'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NICE, France (AFP) –
Omega Pharma-Quick Step French cyclist Sylvain Chavanel celebrates as he wins the sixth stage of the 71st Paris-Nice cycling race between Manosque and Nice, on March 9, 2013.
France’s Sylvain Chavanel, of the Omega Pharma team, won the sixth and penultimate stage of the Paris-Nice race on Saturday, while Australia’s Richie Porte, of Team Sky, held on to the overall lead.
Chavanel pipped Belgium’s Philippe Gilbert and Jose Joaquin Rojas of Spain in a sprint finish on Nice’s famous waterfront Promenade des Anglais.
Porte retains a 32-second lead from American Andrew Talansky in the overall standings, with Chavanel third at 42sec, level with Lieuwe Westra of the Netherlands.
Sunday’s final stage is a 9.6km time-trial up to the Col-d’Eze.
Porte had said Friday he was confident of seeing out overall victory on Sunday, although Chavanel, the French time-trial champion, could still have a say.
