AMILLY, France, March 8, 2009 (AFP) – Spaniard Alberto Contador, riding for
the Astana team, won the opening stage in the Paris-Nice, a 9.3km time trial
here on Sunday.

British Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins, with American outfit Garmin,
came in second behind the 2007 winner, who clocked 11min 05sec, with another
Spanish rider, Luis Leon Sanchez, third.

Ironically for an event known as the ‘Race to the Sun’ this opening stage
was held in rain but 2007 Paris-Nice and Tour de France champion Contador
coped well with the slippery conditions to hold off Wiggins by seven seconds.

Contador, who is out to assert in this race in the absence of his
illustrious teammate, seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, said
he had not expected to land the race honors.

“It is a surprise for me to win, especially given the specialists out there
and given it was a flat course. I am certainly not the world’s best
time-triallist. I think the explanation today is that I just felt good.

“This will not really change the team’s tactics. We will have to stay
focused – the most important thing is to have the yellow jersey next Sunday
when we roll into Nice,” the Spaniard said.

Results from Sunday’s opening stage
of the Paris-Nice, a 9.3km time trial at Amilly:

1. Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana 9.3 km in 11min 05sec.
2. Bradley Wiggins (GBR) at 07sec
3. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP) 09
4. Tony Martin (GER) 11
5. David Millar (GBR) 14
6. Joost Posthuma (NED) 18
7. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) 19
8. Antonio Colom (ESP) s.t.
9. Vladimir Karpets (RUS) 21
10. Remi Pauriol (FRA) 22
11. Kevin Van Impe (BEL) 25
12. Cyril Lemoine (FRA) 25
13. Jens Voigt (GER) 27
14. Marco Pinotti (ITA) 29
15. Niki Terpstra (NED) 30
16. Heinrich Haussler (GER) 30
17. Sergio Paulinho (POR) 31
18. Maciej Bodnar (POL) s.t.
19. Cadel Evans (AUS) s.t
20. Jakub Fuglsang (DEN) s.t.