Special rules

The 68th PARIS–NICE race (referred to hereinafter as “the event”) is organised by TDF Sport and Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) under International Cycling Union (UCI) and French Cycling Federation (FFC) regulations. It will take place from Sunday 7th March to Sunday 14th March 2010 and will comprise 1 prologue and 7 stages.

The event is open to UCI Pro Teams and UCI Professional Continental Teams restricted to a maximum of 8 cyclists and a minimum of 5 cyclists.
Through its registration and/or participation in the event and/or its presence thereupon, each team, each team member and more generally each accredited representative thereby declare their full acceptance of and adherence to all the provisions in these special rules.

The race headquarters will be open on Saturday 6th March from 2.30 p.m. to 6.00. p.m.

Team officials of the licensed teams shall collect the jersey numbers between 2.30 p.m. and 4.45 p.m.
The team managers’ meeting in the presence of the college of race stewards shall be held at 5.00 p.m. at the race headquarters.

Race information will be broadcast on “Radio-Tour” (169.425 MHZ).

Neutral technical support shall be provided by MAVIC. This service is made up of 3 technical assistance cars and a motorbike in mountain stages.

The general individual classification by time is calculated on the basis of the sum of the times recorded in each of the stages, including bonuses and penalties, as defined in UCI regulations article 2.6.014.

The leader of the general individual classification by time wears the Yellow Jersey.

Total prize money for the General individual classification by time: €120,000

A classification by points is calculated on the basis of the points obtained in each of the 8 stages, as well as the intermediate sprints, as per UCI regulations article 2.6.017.

Points for each stage will be awarded as follows: 25 - 22 - 20 - 18 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 to the first 20 classified riders.

Each intermediate sprint: 3 - 2 - 1.

The leader of the classification by points wears the Green Jersey.

As defined in UCI regulations article 2.6.017, in the event of a tie in the final general individual classification by points, the following criteria shall be applied until the riders are separated:

• Number of stage wins;
• Number of intermediate sprint wins counting towards the classification by points;
• Final general classification by time.

Prizes for the classification by points are as follows:

Each intermediate sprint:

• 1^st: €100
• 2^nd: €75
• 3^rd: €25

Total: €200 €X 14 = €2,800

Final general classification:

• 1^st: €2,000
• 2^nd: €1,000
• 3^rd: €800
• 4^th: €400

Total: €4,200

Total prize money for the classification by points: €7,000

A best climber classification is based on the sum of the points obtained in the climbs and passes of the 8 stages, in accordance with article 2.6.017 of the UCI regulations.

In each of the climbs and passes, the following points are awarded:

• Category 3 climbs and passes: 4 - 2 - 1 for the first 3 classified riders;
• Category 2 climbs and passes: 7 - 5 - 3 - 2 - 1 for the first 5 classified riders;
• Category 1 climbs and passes: 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 for the first 7 classified riders.

A general classification is calculated on the basis of the sum of the points obtained in all of the climbs and passes.

The leader of the best climber classification wears the Red Polka Dot Jersey.

As defined in UCI regulations article 2.6.017, in the event of a tie in the general individual best climber classification, the following criteria shall be applied until the riders are separated:

• Number of first places in category 1 passes;
• Number of first places in category 2 climbs and passes;
• Number of first places in category 3 climbs and passes;
• General individual classification by time.

Prizes for the best climber classification are as follows:

On each of the 37 climbs and passes:

• 1^st: €100
• 2^nd: €75
• 3^rd: €25

Total: €200 €X 37 = €7,400

Final general classification:

• 1^st: €2,000
• 2^nd: €1,000
• 3^rd: €800
• 4^th: €400

Total: €4,200

Total prize money for the best climber classification €11,600

Only riders born on or after the 1^st January 1984 may take part in the young rider classification

The leader in the young rider classification wears the White Jersey.

Prizes awarded for the young rider classification are as follows:

8 stages:

• 1^st: €150

Total: €150 €X 8 = €1,200

Au classement général final:

• 1^st: €800

Total prize money for the young rider classification: €2,000

As per UCI regulations article 2.6.016, the team classification for the day is calculated on the basis of the sum of the three best individual times from each team. In the event of a tie, the teams shall be separated by the sum of the places acquired by the three best placed riders on the stage. If the teams are still tied, they shall be separated by the placing of their best rider in the stage classification.

The general team classification is calculated on the basis of the sum of the three best individual times from each team in each stage ridden. In the event of a tie, the following criteria shall be applied until the teams are separated:

• Number of first places in the daily team classification;
• Number of second places in the daily team classification, and so on;
• etc.

If there is still a tie, the teams shall be separated by the placing of their best rider in the general individual classification.

Any team with fewer than three cyclists will be eliminated from the general team classification.

Total prize money for the 67th Paris-Nice is as follows:

• General individual classification by time: €120,000
• Best climber classification: €10,200
• Classification by points : €7,000
• Young rider classification: €2,000

Total prize money: €139,200

Time bonuses, applied only in the general individual classification, are awarded on 7 stages, as per UCI regulations 2.6.018.

Bonuses are awarded as follows:

• Each intermediate sprint: 3" - 2" and 1" to the first 3 classified riders;
• On stage finishes, with the exception of the 1^st stage, a time-trial: 10" - 6" et 4" to the first 3 classified riders.

The permitted finishing times are as follows:
Prologue: permitted finishing time not applicable.

• 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th flat stages = 8%

• 4th, 6th and 7th medium altitude stages = 12 %

All exceptional situations shall be decided upon by the college of race stewards after consultation with race management.
The finish of the 4th stage is a summit finish. The rule of the last 3 kilometres shall not be applied.

For the prologue, the riders start at one minute intervals in an order established by race management in consultation with the team managers and the college of race stewards.

A.S.O. and each of the teams participating believe it is absolutely necessary to strictly respect the rules and recommendations set out by the competent authorities in anti-doping as well to display totally irreproachable conduct in this respect. The teams participating hereby undertake to apply the said rules and recommendations and shall be solely responsible for ensuring that they are respected by their team members and more generally by all their employees and service providers.

Anti-doping tests are conducted under the authority of the UCI by designated officials at the finish of each stage in the organisers’ trailer.

After each stage, the following must present themselves on the podium at the awards ceremony:

At the finish:

• The stage winner;
• The leader of the general individual classification;
• The leader of the classification by points;
• The leader of the best climber classification;
• The leader of the young rider classification.

The 68^th PARIS-NICE counts towards the world classification and awards points as follows:

• Final general classification: 100 - 80 - 70 - 60 - 50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 and 4 to the first 10 classified riders.
• Each stage: 6 - 4 - 2 - 1 - 1 to the first 5 classified riders.

Penalties are in accordance with UCI regulations.

A.S.O. considers the preservation of its image, its reputation and that of its events of the utmost consequence.

A.S.O. expressly reserves the right to refuse the participation in - or to exclude from - the event, any team or members of a team, whose presence shall seriously blemish the image and/or reputation of A.S.O. and/or the event.

This right shall be exercised according to the following conditions:

• a) A.S.O. shall inform the team of its decision in writing. Notification shall be given via a letter delivered either by means of recorded delivery with acknowledgement of receipt, or hand delivered, with acknowledgement of receipt, or by fax or e-mail.
  
  This letter shall:
  • stipulate whether the objection or the exclusion relates to the presence of the team as a whole or certain of its members identified by name;
  • specify that, if the objection or exclusion concerns the presence of certain of its members identified by name, the team shall, in its capacity as employer, remove the person(s) from its list of personnel for the event, failing which, it shall justifiably withdraw the entire team from any participation in the event;
  • set forth the grounds upon which this objection or exclusion is founded;
  • state that, in order to contest this decision, the team shall have a time limit of 24 (twenty four) hours on receipt of the letter of objection or exclusion to refer the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ("CAS") in Lausanne ; failing which, the team shall be held to have definitively accepted the objection or exclusion.
• b) If an appeal is submitted to arbitration by the team, the CAS will at once appoint a sole arbitrator in application of a CAS accelerated arbitration procedure. After summoning each party to present its case, the arbitrator shall decide, within a very short delay pursuant to the urgent nature of the dispute, to apply or to revoke the objection or exclusion of the team or certain of its members.

The language of the arbitration shall be French.

The arbitral tribunal shall rule according to the regulations of French law.

The arbitral decision shall be final and binding.