WORLD number one Laurent Jalabert won the Paris to Nice cycling classic for the second year in a row yesterday. After 1,325 kilometres over eight days he beat American Lance Armstrong by 43 seconds with Britain's Chris Board man third a further four seconds behind.
A year ago, this event signalled the Frenchman's first major victory in his comeback from a shattering spill in the 1994 Tour de France.
Boardman improved a place from fourth by winning the final 19.9 km time trial with an average speed of more than 56 kph along a coastline course from Antibes. He clocked 21 minutes 16 seconds, beating Armstrong by 24 seconds and Jalabert by 29 seconds.
It was a double success for Britain on the Promenade des Anglais as earlier Max Sciandri had out paced Spain's Jon Odriozola and Swiss Mauro Gianetti to win the morning circuit race over a tough 71.7 km course. The trio escaped after 13 kms and just held on by seven seconds.
"I have been thinking about a victory for three days. Day by day I have improved, and I knew that when the first opportunity came I could win," said Sciandri who races for an American sponsor, lives in Italy, and was born in Derby.
