Belgium's Thomas de Gendt won the seventh and penultimate stage of the Paris-Nice with a lead of more than six minutes over Estonia's Rein Taaramae and nine minutes over the peloton.
Ireland's Nicolas Roche was part of the chasing pack, finishing 14th on the stage, 9:24 behind de Gendt.
England's Bradley Wiggins retained the race leader's yellow jersey, on the eve of Sunday's 9.6 km uphill time trial from Nice to the Col d'Eze.
Roche moved up two places in the overall standings to 20th, a full 4:27 behind Wiggins.
At 219.5 km, Saturday's stage from Sisteron to Nice was the longest of the race.
Vacansoleil rider De Gendt and Cofidis' Taaramae broke from the peloton in the 48th kilometre and stretched their advantage to almost 13 minutes.
Fifty-six kilometres from the finishing line, De Gendt outdistanced the Estonian as they neared the summit of the Col de Vence, and pulled further ahead as they began the long ride down into Nice.
De Gendt's win was the third Belgian victory in the Paris-Nice after Tom Boonen's in Orleans and Gianni Meersman's in Rodez.
It likewise marked a trio for Vacansoleil, following Swede Gustav Larsson's victory in the time trial at Saint-Remy-les-Chevreuse and Dutchman Lieuwe Westra's win at Mende
