Sergio Henao clings onto Paris-Nice after Contador attack

Sergio Henao has won the 2017 Paris-Nice with only 2 spare seconds, after Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) attacked in a nail-biting finish

The 115km final stage of the 'Race to the Sun' started and finished in Nice. 

The first breakaway to succeed included; Jose Herrada (Movistar), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie), Michael Woods (Cannondale-Drapac) and Arnold Jeannesson (Fortuneo-Vital Concept). Later on Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) and David De la Cruz (Quick Step) joined in.

Some kilometers later other riders brigded across from the peloton to form a group of 22 riders that managed to create a gap of more than two minutes.

During the climb of the Cote De Peille, Jarlinson Pantano attacked and took teammate Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) with him. Yellow jesey leader Sergio Henao (Team Sky) tried unsuccessfully to stay at his wheel.

During the descent, the duo were joined by 14 others including Diego Ulissi (UAE), Michael Matthews and Sam Oomen (Team Sunweb), Calmejane, De Gendt, and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrein-Merida).

Behind them a very desperate Henao and team Sky tried to catch the front group and keep the overall victory within sight but to no avail.

During the final climb ontador, David de la Cruz (Quick-Step Floors) and Marc Soler (Movistar) attacked. The chasers led by an isolated Henao saw his lead disappear. Contador was the virtual yellow jersey wearer with over 1 minute.

A desperate Henao fought back on the final 17km descent and managed to reduce the gap slowly down to 42 seconds then down to 30 seconds.

meanwhile Contador was struggling to time trial to the finish line. De la Cruz jumped Contador in the final kilometer and took the stage victory, denying the Spaniard away from the first place in the General Classification.

Sergio Henao took the overall victory by only two seconds.

Contador and Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors) got the second and fourth position of the podium. 

Contador was clearly disappointed but lit up the race, attacked at gave it everything and nearly succeeded.

A nail biting finish!

2017 Paris Nice Stage 8 Top 3

1 David de la Cruz (Spa) Quick-Step Floors 2:48:53 
2 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo   
3 Marc Solar (Spa) Movistar 0:00:05

2017 Paris-Nice Overall General Classification

1 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 29:50:29 
2 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:02 
3 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:30 
4 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:00 
5 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:22 
6 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:34 
7 Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida 0:01:41 
8 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Sunweb 0:04:07 
9 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:04:39 
10 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:14:26

VIDEO: 2017 Paris-Nice Stage 8 Final Kilometers