The race to the Sun
This Sunday marks the start of the 83rd edition of Paris-Nice, one of the most prestigious one-week races of the year. The event, organized by A.S.O. (the same organizers of the Tour de France), is informally nicknamed "the race to the Sun" as it starts in the cloudy outskirts of Paris and heads towards the Mediterranean coast in southern France, where the weather is much milder.
Route
The race consists of 8 stages, beginning with two clear opportunities for sprinters. On the third day, a 24 km team time trial will test the collective strength of each squad, while the fourth stage, finishing at La Loge de Gardes (7.7 km at 6.4%), will be the first serious test for general classification contenders. The fifth stage features a medium-mountain profile, perfect for puncheurs, ending at Côte-Saint-André (1.9 km at 10.2%), while the sixth offers the third and final chance for sprinters. The final weekend will determine the overall standings, with Saturday's finish in Auron (7.3 km at 6.9%) and a medium-mountain stage concluding at the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
Favorites
Jonas Vingegaard (1200) and Matteo Jorgenson (1000) of Visma - Lease a Bike are the main GC favorites, but they will face strong competition from riders such as João Almeida (1200), Mattias Skjelmose (1000), Ben O’Connor (800), Alexandr Vlasov (1000), Brandon McNulty (1000), Lenny Martinez (600), Daniel Felipe Martinez (800), Santiago Buitrago (800), and Felix Gall (1000).
For sprint finishes, top sprinters include Mads Pedersen (1000), Tim Merlier (1000), Sam Welsford (400), Alberto Dainese (400), Michael Matthews (600), Alexander Kristoff (800), and Fabio Jakobsen (600).
Other contenders for stage wins in intermediate stages include Julian Alaphilippe (600), Aurélien Paret Peintre (400), Romain Bardet (800), and Clément Champoussin (400), among others.
Photo: A.S.O. / Paris - Nice