The start of March sees the first major European stage race of the year, as Team Bahrain Victorious head to Paris-Nice, ’the Race to the Sun’.
As always, it is a testing route, and with over 18,000 metres of climbing, a team time trial, and some classics-style days, the overall winner will need to be strong on a variety of parcours.
Bahrain go to Paris with Pello Bilbao as GC leader, fresh from a podium last week at the UAE Tour. Riding alongside the Spaniard as co-leader for the week, will be Santiago Buitrago. The Colombian is riding the race for the first time, and also brings good form, having won the youth classification at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in February.
Sports Director Michal Golaś is optimistic about our two GC riders’ chances:
“We have a great team around Pello & Santiago, who have both proved they’re in very good shape. So we are very hopeful about a good result in GC. If we remain focussed throughout the week and try to gain time on the opening 3 stages, anything is possible!”
This will be the 82nd edition of a race that is one of the most important on the World Tour calendar, and it starts this year with 157.7km, starting and finishing in Les Mureaux. There are four 3rd category climbs along the way. Puncheurs, classics specialists and sprinters will all believe they have a chance of winning the opening stage.
Four riders are tasked with the job of supporting & protecting our leaders on the less mountainous terrain: Fred Wright, Dušan Rajović, Kamil Gradek & Jasha Sütterlin. All of them have been on the Paris-Nice startlist before, and their power will be vital to ensure Bilbao & Buitrago are in good position at the key moments.
Day two should end in a bunch sprint. Starting in Thiory, it’s a level profile for the entirety of the 178km to Montargis, although many of the roads are exposed, so protecting Pello & Santi will be the priority.
The other main chance for the faster men and/or breakaway specialists comes on Stage 5 from Saint-Sauveur-De-Montagut to Sisteron. While it is hilly, there is nothing overly challenging in the 194.6km, and the finale is flat & not particularly technical.
Like last year, we have a team time trial on stage 3. Auxerre hosts the test this year, which is almost 27km and undulating, where pacing and tactics will be key.
Golaś comments:
“As well as fighting for overall victory, we will also have nice chances for the breakaways with Fred who might get his opportunity on stage 1 or 6, and Dusan on stage 5. Their (and our) priority is GC, so they need to manage their energy all week.
We have to be really careful on the flatter days, then we have the TTT, which is crucial for GC, and where we hope we can gain some time over the other contenders.”
The decisive days in deciding the final destination of this year’s yellow jersey will likely be stage 4 and the final weekend. Wednesday sees the first test of the peloton’s climbing legs. There are no ‘stand-out’ mountain passes, but a summit finish atop Mont Brouilly after five 2nd & one 1st category ascents. A total of 3300 metres of elevation is certainly enough to create some time differences between the main contenders.
In the mountains, Santi & Pello’s support comes in the form of the experienced Australian, Jack Haig, here on the start line for a fifth time. His help will be very much needed on Saturday’s ‘Queen’ stage, which starts from Nice and features two C1 climbs in the final 53km. The Col de La Colmiane (7.5 kilometers at 7.1%), comes first, before a brutal end to the day. The climb to the line in Auron is 7.3 kilometers at 7.2%, but in fact the closing 32km is all uphill with no recovery time at all until the finish.
Golaś knows that stages 7 & 8 will be crucial:
“The weekend is super important and we will really need good climbing legs, but I believe that with this ambitious team we can achieve a first-rate result”
The race ends next Sunday with a short 110km in and around Nice. Although the stage isn’t long, there are no fewer than six categorised climbs en-route to the iconic Promenade des Anglais.
Paris-Nice is one of cycling’s most prestigious events, and Golas says the team is aiming high:
“Every day is demanding, so we need to not take unnecessary risks, and ride together in the front. We must protect the leaders and perform amongst the best in the TTT to gain time in GC.
Our objectives are a stage win and to be on the overall podium on Sunday.”
