Paris-Nice Stage 1: Saint Rémy lès Chevreuse > Contres, 196.5kms

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Hour-long friends - Bradley Wiggins greets Rohan Dennis before the start...

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Let me in, let me in - Michal Kwiatkowski follows his bigger teamates on to the signature podium...

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Jonathan Hivert has taken off alone in the opening kilometres..

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The peloton has settled down for some sightseeing with almost 200-kilometres still to race...

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The problem with going slow is you get cold - Enrico Zoidl pulls on an extra top...

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Geraint Thomas is getting cold too - he stops to pull on his leg warmers...

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Hivert has achieved his aim of taking the day's only climbing points - and sits up to await the peloton...

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The peloton is passing roads and trees normally associated with Paris-Tours...

scenerypn

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Sprecken sie Deutsch..? Heinrich Haussler, Australian champion, chats with German champion Andre Greipel...

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Jens Keukeleire also stops to pull on his leg-warmers - it's not getting any warmer out there!

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Andrew Talansky is showing off his green and black colours of the new Cannondale-Garmin team - can he win this race for them..?

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Thomas Voeckler has escaped with Anthony Delaplace, and this time they're not waiting for the peloton...

europcar

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Michael Matthews is the best young rider for the day, and he might be the stage-winner too...

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A peaceful landscape absorbs the Paris-Nice peloton as it dwadles south...

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Michal Kwiatkowski need have no worries for now, nor later-on probably...

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Etixx and Ag2r have started to accelerate, just a little...

Voeckler and Delaplace are about six minutes in front and have the time to chat...

Etixx has started to accelerate - no, really they have..!

Philippe Gilbert has plenty of time to adjust his shoes now...

Voeckler and Delaplace have saved their best for the last, they're holding a two-minute lead with 20-kilometres to go..

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Ruis Costa has been caught in a small spill - with his namesake Mario..!

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The peloton speeds past the magnificent chateau of Chambord

scenerypn

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The sprint into Contres is on and there's a clear leader...

katushasprintnizzolo

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Alexander Kristoff wins stage one from Nacer Bouhanni and Bryan Coquard...

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