It may look like Paris-Tours, but in fact Paris-Nice is using the same road this morning..!
sceneryPELOTONPARISNICE
Roman Feillu and Albert Timmer are speeding away from the peloton - they have five minutes lead already..!
FEILLUESCAPEPARISNICE
That wind turbine is turning fast - there's a massive following wind at the moment...
WINDPELOTONPARISNICE
First crash of the day - an Euskatel rider hits the deck in some nasty crosswinds...
The weakest riders are already being dropped as the peloton starts its chase...
Adam Hansen has been caught in a bigger crash at around 65-kilometres...
Napolitano goes down alone after touching wheels...
NAPOLITANOCRASHPARISNICE
Rabobank are keeping the pressure on from the front, making it torture for those at the back..!
WINDRABOBANKPELOTONPARISNICE
Lars Boom looks a solid piece of work in these winds and behind his trusted team...
BOOMPARISNICE
Philippe Gilbert and Martin Veelers have replaced the older escape with about 40-kilometres to go...
GILBERTVELLERSESCAPEPARISNICE
Rabobank give the Gilbert-Veelers escape a one minute lead before hauling them in a bit...
WEENINGPELOTONPARISNICE
Veelers is the perfect foil for Gilbert - the strong duo are still away with 25-kilometres to go...
Big men like Hayden Roulston have moved to the front with 20-kilometres left - a sign that something is going to happen...
ROULSTONWINDPELOTONPARISNICE
Something has happened - the peloton has disintegrated..!
Count the groups - three, four or even five splits as the road and wind take their effect...
Tom Danielson is too light to cope with the wind - he's one of several big names to lose time today...
DANIELSONPARISNICE
Valverde, Boom and Nicholas Roche have emerged in front with 15-kilometres left - seventeen men form this leading group...
Greg Henderson wins stage one just ahead of Grega Bole and Jeremy Galland - Lars Boom keeps his race-lead; Contador loses 18-seconds...
HENDERSONSKYPARISNICE