Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d?Epargne) has won Stage 6 of Paris-Nice. The Spaniard surged away from two breakaway companions in the last five km to win the hilly, 200-km ride from Brignoles to Cannes in 4:46:32. Mirco Lorenzetto (Milram) outsprinted Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) for second at 0:28. Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) remains the overall leader.

After several abortive sallies, Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis), Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom), Christian Vandevelde (CSC), Sanchez, and Levi Leipheimer and Tom Danielson (both from Discovery Channel) escaped at 33 km. The peloton kept the sextet on a short leash, and the fugitives led by 2:15 on the Cote de Taraudeau (73.5 km). On the Col de Bourigaille, Gerolsteiner began to chase.

At 156 km, Chavanel attacked his companions. His lead over the field maxed out at 0:52. Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel), David Lopez Garcia (Caisse d?Epargne) attacked from the peloton, and Sanchez joined them. The trio overtook Chavanel and dropped the Frenchman with six km left. One km later, Sanchez attacked. The bunch absorbed his erstwhile companions.

In the overall, Rebellin leads Contador by 0:06 and Sanchez by 0:16. Stage 7, the final stage of this year?s Paris-Nice, will be a mountainous one. The 129.5-km ride in and around Nice will feature one Category 2 and three Category 1 ascents. Will Rebellin fend off the assaults of his competition? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and find out!