News: No TT in Paris-Nice 2014

A ‘race for the daring’ says ASO of the route for the 2014 Paris-Nice classic stage race which will no longer favour the time trialist or climber

ASO Press Release

The route of the 72nd edition of the Paris-Nice has been announced by ASO in the General Council of Yvelines, where the race will start for the 5th consecutive time, offers the most enterprising riders some previously unseen opportunities. Rouleurs and climbers will have a crack at victory alongside the brave in the peloton.

It is a start-of-season race unlike any other. Traditionally, Paris-Nice kicks off the European season of prestige stage races, where the riders who will set the season alight facing up to each other for the first time. This year, the route across France will force everyone to be on their guard at all times, knowing that no stage will give a decisive advantage to a consistent rouleur or an unbeatable climber.

The elimination of the time trial, giving way to eight road stages that are mainly designed as one-day classics, means that the brute strength of the time-triallists will not be rewarded this year. The three previous winners of the event (Tony Martin, Bradley Wiggins, and Richie Porte) are the ones who will suffer most from this change.

It also means that the mileage has been extended to a new record: 1447 kilometres (904 miles), the longest distance since 1968, one of the years in which the Race to the Sun was fought over nine days.

As well as the absence of a time-trial, the search for steep, rough climbs rather than highly selective ascents will reward audacity over the natural talent of the mountaineers. The spreading out of difficulties will, however, allow the most decisive riders to make their mark on the hardest sections, where the seconds won will have a big effect by the time the peloton reaches the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.

That will be the case of the stage to Belleville, where the riders will probably arrive spread out after their encounter with the fearsome Mount Brouilly and its passes with 25% gradients. Revenge could be exacted around Fayence, where the pack will come back into the frame on a steep ascent that will reward explosive riding.

The following day during the entire 195-km long stage, the race leader and his team will have to watch out for the all-terrain adventurers who 195.5 km of the stage to Biot; the latter rarely had such an opportunity to shine on Paris-Nice. The exploration of the hinterland of Nice will be made at an even more frenetic pace towards the end of the race, with less than 80 kilometres (50 miles) including five category 2 and 1 climbs before diving down towards Nice from the Col d’Eze. And the title might still depend on the time bonuses to be picked up on the finish line!

The race stages
Stage 1, Sunday 9 March: Mantes-la-Jolie > Mantes-la-Jolie, 162.5 km
Stage 2, Monday 10 March: Rambouillet > Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche, 205 km
Stage 3, Tuesday 11 March: Toucy > Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, 180 km
Stage 4, Wednesday 12 March: Nevers > Belleville, 201.5 km
Stage 5, Thursday 13 March: CrÃªches-sur-SaÃ´ne > Rive-de-Gier, 152.5 km
Stage 6, Friday 14 March: Saint-Saturnin-lÃ¨s-Avignon > Fayence, 221.5 km
Stage 7, Saturday 15 March: Mougins > Biot Sofia Antipolis, 195.5 km
Stage 8, Sunday 16 March: Nice > Nice, 128 km

FORMER WINNERS
1960 Raymond Impanis (BEL) Faema
1961 Jacques Anquetil (FRA) Helyett-Fynsec
1962 Joseph Planckaert (BEL) Flandria-Faema
1963 Jacques Anquetil (FRA) St.Raphael-Gitane
1964 Jan Janssen (NED) Pelforth-Sauvage
1965 Jacques Anquetil (FRA) Ford-Gitane
1966 Jacques Anquetil (FRA) Ford-Hutchinson
1967 * Tom Simpson (GBR) Peugeot-BP-Michelin
1968 Rolf Wolfshohl (GER) Bic
1969 Eddy Merckx (BEL) Faema
1970 Eddy Merckx (BEL) Faemino
1971 Eddy Merckx (BEL) Molteni
1972 Raymond Poulidor (FRA) Gan-Mercier-Hutchinson
1973 Raymond Poulidor (FRA) Gan-Mercier-Hutchinson
1974 Joop Zoetemelk (NED) Gan-Mercier-Hutchinson
1975 Joop Zoetemelk (NED) Gan-Mercier-Hutchinson
1976 Michel Laurent (FRA) Miko-De Gribaldy
1977 Freddy Maertens (BEL) Flandria-Velda
1978 Gerrie Knetemann (NED) TI-Raleigh
1979 Joop Zoetemelk (NED) Miko-Mercier
1980 Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA) Peugeot-Esso-Michelin
1981 Stephen Roche (IRL) Peugeot-Esso-Michelin
1982 Sean Kelly (IRL) Sem-France Loire
1983 Sean Kelly (IRL) Sem-France Loire
1984 Sean Kelly (IRL) Skil-Sem-Reydel
1985 Sean Kelly (IRL) Skil-Sem-Reydel
1986 Sean Kelly (IRL) Kas-Mavic
1987 Sean Kelly (IRL) Kas
1988 Sean Kelly (IRL) Kas-Mavic
1989 Miguel Indurain (ESP) Reynolds
1990 Miguel Indurain (ESP) Banesto
1991 Tony Rominger (SUI) Toshiba
1992 Jean-FranÃ§ois Bernard (FRA) Banesto
1993 Alex ZÃ¼lle (SUI) ONCE
1994 Tony Rominger (SUI) Mapei-CLAS
1995 Laurent Jalabert (FRA) ONCE
1996 Laurent Jalabert (FRA) ONCE
1997 Laurent Jalabert (FRA) ONCE
1998 Frank Vandenbroucke (BEL) Mapei-Bricobi
1999 Michael Boogerd (NED) Rabobank
2000 Andreas KlÃ¶den (GER) Team Telekom
2001 Dario Frigo (ITA) Fassa Bortolo
2002 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) Team Telekom
2003 Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ) Team Telekom
2004 JÃ¶rg Jaksche (GER) Team CSC
2005 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
2006 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak
2007 Alberto Contador (ESP) Discovery Channel
2008 Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner
2009 Luis LeÃ³n SÃ¡nchez (ESP) Caisse d’Epargne
2010 Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana
2011 Tony Martin (GER) HTC-Highroad
2012 * Bradley Wiggins (GBR) Team Sky
2013 Richie Porte (AUS) Team Sky