DAY-1 NEWS
March 4 th 2017 - 17:26
A SPRINT FOR WARRIORS
The 75th edition of Paris-Nice starts with a 148.5-km circuit around Bois d'Arcy. The loop takes the peloton around roads recalling the history of cycling and especially the Grand Prix des Nations, which used to be held in the Chevreuse valley and on the Dix-Sept Tournants climb (17 turns climb) that the riders will tackle downhill on Sunday. The profile of the course points to an exciting and fast stage, said race director Francois Lemarchand: “There are tricky sections in this stage because there are bumps, sectors in the woods and some exposed to the wind like the Senlisse climb (Km 19.5 and 97.5) or the sector following the sprint un Beynes (Km 55 and 132.5). To sum it up, it is a stage for sprinters on a tiring course. If the pace is high, some riders might be worn out when reaching the finish line. And then the stage will be set for the sprint warriors. It should be interesting when you look at the quality of the field with riders like Demare , Bouhanni, Coquard, Greipel, Kittel, Degenkolb or Matthews !”
LEDANOIS: “IT WON'T BE A RACE BETWEEN PORTE AND CONTADOR”
2013 and 2015 winner Richie Porte was again a leading contender last year (3rd) and his BMC team director Yvon Ledanois expects him to be one of the riders to watch again in this Paris-Nice.
“It's an important race for Richie but he has not raced since the Tour Down Under and we're not too sure what his condition is, unlike other riders who have shown their current strength like Contador. It's clear that Paris-Nice is no longer Richie's priority, his priority is the Tour. When he was with Sky he had a go-ahead for Paris-Nice and he always made the best of it. It's not longer the case. I wouldn't necessarily make him one of the favourites for the GC. In any case it won't be a race between Richie and Contador. It's a hard Paris-Nice, an open Paris-Nice. The Brouilly time trial will be a good test but above all a test to know which will be the riders to watch in the last three days of the race. But first we need to get to Brouilly. Many things can happen beforehand.”
GALLOPIN: “ALBERTO IS EAGER TO WIN”
Trek-Segafredo team director Alain Gallopin is convinced Alberto Contador will be one of the riders to watch in this Race to the Sun, especially after his narrow defeat by Geraint Thomas last year.
“Last year, Alberto lost by four seconds so of course, he want to win it. Last year, he achieved a great series in the early season and he hopes to do the same this year. Some years, like the year Betancur won, Paris-Nice is more for aggressive riders. Bu this Paris-Nice is for climbers. Saturday's stage is more a Dauphine stage than a Paris-Nice stage, which is fine by us. Alberto showed in Ruta del Sol his current level or form. He's as determined as ever and while he doesn't drop his rivals in the climbs je way he used to, he has more experience. It's the natural evolution of a rider. John Degenkolb insisted to come on Paris-Nice to prepare for Milan-San Remo. He knows that it's going to be a hard race and that's what he needs. If we have rainy stages, he likes those and he can go for a stage victory.”
ARRIETA: “A SHAME FOR ALEJANDRO”
Movistar team director Jose-Luis Arrieta told letour.fr that Alejandro Valverde, who snatched his 100th career win at la Ruta del Sol, was in great shape before the sudden fever which forced him out of the race on Friday.
“It's really unfortunate, the course suited him well and he was in great condition. And then yesterday he suffered a sudden fever. He went to train and felt so weak that we had to go and pick him up. I talked to him on the phone today and he was feeling better. It's a shame. We're going to have to live day by day.”
A SUPER STRONG FIELD
The entry list for the 75th edition of Paris-Nice is a very strong one with three former winners at the start, 21 stage winners and several former distinctive jersey holders.
The former winners in the race this season are Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo), winner of the Race to the Sun in 2007 and 2010, Tony Martin (Katusha), crowned in 2011, and Richie Porte (2013 and 2015). The 21 stage winners are as follows: Alberto Contador (x4), Richie Porte (x3), Nacer Bouhanni (x3), Michael Matthews (x3), Sylvain Chavanel (x3), Tom-Jelte Slagter (x2), Amaël Moinard, John Degenkolb, Ilnur Zakarin, Alexander Kristoff, Tony Martin, Michael Albasini, Tony Gallopin, Thomas De Gendt, André Greipel, Moreno Hofland, Marcel Kittel, Arnaud Démare, Davide Cimolai, Alexey Lutsenko and Rémy Di Gregorio.
Also of note are former KOM winners Antoine Duchesne (2016), Thomas de Gendt (2015), Amael Moinard (2010) and Tony Martin (2009). The former green jersey winners are Michael Matthews (2015 and 2016), John Degenkolb (2014) and Sylvain Chavanel (2009 and 2013).