2012 Paris–Nice
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The 2012 Paris–Nice was the 70th running of the Paris–Nice cycling stage race, often known as the Race to the Sun. It started on 4 March in Dampierre-en-Yvelines and ended on 11 March in Nice and consisted of eight stages, including two time trials that bookended the race. It was the second race of the 2012 UCI World Tour season.
Bradley Wiggins finished second to Gustav Larsson by one second on the stage, despite encountering wet conditions.
The closing sprint: Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma–Quick-Step) leads John Degenkolb (hidden behind Boonen, Project 1t4i) and José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar Team) in Orléans.
Vacansoleil–DCM's Lieuwe Westra in the closing metres at Mende. Westra's stage victory moved him into second place in the general classification, trailing overall leader Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) by six seconds.
Bradley Wiggins won the final stage of the race by two seconds, to win the race overall by eight seconds over Lieuwe Westra.
Denis Menchov
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Denis Nikolayevich Menshov is a former professional Russian road bicycle racer, who rode as a professional between 2000 and 2013. He was best known as a general classification rider, a climber and an accomplished time trialist. In 2005 he finished second in the Vuelta a España and in 2007 he finished as the champion. He also won the centenary Giro d'Italia in 2009 and finished second in the Tour de France in 2010 becoming the first Russian to do so. He was later disqualified from that Tour de France, as well as the 2009 and 2012 editions, owing to adverse biological passport findings.
Menchov at the 2003 Tour de France
Menchov wearing the leader's jersey at the 2007 Vuelta a España
Menchov wearing the Maglia Rosa at the 2009 Giro d'Italia