MAGNY-COURS, France: Germany’s John Degenkolb of the Giant team won a sprint finish to the third stage of Paris-Nice at Magny-Cours on Tuesday and took the overall race lead at the same time.

Degenkolb powered home on the 180km stage from Tourcy ahead of Australian Matthew Goss and Jose Joaquin Rojas of Spain.

Time bonuses allowed Degenkolb to snare the leader’s jersey from Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni, the winner of the opening stage who could finish only seventh this time around.

The FDJ rider trails Degenkolb, who finished second on the first two stages, by eight seconds with Dutchman Moreno Hofland, the second stage winner but 10th this time, third overall at 12sec.

Three Frenchman made it into the day’s breakaway in the ‘Race to the Sun’ but the peloton never allowed Romain Feillu, Julien Fouchard and Perrig Quemeneur more than three minutes’ advantage.

Quemeneur dropped his two companions with 11km left and entered the Magny-Cours Formula One circuit 4.5km from home with a 30-second lead.

But the peloton was not to be denied on the sweeping curves of the racing track and gobbled him up with 2km left, after which it was up to the sprinters.

Results from the Paris-Nice 180km third stage from Toucy to Magny-Cours on Tuesday:

1. John Degenkolb (GER/Giant) 4hr 27min 26sec, 2. Matthew Goss (AUS/ORI) same time, 3. Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) s.t., 4. Borut Bozic (SLO/AST) s.t., 5. Tom Boonen (BEL/OPQ) s.t., 6. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) s.t., 7. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA/FDJ) s.t., 8. Thor Hushovd (NOR/BMC) s.t., 9. Gert Steegmans (BEL/OPQ) s.t., 10. Moreno Hofland (NED/BKN) s.t.

Giro signs one-year sponsorship with GdF Suez

Meantime, Giro d’Italia organizers on Tuesday announced the signing of a one-year sponsorship deal with GdF Suez.

GdF Suez, a France-Belgian energy company, has already invested in sailing, football and a number of winter sports.

The company’s Italian CEO, Aldo Chiarini, said he looked forward to cycling — a sport whose major events such as the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Tour of Spain are televised in hundreds of countries — boosting the company’s profile.

He also hopes the deal will end any further confusion over the company being confused with Italy’s financial police, the Guardia di Finanzia.

“We’re really proud of this deal and we’re convinced it will help us raise the kind of profile we want in Italy, especially as sometimes people confuse us with the Guardia di Finanza,” said Chiarini.

“For now, the deal is for the 2014 edition of the Giro but we’ll sit down afterwards and look at further options.

This year’s race begins in Belfast on May 9 and ends in Trieste on June 1.