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Cancellara wins as Armstrong quits


MONTELIMAR, France (Reuters) -- Fabian Cancellara seized the lead in the Paris-Nice cycling race on Thursday after a fourth stage marked by the exit of Lance Armstrong with a sore throat.

Swiss Cancellara, who beat America's six-times Tour de France champion in last year's Tour prologue, is seen as one of the sport's brightest prospects.

He outsprinted Jaan Kirsipuu of Estonia and Fassa Bortolo team-mate Juan Antonio Flecha of Spain to take the 108-km stage between St Peray and Montelimar.

"I'm still far from my best form," said Cancellara. "I was happy that they shortened this stage too. We wanted to try do something today with my team-mates."

Riders have struggled with sub-zero temperatures and snow has prompted route changes.

Cancellara is a specialist time-trialist and said: "Now I have the yellow jersey but I'm certain to lose it tomorrow as we will take on the Faron."

The famous climb near the city of Toulon often decides the final outcome of the race.

Favorite Jens Voigt of Germany, American Bobby Julich, who has moved to third in the standings, and last year's winner Jorg Jaksche, also of Germany, will be the men to watch on Friday.

Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov, Paris-Nice winner in 2002 and 2003, is also expected to make a move.

Armstrong, meanwhile, returned to his home in Gerona for treatment, according to his Discovery team's website.

"I had finally adjusted to the jet lag of the trip but woke up this morning with a sore throat that seemed to get worse all day," Armstrong said.

"I will return to Spain to rest up and be back on the bike in a couple of days."

Paris-Nice was the first major event on Armstrong's agenda after he decided to enter the Tour de France and chase a seventh consecutive victory in July.

Armstrong finished a disappointing 140th in Sunday's prologue and after snow-hit days raced in sub-zero temperatures earlier in the week he lay 62nd overall at the time of his withdrawal, 95 seconds off the lead.

Freire leads

Oscar Freire of Spain won the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico race from Civitavecchia to Tivoli near Rome on Thursday and took the overall lead in the seven-day stage race.

Freire, the world road race champion, sprinted past compatriot Angel Vicioso and Laurent Brochard of France in the final 200 meters of the uphill finish.

Thanks to the 10-second time bonus awarded to stage winners, Freire took the leader's jersey from stage one winner Alessandro Petacchi of Italy.

Friday's third stage is a 228-km stretch from Tivoli to Torricella Sicura.


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