after getting into difficulties on the descent at Tanneron, 20km out.

Yaroslav Popovych (Silence Lotto) now stands fourth in the overall standings after Geesink's nightmare ride which saw him finish 1min 30sec off the pace. The Dutch Rabobank has a seemingly impossible task Sunday to make up 51sec on Rebellin, who will duel for glory with AG2R's Nocentini.

Sunday's final stage is a 121.5km ride around Nice and finishing up on the picturesque Promenade des Anglais boulevard.

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Chavanel, feted by the home fans, was delighted to land a stage after several near misses. "I've been close these past few years so this time I was really motivated," the 28-year-old told French television.

"I told my teammates I was really up for it today. I got Sanchez in my sights and reined him in and it's a great feeling to win today. This is my best Paris-Nice," he said.

Chavanel had spent a day in yellow midweek before losing it after a struggle climbing the challenging Ventoux, but those travails were forgotten as he gave the French section of the crowd their much-craved first win of the edition.

1. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/Cofidis) 206 km in 5hr 00min 25sec
2. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/GCE) at 0:02sec
3. Bobby Julich (USA/CSC) 0:02
4. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:02
5. Davide Rebellin (ITA/GST) 0:06
6. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA/A2R) 0:06
7. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/QST) 0:44
8. Thor Hushovd (NOR/C.A) 0:44
9. Jerome Pineau (FRA/BTL) 0:44
10. Aurelien Passeron (FRA/SDU) 0:44
11. Alberto Losada (ESP/GCE) 0:44
12. Maxime Monfort (BEL/COF) 0:44
13. Gorka Verdugo (ESP/EUS) 0:44
14. Juan Manuel Garate (ESP/QST) 0:44
15. Aleksandr Kuschynski (BLR/LIQ) 0:44
16. Bernhard Kohl (AUT/GST) 0:44
17. David Arroyo (ESP/GCE) 0:44
18. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR/SIL) 0:44
19. Alexandre Botcharov (RUS/C.A) 0:44
20. Mirco Lorenzetto (ITA/LAM) 1:29

General Classification
1. Davide Rebellin (ITA/GST) 26:11.31
2. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA/A2R) at 0:03
3. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR/SIL) 0:48
4. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 0:51
5. Juan Manuel Garate (ESP/QST) 1:12
6. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/GCE) 1:24
7. Gorka Verdugo (ESP/EUS) 2:17
8. Carlos Barredo (ESP/QST) 2:33
9. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/COF) 2:39
10. Alexander Efimkin (RUS/QST) 3:21
11. Clement Lhotellerie (FRA/SKS) 4:13
12. Simon Spilak (SLO/LAM) 4:23
13. Pierre Rolland (FRA/C.A) 4:42
14. Maxime Monfort (BEL/COF) 5:35
15. Christophe Moreau (FRA/AGR) 7:22
16. Cadel Evans (AUS/SIL) 7:31
17. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 7:42
18. Jerome Pineau (FRA/BTL) 10:00
19. Alexandre Botcharov (RUS/C.A) 13:08
20. Yann Huguet (FRA/COF) 13:13