The Race to the Sun has a double characteristic: it supplies analysis elements for the remaining part of the season and sets up an intermediate but major term for the leaders that have decided to compete. Ending this first journey through France with a new title or even an extra stage win on one’s record confirms a status in the world hierarchy. The big explanation that will take place on 1250 kilometres starting with a time-trial in Amilly on the 8th of March all the way to the finish line set on the Promenade des Anglais on the 15th of March, will therefore take place in a context of fierce competition. A former winner back in 2007, Alberto Contador who already started his season with a win on the Tour of Algarve, will be part of the men under high surveillance in the pack. He’ll have to keep an eye on Rinaldo Nocentini, 2nd in 2008, just 3" behind Rebellin. Expected in the Top 10, several riders will be looking, during the whole week, for an opportunity to shine and climb on the podium or go for victory: Cadel Evans will naturally be among them, as well as unstoppable Luis-Leon Sanchez, used to hit hard on Paris-Nice, or Olympic Champion Samuel Sanchez, Frank Schleck and David Millar.
Inspired since the start of the season, the French riders could renew with a hoped for local triumph at the end of the week. Such a performance hasn’t occurred since the third success of Laurent Jalabert, in 1997, but the roads of Paris-Nice will give Sylvain Chavanel the opportunity to express himself as a leader in his new team. Rémi Pauriol, David Moncoutié or Thomas Voeckler, will also try to confirm their fine performances witnessed during the season’s opening weeks, while Sandy Casar and Pierre Rolland will be looking to enter the club of French victors.
| The 20 teams invited, the main riders | |
|---|---|
| GERMANY Team Milram (MRM): Fothen, Knees BELGIUM Quick Step (QST): S.Chavanel, Barredo Silence - Lotto (SIL): Evans, Gilbert DENMARK Team Saxo Bank (SAX): F.Schleck, Voigt SPAIN Caisse d’Epargne (GCE): Pereiro, L.L. Sanchez Euskatel - Euskadi (EUS): S.Sanchez UNITED STATES Garmin - Slipstream (GRM): Millar, Wiggins Team Columbia - High Road (THR): Burghardt FRANCE BBox Bouygues Telecom (BTL): Voeckler, Rolland Cofidis le crédit en ligne (COF): Moncoutié, Pauriol Française Des Jeux (FDJ): Casar, Ladagnous AG2R - La Mondiale (ALM): Nocentini, V. Efimkin Agritubel (AGR): Moreau, Feillu | ITALY Lampre - N.G.C. (LAM): Caucchioli, Spilak Liquigas (LIQ): Kreuziger, Chicchi KAZAKHSTAN Astana (AST): Contador, Popovych NETHERLANDS Rabobank (RAB): Flecha, Posthuma Skil-Shimano (SKS): Hupond RUSSIA Team Katusha (KAT): Steegmans, Colom SWITZERLAND Cervelo Test Team (CTT): Haussler |
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The Paris-Nice week always reveals interesting lessons for the cycling amateur, obviously overwhelmed with emotions at the moment of enjoying the first great stage race on the calendar. One will start gathering indications on the men in shape or discover new talents, questions will be asked and at the end one should remain ever enthusiastic for the future. This short crossing of France gives a new taste for road cycling: the areas visited as this season begins will be as many invitations for fearsome battles between the riders.
Like in 2008, the start will be held at Amilly, in the heart of the faithful “Agglomération Montargoise et Rives du Loing”. After the village of la Chapelle-Saint-Ursin that could host a bunched sprint, the debates will continue on the way to Vichy where Paris-Nice hadn’t enjoyed a stage in ten years. The long relationship between the Race to the Sun and Saint-Etienne will witness a 58th episode, the pack will then deeply explore Ardeche: that is indeed where the climbers will be submitted to a first significant test.
But it is mainly during stage 6 that a real hierarchy should be drawn: the altitude finish set at the summit of the Lure Mountain will be a first experience on this fabulous site and the highest in the history of Paris-Nice (1600 m). For those not used to the shrewdness of the area, this huge hill is also known as the “Little Sister of the Ventoux”. The 13.8 km climb at an average 6.6 % gradient will certainly be one of the big moments of the event. Finally, the difficulties on the weekend with the tricky and demanding hills of the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes will put an end to the last uncertainties. The final decision could be made on one of these climbs, like it occurred in 2008 during one of the final ascents.
| The 20 teams invited, the main riders | |
| GERMANY Team Milram (MRM): Fothen, Knees BELGIUM Quick Step (QST): S.Chavanel, Barredo Silence - Lotto (SIL): Evans, Gilbert DENMARK Team Saxo Bank (SAX): A.Schleck, Voigt SPAIN Caisse d’Epargne (GCE): Pereiro, L.L.Sanchez Euskatel - Euskadi (EUS): S.Sanchez UNITED STATES Garmin - Slipstream (GRM): Millar, Wiggins Team Columbia - High Road (THR): Burghardt FRANCE BBox Bouygues Telecom (BTL): Rolland Cofidis le crédit en ligne (COF): Auger, Dumoulin Française Des Jeux (FDJ): Casar, Ladagnous AG2R - La Mondiale (ALM): Nocentini, Dessel Agritubel (AGR): Moreau, Feillu | ITALY Lampre - N.G.C. (LAM): Caucchioli Liquigas (LIQ): Kreuziger, Chicchi LUXEMBURG Astana (AST): Contador, Leipheimer, Popovych NETHERLANDS Rabobank (RAB): Flecha, Posthuma Skil-Shimano (SKS): Hupond RUSSIA Team Katusha (KAT): Steegmans SWITZERLAND Cervelo Test Team (CTT): n.c. |
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Davide Rebellin at last won Paris-Nice, a race which seemed to elude him in recent years, since he had to be content with podium places in 2003, 2004 and 2007.
But it was a close call for the experienced Italian, who only beat compatriot Rinaldo Nocentini by three seconds, the slimmest gap ever in the history of the Race to the Sun.
Rebellin, who had lost the race on the last day in 2007, perfectly controlled the 115-kms final stage, won on the Promenade des Anglais by Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez, already winner of a stage on la Croisette in Cannes last year.