Richie Porte, Vincenzo Nibali and Tejay van Garderen are all in with a decent chance of winning and just three of the favourites in Paris-Nice
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Paris – Nice Up for Grabs!
With this year’s route providing numerous opportunities to turn the race for yellow on its head, power riders like Costa, Chavanel, Betancur and Gerrans are already sharpening their axes… For the peloton, the start of Paris–Nice means things are getting serious: the moment of truth has come.
A very different parcour for Richie Porte in 2014, winner in 2013.
Some riders have already locked horns in milder climes, but it is near Paris that the season of prestigious stage races sputters into life. Once again, for the fifth year straight, it all begins in the Yvelines department. With the opening chapter of the week-long race consisting of a sprinter trilogy, 2013 Paris–Tours champion John Degenkolb has chosen a cooler approach on French roads, on which he grabbed three stages of the Tour Méditerranéen.
However, on the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and other sprint finishes, the German will face stiff competition from riders such as Nacer Bouhanni and Bryan Coquard, who already beat him at the Étoile de Bessèges. With a course completely devoid of time trialling and decisive climbs, the 72nd edition of Paris–Nice is one for the all-rounders.
Richie Porte, who has already opened his account as he warms up for the Giro d’Italia; comeback kid Vincenzo Nibali, who is back for seconds after taking part in the 2006 edition; and the dogged Tejay van Garderen, runner-up to Chris Froome at the recent Tour of Oman, will all have to keep their teams on high alert.
The race could well be decided by a matter of seconds, meaning this time around stage hunters will also be on the prowl for the overall title in Nice. The pundits are spoilt for choice in this department, beginning with one of the most ruthless hunters of them all: world champion Rui Costa who will get a chance to show why he deserves to be the boss at Lampre.
Take away the rainbow jersey and it is more or less the same story for Sylvain Chavanel, the IAM team leader. The French contingent has a few other cards up its sleeve, including Romain Bardet (best young rider at the Tour of Oman), Tony Gallopin and Thomas Voeckler.
Simon Gerrans, who is flying in the early season, may finally manage to earn his wings in Nice, several months after pulling on the yellow jersey of the Tour de France on the Promenade des Anglais.
21 teams: main contenders
Orica-GreenEDGE: Albasini (SUI) and Gerrans (AUS)
Lotto-Belisol: Gallopin (FRA), Monfort and Vanendert (BEL)
Omega Pharma-Quick Step: Boonen, Meersman (BEL) and Å tybar (CZE)
Movistar Team: Gadret (FRA) and Gutiérrez (ESP)
BMC Racing Team: Van Garderen (USA), Hushovd (NOR), Moinard (FRA)
Garmin-Sharp: Farrar (USA) and Navardauskas (LTU)
Trek Factory Team: Kiserlovski (CRO), A. Schleck and F. Schleck (LUX)
Ag2r-La Mondiale: Bardet (FRA) and Betancur (COL)
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits: Coppel, Simon (FRA) and Navarro (ESP)
FDJ: Bouhanni and Jeannesson (FRA)
Team Europcar (EUC): Coquard and Voeckler (FRA)
Bretagne-Séché Environnement: B. Feillu, R. Feillu (FRA) and Sepúlveda (ARG)
Sky ProCycling (SKY): Porte (AUS), López GarcÃa (ESP) and Boasson Hagen (NOR)
Cannondale: De Marchi and Marcato (ITA)
Lampre-Merida: Costa (POR) and Serpa (COL)
Astana Pro Team: Nibali (ITA), Fuglsang (DEN) and Westra (NED)
Belkin Pro Cycling Team: Hivert (FRA), Kelderman (NED) and Nordhaug (NOR)
Team Giant-Shimano: Degenkolb (GER) and Hupond (FRA)
Team Katusha: Kristoff (NOR) and Å pilak (SLO)
Tinkoff-Saxo: Kroon (NED), C-A. Sorensen (DEN), Majka (POL)
IAM Cycling (IAM): Syl. Chavanel (FRA) and Denifl (AUT)
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: Crêches-sur-Saône > Rive-de-Gier, 152.5 km
Stage 6, Friday 14 March: Saint-Saturnin-lès-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
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- STARTLIST: Azets Spring Classic (February 23)
- Entries: Clayton Spring Classic Handicap 2025
- Crit Result: Sussex Cycle Racing League Circuits 1/14
- Result: Hillingdon Slipstreamers Spring Series Event 1
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #15
- RESULT: 2nd Portsdown Classic
- Track Result – Manchester Regional Track League
- News: John Barclay Academy Launch
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- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with Zack Lowe (Prologue Race Team)
- NEWS: 2025 ELITE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
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- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #13
- Crit Result: Chilly City Crits Rd 1
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- QUIZ TIME!! REBECCA WOODVINE
- CX Result: London and South East CX League 9
- CX Results: Eastern Region CX League Rd 10
- CX Result: Wessex Cyclocross League Round 12
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with Oscar Nisbett
- CX Result: NWCCA League Round 11
- Track Result: Manchester Regional Track League
- QUIZ TIME: Britain’s Joe Turnbull
- CYCLOCROSS: 2025-26 LLOYDS NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES CALENDAR
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #12
- QUIZ TIME! Dan Kemp (Prologue Junior Race Team)
Other News on VeloUK
- STARTLIST: Azets Spring Classic (February 23)
- Entries: Clayton Spring Classic Handicap 2025
- News: John Barclay Academy Launch
- NEWS: 2025 ELITE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
- Another World Title for Zoe Backstedt
- TRAGIC NEWS: Aidan Loses His Life in Training Accident
- Tom Pidcock wins the AlUla Tour
- 2025 West Midlands road race league
- NEWS: Ribble Cycles Bike Sponsor for Smurfit Westrock Team
- Startlist: RCR Portsdown Classic Road Race (February 9)
- CYCLOCROSS: 2025-26 LLOYDS NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES CALENDAR
- 2025 British CycloCross Championships Day 2
- 2025 British CycloCross Championships Day 1
- TEAM NEWS: RAPTOR FACTORY RACING
- STARTLIST: 2025 British Cyclocross Championships
- Q&A: Louis Herring (Prologue Junior Race Team)
- BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS RIDER LIST
- NEXT WEEK: BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS – CYCLOPARK
- 2025 EVENTS: RTTC 10 mile TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
- THIS WEEKEND: NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES 2024/25 ROUND 5
- BMCR Newsletter January 2025
- TEAM NEWS: BCC Race Team 2025 Squad Announcement
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- Q&A with Paul Opie & Tom Mead
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