Today, The Race to the Sun, Paris-Nice was launched with an 8 kilometer long and hilly time trial in Montfort-L’Amaury. The course took off with a 15, 5 kilometer long, steep and cobbled climb.

Here, Team Saxo Bank’s 38-year-old Jens Voigt demonstrated incredible strength by finishing second on the stage. He was only three seconds behind the winner, Lars Boom (Rabobank) but proved better than favorites Alberto Contador (Astana) and Levi Leipheimer (Team Radioshack).

“The windy course was a really good fit for me with only one dangerous corner and fortunately, it was not a course for the smallest riders in the peloton. Yesterday, we all did the course so we got to know the route and I was in the car when Gustav (Larsson) did his time trial today which really made a lot of difference for me. Of course, I am very happy with this result. We are now in the fortunate position of having two or three different riders who can make a satisfying result in the overall rankings,” says Jens Voigt after his amazing time trial.

Team Saxo Bank’s young newcomer, Richie Porte demonstrated great power by finishing only 22 seconds behind Lars Boom (Rabobank).

Results of the Team Saxo Bank riders:

Richie Porte 11.18
Gustav Larsson 11.28
Jakob Fuglsang 11.37
Chris Anker Sørensen 11.40
Fränk Schleck 11.44
Juan Jose Haedo 11.58
Laurent Dider 12.10

Tomorrow’s stage is a 201,5 kilometer long stretch between Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines and Contres.