<p>HTC-Highroad's Matt Goss stormed to his seventh win of the season in stage three of the Paris-Nice stage race in France on Tuesday- a victory which has also netted the Australian rider the overall lead.</p><p>
</p><p>
After dodging past a late crash, Goss managed to out-sprint fellow Australian, Heinrich Haussler at the end of stage three's hilly 202 kilometer run from Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire to Nuits-Saint-George. The HTC-Highroad rider said it had been a tough final sprint, which saw him dart from one side of the road to the other to avoid the fallen riders and then go for the win.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was certainly difficult, I was a little bit too far back in the last corner and was lucky to get round the crash, but once I got past them I had a straight run and it went well."</p><p>
</p><p>
"I was very motivated for today's stage, I knew if I could get over the final five-kilometer climb I'd be in with a good shot, the finish was perfect for me."</p><p>
</p><p>
"We just missed out on the first sprint on stage one, the second one I was a little bit boxed in, but today it worked out fine."</p><p>
</p><p>
"Tomorrow's a tough stage to defend the lead, but it's not impossible. There are two climbs about 50 kilometers from the finish, so hopefully I can get over them ok and at least hold it for another day."</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was a very scrappy finish, but they seem to suit Matt, he surfs the other teams lead-outs and then goes for it himself," added HTC-Highroad's sports director Allan Peiper, "He just missed out yesterday [Monday], but today he really put the score straight."</p><p>
</p><p>
As for the overall lead, Peiper says they will take the next stage "segment by segment to see if we can defend it."</p><p>
</p><p>
"There's an early climb, so breakaways are bound to go, and we've got two GC guys as well, so it's a question of playing our cards tactically."</p><p>
</p><p>
Goss has now won seven races this season, including a stage of the Tour Down Under and a stage of the Tour of Oman.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's been a perfect start to the year," Goss concludes, "I can only hope it keeps going for as long as possible."</p><p>
</p><p>
After Goss's latest win, HTC-Highroad men's team have now taken 15 victory in 2011.</p>
More...
</p><p>
After dodging past a late crash, Goss managed to out-sprint fellow Australian, Heinrich Haussler at the end of stage three's hilly 202 kilometer run from Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire to Nuits-Saint-George. The HTC-Highroad rider said it had been a tough final sprint, which saw him dart from one side of the road to the other to avoid the fallen riders and then go for the win.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was certainly difficult, I was a little bit too far back in the last corner and was lucky to get round the crash, but once I got past them I had a straight run and it went well."</p><p>
</p><p>
"I was very motivated for today's stage, I knew if I could get over the final five-kilometer climb I'd be in with a good shot, the finish was perfect for me."</p><p>
</p><p>
"We just missed out on the first sprint on stage one, the second one I was a little bit boxed in, but today it worked out fine."</p><p>
</p><p>
"Tomorrow's a tough stage to defend the lead, but it's not impossible. There are two climbs about 50 kilometers from the finish, so hopefully I can get over them ok and at least hold it for another day."</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was a very scrappy finish, but they seem to suit Matt, he surfs the other teams lead-outs and then goes for it himself," added HTC-Highroad's sports director Allan Peiper, "He just missed out yesterday [Monday], but today he really put the score straight."</p><p>
</p><p>
As for the overall lead, Peiper says they will take the next stage "segment by segment to see if we can defend it."</p><p>
</p><p>
"There's an early climb, so breakaways are bound to go, and we've got two GC guys as well, so it's a question of playing our cards tactically."</p><p>
</p><p>
Goss has now won seven races this season, including a stage of the Tour Down Under and a stage of the Tour of Oman.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's been a perfect start to the year," Goss concludes, "I can only hope it keeps going for as long as possible."</p><p>
</p><p>
After Goss's latest win, HTC-Highroad men's team have now taken 15 victory in 2011.</p>
More...