Paris-Nice 2010 Live Dashboard
Race Info, Results, Photos, Live Video and Highlights
 
Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates. |
A happy sweep of the 2010 podium by Spain.
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News and Updates for Paris-Nice 2010
March 13 update: Overlapping with Paris-Nice is the week long Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in Italy. If you haven't been following along, stage 5 of 7 is today. Live video, highlights and big photos every day.
Stage 7 results: Another classic finish to Paris Nice; Alberto Contador survives in Yellow while Amaël Moinard beats Thomas Voeckler in a drag race
9 Big Photos from Stage 7 — sirottiStage 7 results: 1 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 2 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne :03 4 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 5 Reine Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 6 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 7 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 8 Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack 9 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team RadioShack 10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana Final classification 1 Alberto Contador (Astana) 28:35:34 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) :11 4 Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d'Epargne) :25 3 Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) :26 5 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) :30 6 Jens Voigt (Team Saxo Bank) :35 7 Joaquim Rodriguez (Team Katusha) :37 8 Reine Taaramae (Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne) 1:07 9 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma - Lotto) 1:16 10 Jérôme Coppel (Saur - Sojasun) 1:17
Full Stage Results and Final GC Standings — letour.frContador passes Paris-Nice tests — cyclingnewsMoinard is snelste in de straten van Nice — sporza.beContador wraps up Paris-Nice as Moinard wins finale — velonewsAlberto Contador's post-win quotes — albertocontador
Last Km (04:15 flemish) —sporza.be Col d'Eze and finish:
Part 1 (09:43 flemish) | Part 2 (09:54) | Part 3 (09:14) — sporza.be News Feed Photos — AFP/Yahoo Initial Graham Watson photos — biciciclismo Graham Watson Photos — grahamwatson Stage 7 Highlights w/ Bob Roll (04:43 english) — versusChris Horner's Team RadioShack diary: Paris-Nice final stage — blog.oregonlive 9 Big Photos from Stage 7 — sirotti Contador interviewed at the finish (Spanish w/ English translation) — specializedStage 7 preview: Nice → Nice, 119k (mountainous)
March 13 update: For its final stage, this year’s Paris-Nice sticks to a familiar pattern with the start and finish in Nice on the Côte d’Azur. The course follows a u-shaped trace and climbs the Col de la Porte, La Turbie, and Col d’Eze, the signature climb of Paris-Nice. In the past, Paris-Nice concluded at the summit of the Col d’Eze, and in some years, a time trial provided the final stage. More recently, the race has raced down to sea level and finished on the Promenade des Anglaises which runs along the Mediterranean. This year will continue that pattern.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 7 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
Contador's Astana team awaits their big test — velonation
VERSUS Paris-Nice
VERSUS |
En Direct: Live Video Streaming and TV Coverage
March 11 update: A work in progress. Check back at race time for the latest live links and feel free to send in additional sources for live video or tv coverage as they become known. — Steve
| media source | tv or internet | comments/restrictions |
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live video (english) live video (english) tv schedule
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South Africa; Super Sport has the earliest live coverage with english commentary at 15h15 CET |
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 live video (french) live video (english) live video (?) live audio (english) tv schedule |
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live video (French) |
French TV from Belgium; |
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live video (french) tv schedule |
Sunday stages only; likely restricted to France and french-speaking countries |
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live video (french) tv schedule |
weekday coverage; likely restricted to France and french-speaking countries |
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live video (flemish) live video (flemish) live video (flemish) live video (flemish) tv schedule |
likely restricted to Belgium/Europe; Stage 1 starts at 15:30 CET |
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live video (spanish) live video (restricted) tv schedule |
Spanish; Teledeporte feed; unrestricted worldwide. |
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live video (dutch) tv schedule |
likely restricted to Netherlands; Dutch |
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tv schedule |
highlights on Sunday March 7th - 5:00PM est (see ad); find versus in your area |
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 live text updates |
English |
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live ticker |
live text updates/ticker and key moments; French ticker as well |
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live text updates ESlive text updates EN |
The Spanish website Biciciclismo will have the latest race updates |
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 steephill text updates #parisnice tweets |
short text updates from any and everyone | check back at race time for more and updated links;  send a comment or a new live link |
Stage 6 results: Spectacular solo win for Cervelo's Xavier Tondo in Tourrettes-sur-Loup
5 Big Photos from Stage 6 — sirottiStage 6 results: 1 Xavier Tondo (Cervélo) 5:01:39 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) :05 3 Peter Sagan (Liquigas) 4 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 5 Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) 6 Leonardo Duque (Cofidis) 7 Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d'Epargne) 8 Christophe Riblon (AG2R) 9 Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) 10 Daniele Righi (Lampre) General classification after stage 6 1 Alberto Contador (Astana) 20:41:39 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) :14 3 Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) :25 4 Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d'Epargne) :26 5 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) :29
Full Stage Results and GC Standings — letour.frTondo scores one for Cervelo — cyclingnewsTondo holds on for stage win, Contador holds lead at Paris-Nice — velonewsTondo gana tras una gran cabalgada en solitario; Contador sigue líder — as Last Km (01:58 flemish) —sporza.be News Feed Photos — AFP/Yahoo Last 6 Kms (10:57 french) — france4 Initial Graham Watson photos — velonewsChris Horner's Team RadioShack diary: Paris-Nice stage 6 — blog.oregonlive Graham Watson Stage 6 Photos — grahamwatson Brief Highlights (00:30 english) — uk.eurosport Stage 6 Highlights w/ Bob Roll (04:22 english) — versus 5 Big Photos from Stage 6 — sirottiStage 6 preview: Peynier → Tourrettes-sur-Loup, 220k (mountainous)
March 12 update: It’s another difficult day in the saddle with a succession of short climbs before the main obstacle of the day, the category 1 Col de Vence, in the Alpes Maritimes. The 220 kilometer stage runs parallel the Mediterranean Coast and travels east from Peynier to Tourrettes-sur-Loupe. The course travels over the hilly terrain of the foothills of the Alpes Maritimes, the mountain range that rises steeply from the Mediterranean Sea and gives Nice its distinctive topography. The long descent to the finish takes the sting out of the Col de Vence, but any rider who hopes to wear the Yellow Jersey in Nice will need good legs for this stage.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 6 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
General Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Stage 5 results: Liquigas' Peter Sagan gaps the field for his second win
9 Big Photos from Stage 5 — sirottiStage 5 results: 1 Peter Sagan (Liquigas) 3:34:15 2 Mirko Lorenzetto (Lampre) :02 3 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) 4 Mathieu Ladagnous (Française des Jeux) 5 Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) 6 Simon Gerrans (Sky) 7 Koldo Fdez de Larrea (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 8 Nicolas Roche (AG2R) 9 Matthew Goss (HTC-Columbia) 10.Alberto Contador (Astana) General classification after stage 5 1 Alberto Contador (Astana) 20:41:39 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) :20 3 Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) :25 4 Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d'Epargne) :26 5 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) :29 6 Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) :34 7 Joaquín Rodríguez (Katusha) :36 8 Peter Sagan (Liquigas) :42 9 David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) 1:02 10 Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) 1:06
Full Stage Results and GC Standings — letour.frSagan wins second stage with audacious attack — cyclingnewsPeter Sagan steekt tweede ritzege op zak — sporza.beLiquigas doubles as Bennati wins at Tirreno-Adriatico — velonews Last 2 Km (04:44 flemish) —sporza.be Graham Watson Stage 5 Photos — grahamwatson Brief Highlights (00:49 english) — uk.eurosport Stage 5 Highlights w/ Bob Roll (03:52 english) — versus 9 Big Photos from Stage 5 — sirottiStage 5 preview Pernes-les-Fontaines → Aix-en-Provence, 154k (hilly)
March 11 update: After a transfer, Paris-Nice passes into Provence as the race continues its southeastern journey to the Mediterranean. The stage departs Pernes-les-Fontaines, which sits in the shadow Mont Ventoux, and finishes in the university town of Aix-en-Provence. The terrain is rolling in Provence, and the stage constantly climbs and descends with few flat stretches to offer respite. The stage crosses four categorized climbs before finishing on a gradual climb to the line. Despite the climbing, the general classification will likely remain unchanged after this stage, as the Yellow Jersey contenders save their energies for the final climbing stages of this Paris-Nice.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 5 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
General Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Stage 4 results: Alberto Contador wins the mountaintop finish in Mende and moves into Yellow; Spain places top 4
9 Big Photos from Stage 4 — sirottiStage 4 results: 1 Alberto Contador 4:26:47 2 Alejandro Valverde :10 3 Samuel Sánchez 4 Joaquin Rodríguez :18 5 Thomas Voeckler :20 6 Damiano Cunego :21 7 Roman Kreuziger 8 Christophe Le Mevel :29 9 Luis León Sánchez 10 Rein Taaramae :31 General classification after stage 4 1 Alberto Contador 17:07:29 2 Alejandro Valverde :24 3 Roman Kreuziger :25 4 Luis León Sánchez :28 5 Samuel Sánchez :29 6 Jens Voigt :34 7 Joaquim Rodríguez :36 8 Peter Sagan :54 9 David Millar 1:03 10 Rein Taaramae 1:06
Full Stage Results and GC Standings — letour.frContador bangs out a win in Mende — cyclingnewsContador grijpt de macht in Parijs-Nice — sporza.beContador is too hot for his rivals as Spanish dominate Paris-Nice — cyclingweekly.co.ukContador stomps on stage 4 of Paris-Nice, takes lead — velonews Contador has 150 km to the next hotel to admire his Yellow Jersey — tweetphotoAlberto Contador post-stage winner quotes (english) — albertocontadorVoeckler happy to get attention again — cyclingnews Last 2 Km (6:12 flemish) —sporza.be Initial Graham Watson photos — biciciclismo Mende finishing climb:
Part 1 (05:58 flemish) | Part 2 (08:07 flemish) — sporza.be Last 2 km (09:36 english) — eurosport Graham Watson Stage 4 Photos — grahamwatsonChris Horner's Team RadioShack diary: Paris-Nice stage 4 — blog.oregonlive 9 Big Photos from Stage 4 — sirotti Brief Highlights: Contador takes control of Paris-Nice (00:55)— uk.eurosport.yahoo Stage 4 Highlights w/ Bob Roll (04:00 english) — versusStage 4 preview Maurs-la-Jolie → Mende, 172k (mountainous)
March 10 update: Running east from Maurs to Mende, this stage offers an opportunity for the general classification riders to stake their claim on the Yellow Jersey. The profile includes five categorized climbs and the finale is a steep drag to the line. Forty kilometers of gradual climbing precede the final climb. It’s short, but the average gradient of 10% will certainly leave a mark. Paris-Nice last visited this finish in 2007, when the final climb launched Alberto Contador to victory. The stage finish in Mende will provides a preview of stage 12 of the 2010 Tour de France, and the city also hosted the Tour de France in 1995 and 2005.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 4 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Stage 3 results: Young Peter Sagan of Liquigas wins the uphill finish
6 Big Photos from Stage 3 — sirottiStage 3 results: 1 Peter Sagan (Liquigas) 2 Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha). 3 Nicolas Roche (AG2R) 4 Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) :02 5 Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) 6 Alberto Contador (Astana). 7 Mirko Lorenzetto (Lampre) :06 8 Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) 9 Xavier Florencio (Cervélo) 10 Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil) General classification after stage 3 1 Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) 1 Peter Sagan (Liquigas) :06 3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Esparne) :09
Full Stage Results and GC Standings — letour.frSagan gets his victory, Voigt's in yellow — cyclingnewsToptalent Sagan troeft iederaan af in P-Nice — sporza.beVoigt leads Paris-Nice as Sagan wins stage — velonews Last Km (2:44 flemish) —sporza.bePeter Sagan is the new kid on the block — cyclingweekly.co.uk Last 5 km LINK FIXED (10:56 english) — eurosport Graham Watson Stage 3 Photos — grahamwatsonAlberto Contador post stage qoutes — albertocontadorFirst Victory! A Brief Introduction to Peter Sagan — podiumcafe Stage 3 Highlights w/ Paul Sherwin and Bob Roll (04:16 english) — versus 6 Big Photos from Stage 3 — sirottiChris Horner's Team RadioShack diary: Paris-Nice stage 3 — blog.oregonliveStage 3 preview: Saint-Junien → Aurillac, 208k (classic hills)
March 9 update: It’s all up and down on this stage which runs southeast from Saint-Junien to Aurillac. Saint-Junien welcomes Paris-Nice for the first time. The city sits at the gates of the Périgord-Limousin natural park and has a long history of porcelain manufacturing. Aurillac is a center for sports in France, and has frequently hosted cycling, including the French National Championships and a stage of the 2008 Tour de France.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 3 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Stage 2 results: BBox's William Bonnet gets his "first big victory"
6 Big Photos from Stage 2 — sirottiStage 2 results: 1 William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas Doimo 3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne General classification after stage 2 1 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 2 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank :05 3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Esparne :10
Full Stage Results and GC Standings — letour.frBonnet surprises in Limoges — cyclingnews William Bonnet stock photo — sirottiBonnet wins stage 2, Contador involved in finish crash again — velonewBonnet is de sterkste in chaotische sprint — sporza.be Last Km (3:52 flemish) —sporza.beWilliam Bonnet wins in Limoges after chaotic finish — cyclingweekly.co.uk Initial Graham Watson Photos — biciciclismo Last 7 km with crash (10:30 flemish) — sporza Graham Watson Stage 2 Photos — grahamwatson Bonnet avoids crash to win (01:35) — uk.eurosportBonnet : «J'ai tout donné» — lequipe.fr Stage 2 Highlights w/ Paul Sherwin and Bob Roll (04:31 english) — versus... more to come...
Stage 2 Contres → Limoges, 204k (flat/bumpy)
March 8 update: The Race to the Sun continues its journey south through the center of France. The stage runs between Contres and Limoges over mostly flat terrain. The course passes through Vienne and Paris-Nice makes its second ever visit to Limoges for the finish. In 2007, Franco Pellizotti celebrated victory on the boulevard Beaublanc. This year’s finish repeats the scene of Pellizotti’s triumph.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 2 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Back for 2010, our interactive startlist. Group riders by their native country
March 8 update: Here's our first interactive startlist for 2010. Click on the rider bib number to view their current race results or group the riders by their native country. — SteveTwo ways to view the startlist:
Interactive maps and written previews for all stages now posted
March 7 update: See the preview links in the race summary table (right) for interactive stage maps (with a google earth download option) and stage previews written by Gavia. — SteveStage 1 results: Sky's Greg Henderson wins on a cold, windy day that produced crashes and a successful break
9 Big Photos from Stage 1 — sirottiStage 1 results: 1 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Team Sky 4:22:17 2 Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre 3 Jeremy Galland (Fra) Saur Sojasun 4 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha 5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 6 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 7 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 8 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil 9 Dan Martin (Irl) Garmin-Transitions 10 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas Doimo General classification after stage 1 1 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 2 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank :05 3 David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Transitions :14
Full Results and GC Standings — letour.fr Greg Henderson stock photo — sirottiHenderson wins windy stage to Contres — cyclingnewsNieuw-Zeelander van Team Sky sprint naar dagzege — sporza.be Last Km (2:23 flemish) —sporza.beSky’s Henderson wins crashed filled P-N stage — velonews The Final Kms (10:55 flemish) — sporza Stage 1 High Quality Video Highlights: Part 1 (09:08 english) and Part 2 (09:08 english) — uk.eurosport Brief Highlights: Contador crashes, Boom leads (01:35 english) — uk.eurosport Graham Watson Stage 1 Photos — grahamwatsonHenderson Storms to Victory — teamskyTeam Sky's Henderson wins as bunch splits in the wind — cyclingweekly.co.ukContador bruised in Paris-Nice tumble — cyclingnews Stage 1 Highlights w/ Paul Sherwin and Bob Roll (06:06 english) — versus Greg Henderson post-stage winner's interview (00:21 english) — versus 9 Big Photos from Stage 1 — sirotti... more to come...
Stage 1 preview: Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines → Contres, 202k (flat)
March 7 update: This 201.5 kilometer stage between Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines and Contres offers the fast-men their first opportunity to chase stage victory at this year's Paris-Nice. Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines has never before hosted a Paris-Nice stage, but it has provided the start for Paris-Tours on 16 occasions. The stage runs almost directly south over flat terrain across the Plain de Beauce. Wind is common across the flat lands of the Plain de Beauce, so there is always the possibility that crosswinds will split the field. Though the riders will have no time for sight-seeing, the stage passes the famous château de Chaumont sur Loire. Contres, a town east of Tours and just south of Blois, will host the finish.
... read more of Gavia's Stage 1 Preview (see preview links right for other stages)
Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Prologue results: Dutchman in yellow; Lars Boom wins the prologue
6 Big Photos from Prologue — sirottiPrologue results (8 km): 1 Lars Boom (Rabobank) 10.56 43.9 km avg 2 Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) 10.59 + 00.03 3 Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) 11.02 + 00.06 4 Alberto Contador (Astana) 11.02 + 00.06 5 Peter Sagan (Liquigas) 11.06 + 00.10 6 Xavier Tondo (Cervelo) 11.07 + 00.11 7 David Millar (Garmin) 11.08 + 00.12 8 Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) 11.12 + 00.16 9 Janez Brajkovic (RadioShack) 11.13 + 00.17 10 Andriy Grivko (Astana) 11.13 + 00.17
Full Results — letour.fr Lars Boom stock photo — sirottiSonic Boom hits prologue opener — cyclingnewsBoom wint proloog Parijs-Nice — nos.nlBoom zet toppers een neus in Parijs-Nice — sporza.beSteegmans loopt drie breuken op door windhoos (translation) — sporza.beIt’s Boom, Voigt, Leipheimer at Paris-Nice opener — velonewsBoom explose le chrono — lequipe.frBoom beats the big names to win Paris-Nice prologue — cyclingweekly.co.uk Graham Watson Prologue Photos — grahamwatson News Feed Photos — AFP/Yahoo Prologue Highlights (10:59 flemish) — sporzaSteegmans crashes out of Paris-Nice with broken collarbone
— cyclingnews Prologue: Last Several Riders (04:33 english) — eurosport Very Brief Highlights: Boom wins prologue (00:30 english) — uk.eurosport.yahoo Prologue Highlights w/ Paul Sherwin and Bob Roll (03:09 english) — versusChris Horner's Team RadioShack diary: Paris-Nice time trial — blog.oregonlive Lars Boom post-prologue winner's interview (01:46 english) — versus 6 Big Photos from Prologue — sirottiPrologue Preview: Montfort l'Amaury, 8k (Flatish ITT)
March 7 update: GC Importance: Not so much. This prologue is a nice gauge of form, but should not do much to decide the final outcome.The Race to the Sun begins with a prologue in Montfort-l’Amaury. No, Paris-Nice does not start in Paris, but instead in Montfort-l’Amaury, which lies 20 kilometers southwest of the French capital. Not far from Versailles, the city dates from the 9th century, and was the original stronghold of the Comtes de Montfort. Farms and forest lands surround the city, and the terrain is rolling, uninterrupted by any significant hills.
The prologue follows a mostly flat 8 kilometer course. The stage starts with a bit of a climb, and after the opening kilometer, the riders face the Côte de Boursouffle. They will have nothing to fear, here, as the climb rises only 59 meters in .6 kilometers with an average gradient of 6%. The Côte de Boursouffle carries a category 3 rating and offers the chance for an ambitious rider to pull on the Mountains Jersey at the end of the day. Following the climb, the course rolls along for just over a kilometer then descends gently. Another gradual climb follows. The non-categorized Le Chêne Rogneux tops out at 180 meters, then it’s just over 2 kilometers of flat racing to the finish. No corners mar the final 2 kilometers and it’s a straight shot to the finish.
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It will be a fast opening day at Paris-Nice, and the stage should show us who came to Paris-Nice with big ambitions. Last year, Alberto Contador opened his account with a win in the prologue. The two-time Tour winner beat crono specialist Bradley Wiggins by 7 seconds to take the first leader’s jersey of the race. Eventual overall winner Luis Leon Sánchez finished third. In these early season races, the specialists do not always win as riders who are chasing a first win show up with screaming good form.
Riders to watch in this prologue include last year’s stage winner Alberto Contador, who returns for this edition of Paris-Nice. Alejandro Valverde will lead Caisse d’Epargne in place of last year’s overall winner Luis Leon Sánchez, and Valverde who won the 2009 Vuelta a España is no slouch at short efforts against the watch like this one. Tony Martin, who finished fourth in the 2009 prologue at the Race to the Sun is meanwhile recovering from tendonitis in his knee, so may fall short of last year’s fab performance. Martin’s team-mate at HTC-Columbia Marco Pinotti might be the better pick for this prologue. Christian Vandevelde will lead Garmin-Slipstream, and while his season objectives come much later this year, he can roll a nice time trial on his day. Likewise for Roman Kreuziger of Liquigas-Doimo who is aiming for a high finish at the Tour de France in July. Kreuziger is showing some nice early season form as he recently won the overall at the Giro di Sardegna in Italy. Last, but certainly not least, Levi Leipheimer has a knack for the crono and will ride this Paris-Nice for the new American team RadioShack. Count Leipheimer among the favorites for a good ride in Montfort-l’Amaury. — Gavia
Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun — steephill.tv
Prologue Start Order and Times... check here/coming (Times are CET or GMT+1)Race Preview: Spanish Showdown at the Race to the Sun by Gavia
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March 5 update: This year's Paris-Nice follows the traditional pattern, running from the outskirts of France's capital to its Mediterranean coast. Montfort-l'Amaury, which sits not far from Versailles, hosts the prologue. Then, the course turns south and two opening stages drop the riders down through the center of France with finishes in Contres and Limoges. This is Paris-Tours country, and the first two road stages of the race are likely to end in sprints.
From Limoges, the course turns east, riding against the grain of the Massif Central. It's all up and down on the road to the stage finish in Aurillac, then as Paris-Nice continues east, the first uphill finish arrives in Mende. After a transfer, the course turns south again and enters Provence with a rolling stage between Pernes-les-Fontaines and Aix-en-Provence. The final two stages bring the race to the coast of the Mediterranean and bring this Paris-Nice to a hilly finale. The riders will face the Col de Vence, Col de la Porte, La Turbie, and Col d'Eze in the final two days of racing.
The steep uphill climb to the finish in Mende, the col de Vence, and the classic final stage including the Col de la Port, La Turbie, and Col d'Eze should provide the decisive moments of this year's race. Though the finishing climb at Mende is short at only 3 kilometers, the gradient tilts up at more than 10%. Alberto Contador won on this climb in 2007 when Paris-Nice last visited Mende.
The Col de Vence returns to Paris-Nice after a long absence, and the long climb set in the Alpes Maritimes appeared in the Tour de France in 1995 and 2005. Though the official site lists the climb at just over 9 kilometers, it's nearly 25 total kilometers of climbing from Pont du Loup to the summit. The descending finish offer the chance for a regrouping on the way to the finish, but the length and difficulty of the Col de Vence for this early in the season should separate out the favorites. The race finishes with a three-climb party in the hills outside Nice. From the Col d'Eze, the course descends steeply to sea level for the traditional finale on the Promenade des Anglaises.
The FavoritesIt's a race for the climbers, this Paris-Nice. Last year's winner Luis Leon Sánchez returns for this edition and will sport dossard #1. He will share leadership duties at Caisse d'Epargne with Alejandro Valverde, who is racing against the Arbitration Court in Lausanne, who may yet confirm the Italian doping suspension against him. Valverde will find much to like about this course, especially the uphill finishes at Mende and Tourrettes-sur-Loupe which will suit his fast finishing style, and the short stage races suit him well. The Caisse d'Epargne duo will face a stiff challenge from Alberto Contador. Contador's formidable talent needs no introduction here. Last year, the two-time Tour winner won the prologue and looked ready to sweep through to victory in Nice. Left largely isolated by an underpowered team, Contador watched victory slip away. No doubt he would like to avenge last year's near-miss. Certainly, Contador and Valverde are the main favorites to win this year's race, which is shaping up to be a show-down between the two big Spanish talents.
Though the descending finish off the Col de Vence will surely make Samuel Sánchez smile, Sánchez has decided to build his season around a full-on run at the Tour de France in July. Sánchez finished on the podium at the 2009 Vuelta a España, and hopes to repeat that feat in France in July. Of course, most riders at Paris-Nice have long-term goals, but Sánchez seems not to be among the more consistent riders. He picks his battles each season and rides fairly anonymously outside his major objectives. Watch for his team-mates Romain Sicard and Beñat Intxausti, two young riders who might prove able to find the right break and snatch a stage victory.
The Spanish riders thrive in the hilly stage races, but they are not the only riders to watch in this Paris-Nice. Roman Kreuziger of Liquigas-Doimo, who finished in the top ten at last year's Tour de France, recently won the Giro di Sardegna and is on a nice run of early season form. The talented all-arounder should number among the top finishers in Nice, though he will find it a difficult business to challenge Contador and the Caisse d'Epargne boys.
Over at Garmin-Transitions, Christian Vandevelde has the Tour on his mind, but he also has the characteristics to turn out a good ride at the short stage races like Paris-Nice. Vandevelde's young team-mate Dan Martin spent a long day out the recent Tour Mediterranéen, before being caught short of the line. Martin looks likely to make a play for stage victory on one of the hillier stage of the race and could mount a challenge for the Mountains jersey. Young climber Jurgen van den Broecke of Omega Pharma-Lotto could also make a run for victory in the hills, and has an outside shot at a high general classification finish. Last year's mountain's winner Tony Martin, meanwhile, has recently suffered from tendonitis in his knee, and looks unlikely to repeat his past success.
In the stage-hunting department, a number of classics riders have signed on to hone their form and take a shot at one-day glory. Philippe Gilbert, Damiano Cunego, Simon Gerrans, Sylvain Chavanel, and Pierrick Fédrigo should find the hilly transition stages to their liking. The finish at Mende could offer a chance for Cunego to snag an early season victory, but he will need a big ride to pass the likes of Valverde and Contador, who will be chasing overall victory. Chavanel's Quick-Step team-mate Jerôme Pineau is also a handy rider for the breakaways, while Fédrigo's team-mate Thomas Voeckler
The sprint field is generally a bit thin at Paris-Nice. Most of the big sprinters head to the less hilly Italian stage race, Tirreno-Adriatico, in preparation for Milano-Sanremo. André Greipel of HTC-Columbia is probably the best of the bunch here and he'll have the dialed HTC-Columbia train at his disposal. Gert Steegmans of RadioShack has a formidable sprint on his day, though consistency has not proven his strong suit. Greg Henderson, a former lead-out for Greipel and Cavendish at HTC-Columbia, will ride the sprints for Team Sky and has shown promise as a sprinter in his own right after winning a stage of the Vuelta a España last year. Borut Božič, meanwhile, has two stage wins at l'Etoile des Bessèges to his credit this season and after last year's second place finish at Paris-Tours is staking his claim to top tier status among the sprinters. Liquigas-Doimo brings the young Italian sprinters Francesco Chicchi and Jacopo Guarnieri. Both have recently won sprints in Italy, but have yet to score a big victory among top competitors.
And so it's on for the Race to the Sun. Traditionally one of the opening races of the year, Paris-Nice tells us that the calendar has turned, and it's the season for bike racing. The winter darkness of the north gives way to gentle southern sun offering the promise of Spring. Who will celebrate victory in Nice? The race for the Yellow Jersey is on! — Gavia
Machado delighted with late Paris-Nice call-up — cyclingnewsContador to lead Astana at Paris-Nice — cyclingnewsParis-Nice: Contador vs. the world? — velonewsAFLD play hardball with UCI over Paris-Nice — eurosportContador recieves new Shiv, ready for Paris-Nice Time Trial — velonationParis-Nice 2009 Dashboard: Results, Photos and Video — steephill.tvMarch 2 update:
Paris-Nice contenders to face Col de Vence challenge — cyclingnews2010 Paris-Nice teams have been announced
January 28 update: The 2010 Pars-Nice teams have been announced. Here are the 22 teams. Absent from the list is BMC Racing which will focus on Tirreno-Adriatico. Usually, the teams ASO selects for Paris-Nice are also invited to the Tour de France. — Steve22 teams invited to Paris-Nice — cyclingnews
The 2010 Route is official, but no Mt Ventoux
January 21 update: The route is now official. It's pretty much as outlined here earlier this month; however, Mt. Ventoux is not included. Other differences from the early rumours include Aurillac as the finish host for stage 3 and stage 7 is Peynier to Tourrettes-sur-Loup. The route map (left) has been updated with the official details. Among the big names expected to race at Paris-Nice 2010 include: Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, Philippe Gilbert, Samuel Sanchez, Frank Schleck, Andre Greipel and Heinrich Haussler.
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2010 Paris-Nice route unveiled — cyclingnews Route Presentation/ Le parcours dévoilé — lequipe.frProfiles for stage 4, 6 and 7
January 5 update: Thanks to Jean-Luc (via cyclingmodel.over-blog.com) for the tip on the stage 6 finish host. It seems there will be a mountaintop finish on "The God of Provence", Mont-Ventoux; however, we are talking March folks so it is quite possible they will not go all the way to the top. Last year, stage 6 finished on Ventoux's little sister, La Montagne de Lure which is 300m lower. It was a fine day weather-wise, here's Contador's victory salute in short sleeves. And in 2008, Cadel Evans won Mont-Serein, the back side of Ventoux. So, the "Ventoux finish" could be Mont-Serein (2/3 of Ventoux) or an aborted finish to Chalet Reynard if the weather doesn't cooperate. The route map is now complete but highly unofficial (see left). — Steve
December 21 update: Thanks to European news reports relayed by Patrick, I've drawn up an unofficial carte du parcours. Feel free to fill in the blank for the stage 6 finish if you have some scoop. This year's course is less direct traveling down the west-central side of France before the traditional mountainous stage that starts and ends in Nice. In the past, P-N has been thrilling in part due to the absence of significant time-trialing and once again there appears to be just a 10k TT on the first stage this year. — Steve
Learn more about "The Race to the Sun" — en.wikipedia.org
December 13 update: Thanks again to Patrick for passing along the latest news on P-N '10.
October 14 update: The 2010 Paris-Nice will run from March 7th to 14th starting with a prologue in Yvelines Montfort l'Amaury. Stage 1 will probably start in Yvelines and finish in Contres in the Loir-et-Cher region. Stage 2 should be Contres to Limoges. The next day, stage 3, will see the riders depart from Saint-Junien for Figeac on March 10th. (Thanks Patrick for passing along the news). The remaining stages to come. — Steve
Contres aura paris - nice — paperblog.fr
2009 Paris-Nice Route, Results, Photos and Video
2008 Paris-Nice Route, Results, Photos and Video
Spelling variations of Paris-Nice depending on the language: Paris-Niza (spanish), Parigi-Nizza (Italian), Parijs-Nice (Dutch), Paris-Nizza (German).