Marc Soler overhauls Simon Yates to win Paris-Nice
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 11/03/18 3:57pm
Marc Soler snatched victory in Paris-Nice from Great Britain's Simon Yates with a daring breakaway on Sunday's rain-soaked final stage.
Soler finished the stage around Nice in third behind breakaway companions, and fellow Spaniards, David de la Cruz and Omar Fraile.
Yates came home sixth in a group some 35 seconds behind Soler, meaning the Spaniard snatched the overall win by just four seconds ahead of the Briton.
Soler had started the day 37 seconds behind Yates in sixth overall but took bonus seconds in an intermediate sprint and as he rolled over the finish line three seconds behind De la Cruz and Fraile.
Soler did not have the legs to contest the sprint finish, with Sky's De la Cruz overhauling Fraile at the death.
Fraile had launched a solo breakaway with 47km left of the mountainous 110km stage ridden in driving rain.
Yates had few team-mates left to help him and the disorganised chase group broke up under pressure of attacks by Spanish brothers Ion and Gorka Izagirre, who had started the day in second and third at 11 seconds and 12 seconds behind Yates respectively.
They crashed with just 5km remaining allowing Yates's group to catch them.
Gorka Izagirre took bonus points in the first intermediate sprint of the day to jump above his brother to finish third overall at 14 seconds.
