Special rules

The 70^th PARIS-NICE is hosted by the TDF Sport and Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) under the regulations of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the French Cycling Federation (FFC) and the National Cycling League (LNC). It runs from Sunday 4 to Sunday, 11 March 2012 and includes 8 stages. PARIS-NICE is part of the UCI World Tour calendar.

The event is open to teams from the 1^st and 2^nd UCI Divisions, limited to 8 riders maximum and 5 riders minimum.

Through the involvement and / or participation at the event of each team, each team member and all accredited personnel in general hereby accept all the provisions of this Regulation and agree to abide by them.

The Race HQ (‘Permanence’) will be open on Saturday 3^rd March from 2.30 to 6 p.m at

Espace Jean Racine
1, rue Ditte
78470 Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse

The collection of numbers by team leaders will take place from 2.30 to 4.45 p.m.

The Team Managers' meeting, attended by members of the race Commissaires will take place at 5 p.m. at the Race HQ.

Race information will be broadcast on Radio-Tour, frequency 169.425MHz

Technical support will be provided by Mavic neutral support. The service is provided through 3 cars and a motorcycle for the hilly areas.

The riders' overall individual time is calculated by adding the times recorded for each stage, taking into account bonuses and any penalties under section 2.6.014 of the UCI regulations.

The leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey.

Prize money for general individual classifications ais as follow:

Total overall individual classification prize money - €120,000

Classification by points is calculated by adding the points obtained in each of 8 stages, and in the sprints, according to article 2.6.017 of the UCI regulations.

Points are assigned for each stage for the first 20 riders 25 – 22 – 20 – 18 – 16 – 15 – 14 – 13 – 12 – 11 – 10 – 9 – 8 -7 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 points to the first 20 riders.

At each intermediate sprint: 3 - 2 - 1 points.

The leader of the points classification wears the green jersey.

In accordance with article 2.6.017 of the UCI regulations, in the case of a tie in the overall standings on points, the following criterion is applied, to decide the winner of the points classification:

• number of stage wins;
• number of wins in intermediate sprints counted for the points classification;
• the overall standings at the time.

The prizes awarded for points are:

for each of the intermediate sprints:

• 1^st: €100
• 2^nd: €75
• 3^rd: €25

Total: € 200 x 6 = €1,200

for the overall standings:

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

Total: €4,200

Total prize for points classification €5,400

The ranking for the best climber is calculated according to article 2.6.017 of UCI regulations.

The rider is awarded the following points on each of the passes or slopes:

• Category 3 slopes: 4 - 2 - 1 points to the first 3 riders
• Category 2 slopes: 7 - 5 - 3 - 2 - 1 points to the first 5 riders
• Category 1 slopes: 10 - 8 - 6-4 - 3 - 2 - 1 points to the first 7 riders ranked

An overall ranking is determined by adding the points obtained overall

The best climber wears the red and white polka dot jersey.

In accordance with article 2.6.017 of the UCI regulations, in case of a tie in the general individual classification of the best climber, the following criterion is applied, to decide the winner of the best climber classification:

• number of first places in 1^st category passes or slopes
• number of first places in 2^nd category passes or slopes
• number of first places in 3^rd category passes or slopes
• the overall standings at the time

Prizes for the best climber classification are:

In each of the 25 passes or slopes:

• 1^st: €100
• 2^nd: €75
• 3^rd: €25

Total: €200 X 25 = €5,000

for the overall standings:

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

Total: € 4 200

Total price for the best climber €9,200

The classification is reserved for the best young rider born after 1^st January 1987.

The leader of the best young rider wears the white jersey.

Prizes for the best young rider are:

At each stage:

• At each stage:
  1^st €150 x 8 = €1,200
• for the overall standings:
  1^st: €800

Total prize for the best young rider € 2,000

According to Section 2.6.016 of the UCI regulations, the team standings on each day are calculated by adding the three best individual times from each team. In the case of a tie, the team classification is calculated by the position of the teams' best three riders in the stage classification. In the case of a new tie, the teams are differentiated by the position of the best rider in the stage classification.

The general team classification is calculated by adding the three best individual times from each team from all stages. In case of a tie, the following criteria applies, until the winning team is decided:

• number of first places in the team standings on the day;
• number of second places in the team classification on the day;
• etc.

In the case of a continued tie, the teams are differentiated by the position of the best rider in the stage classification.

Any team reduced to fewer than three riders will be eliminated from the general team classification.

The total prize purse for the 70^th PARIS-NICE is:

• Overall individual General Classification: €120,000
• Points Classification: €5,400
• Best Climber Classification: €9,200
• Best Young Rider Classification: €2,000

TOTAL PRIZE PURSE: € 136,600

Time bonuses are only applied to the general individual classification and are assigned according to online article 2.6.018 of UCI regulations.

The allocation are as follows:

• to each of the intermediate sprints: 3", 2" and 1" to the first 3 riders
• for stage wins: 10", 6" and 4" for the top 3 finishers.

The elimination times are:

• 1^st stage, 2^nd stage, 3^rd stage, 4^th stage, 6^th stage: 8%
• 5^th, 7^th stage: 12%
• 1^st stage, 8^th stage(Individual time trials): 33 %

In exceptional circumstances, decisions can be made by the race Commissaires and after agreement with the Race Director .

Arrivals in the 3^rd and 5^th stages are counted from arrival at the slope. The rule of the last 3 kilometres does not apply.

For Stage 1, riders start every 1 '1' in the rotation order established by the Commissaires in accordance with the test team leaders and the Commissaires Jury

For the 8^th stage, riders start every 1 '1' then 2 '2'in the reverse order of their general classification standings at the end of the 2^nd stage.

The wearing of leaders' jerseys is mandatory from the signature inspection until the final arrivals ceremony.

ASO and all participating teams consider as an absolute necessity strict compliance with rules and recommendations issued by the authorities in the fight against doping and the obligation to observe impeccable conduct in this regard. Participating teams undertake to apply these rules and recommendations and will be fully responsible for the strict compliance by their riders and by all employees and contractors.

Doping control will be carried out under the authority of the UCI by designated officials, upon arrival of each stage in the mobile home of the organisation.

After each Stage, must report to the protocol:

• The stage winner;
• The overall leader - individual;
• Leader of the points classification;
• Leader of the best climber classification;
• The leader of the Young Rider classification;

After each stage finish, the stage winner and overall leader must appear in the press room.

The 70^th PARIS-NICE accounts for the UCI World Tour and the following attributes:

• In the overall standings: 100 - 80 to 70 - 60 - 50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 and 4 points in the first 10
• At each stage: 6 to 4 - 2 - 1 - 1 points to the first 5

All penalties are consistent with all UCI regulations.

20.1. ASO respects the preservation of its image and reputation

ASO reserves the right to refuse participation in – or exclude from - the event, to any team or one of its members, whose presence would be likely to damage the image and / or ASO's reputation and / or event.

20.2. In addition, ASO may disqualify or exclude from any team or one of its members, in the following cases:

• violation of the rules of the event, including those concerning the internal discipline to the event (e.g. rules concerning accommodation );
• serious breach of French law;
• vandalism during the race or outside of the race;
• indecent or inappropriate behaviour;
• any other act or fact which would be likely to damage the image and / or reputation of ASO and / or event.

20.3. The right of withdrawal or exclusion referred to in sections 20.1 and 20.2 above shall be exercised under the following conditions:

a) ASO will advise the team of there decision in writing, notified by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt or by letter delivered personally with receipt, either by fax or e-mail.

This letter should:

• Specify whether the disqualification or exclusion is related to the presence of the entire team or the presence of some of its members.
• Specify that, if the disqualification or exclusion is linked to the presence of its members, the team will, in its capacity as employer, withdraw its staff and associated personnel for the event or, alternatively, waive any right to participation of the entire team to the event;
• State the grounds on which it is based
• Mention that to challenge this decision, the team will have a period of 24 (twenty four) hours from receipt of the letter of disqualification or exclusion to enter the Court of Arbitration for Sport ("CAS" ) in Lausanne. Failing that, the team will be deemed to have accepted the disqualification or exclusion.

b) If ASO contacted by the team, the CAS will immediately appoint a single arbitrator under the expedited procedure under the Rules of Procedure of the CAS. After calling each party to evaluate its case, the arbitrator will decide within the time limits imposed, whether to reject or exclude the entire team or one or some of its members.

The language of arbitration shall be French.

The arbitrator shall decide the dispute in accordance with French law.

There will be no right to appeal.

To enable the optimal promotion of Paris-Nice, each team, and therefore each rider within the teams, acknowledges that participation in the competition grants the organiser and its successors or assigns cause to reproduce and display, without any compensation whatsoever, their name, voice, picture, biography and more generally its sports performance in Paris-Nice as well as the brand of their equipment and sponsors, in any form on any material existing or in future, in any format, for any communication to the public domain, for any purpose including promotional and / or commercial use without any limitations. And for the duration of the protection currently given to any territory by the laws or regulations, judicial decisions and / or arbitration of any country, and international conventions either existing or in future, including any extensions that may be made at this time.

However, the organisers, when they allow others to use pictures of the event for advertising or promotional purposes, will not allow others to use the name, voice, image, biography or performance sports of a rider or team or hthe brand of their sponsors or equipment for a direct or indirect association between the rider, the brand of its sponsors or equipment and the product, service mark or trade name of such as third party without the express permission of the rider, sponsor or supplier concerned.

Similarly, with the exception of books, photo books, comics, any form of publishing, video cassettes, CD-ROMs, DVDs or more generally any video recordings or video on any medium and format that may become the subject, is in whole or part of Paris-Nice, posters, log books, autograph books, maps, official programmes for Paris-Nice, the organiser will not carry and will not allow the exploitation of the individual image of a rider in the commercialisation of products known as merchandise.

This regulation is written in French and shall prevail in case of difficulty in interpreting its terms in another language.