Cyclist Rebellin wins Paris-Nice race

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2008

NICE, France (AFP) — Italian Davide Rebellin of Gerolsteiner won the Paris-Nice "race to the sun" on Sunday after Caisse d'Epargne's Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez won the seventh and final stage, a 121.5km final stage around Nice.

Rebellin, who Saturday had made up a 32sec deficit on previous leader Robert Gesink, thus erased the memory of last year's disappointment, when he lost the crown on the final day to Alberto Contador as he held on to his advantage over compatriot Rinaldo Nocentini.

Contador was unable to defend his crown after organisers banned his Astana team from this year's edition as a result of doping scandals over the past two years, a decision which will also prevent the Spaniard from launching a defence of his Tour de France title.

Sanchez's...