Paris - Nice 2019 March 10-17 *May Contain Spoilers*

cunavalos

In a temporary break from the early season classics, Sunday sees the the start of the "Race to the Sun".Team Sky have won 5 of the last 7 editions and the GC action will really only heat up from Stage 5 onwards.

Preview courtesy of www.cyclingstage.com

Paris-Nice’s fight for the GC has become the epitome of ‘every second counts’. Last three editions were settled by less than a handful of seconds. In 2016, Geraint Thomas won Paris-Nice 4 seconds ahead of Alberto Contador and in 2017 Sergio Henao outgunned El Pistolero by 2 seconds overall. Last year, Simon Yates won Saturday’s Queen Stage to start the final day in yellow. But Marc Soler – who was 37 seconds down in sixth place – attacked on the last day, picked up 7 seconds, and finished 35 seconds ahead of the Briton to win the Race to the Sun.
As far as the 2019 edition goes, the first proper time gaps are to be expected in the ITT on the fifth day, while the Queen Stage on the penultimate day of racing serves a grande finale. The last 14.9 kilometres go up the Turini Pass, which is a toil with an average gradient of 7.3%
As hinted at before, the final stage of Paris-Nice had a major impact on the overall classification GC in the last few years. This year’s route is a copy of the 2018 edition, so the Race to the Sun looks once again set to bow out in dramatic style. The 110 kilometres final day includes six classified ascents to conclude with a 9 kilometres downhill into Nice.

My predictions for the past year or so have typically been deplorable so i will list the GC favourites as predicted by www.cyclingstage.com

***** Simon Yates, Egan Bernal, Wilco Kelderman
**** Miguel Ángel López, Daniel Martínez, Nairo Quintana
*** Rigoberto Uran, Marc Soler, Michal Kwiatkowski, Ion Izagirre
** Fabio Aru, Gorka Izagirre, Romain Bardet, Ilnur Zakarin
* Bob Jungels, Esteban Chaves, George Bennett, Tejay van Garderen

Possibly I would have George Bennett and Bardet a little higher but it is hard to look past Yates, Bernal and Lopez but the big question are the climbs tough enough to distance the likes of a Kwiatkowski or a Jungels

Early interest in the race will revolve around the sprinters and the sprinting field is quite deep. Groenewegen, Démare, Kittel, Ewan, Bennett, Jakobsen, Greipel, Cavendish, Kristoff, Matthews, Colbrelli, Degenkolb, Mareczko, Laporte, Bonifazio and Coquard are all on the startlist.

Unashamedly my bias will suggest that Sam should have an excellent chance in each of the first three stages but Stage 1 may suit a Kristoff type sprinter and I think Groenewegen and Jakobsen may be favourites for Stages 2 and 3 as Sam only really has Pfingsten as a true leadout man that he is familiar with. It is worth bearing in mind with the number of sprint teams coming into the finale the bunch sprint will be very messy.

Live coverage as usual available on Eurosport 2 and the Eurosport player with Rob Hatch and Sean Kelly listed as commentators.

Stage 1



Stage 2



Stage 3



Stage 4



Stage 5



Stage 6



Stage 7

Stage 8

If I recall stage one is usually a bit of an uphill finish in the grounds of Saint-Germain-en-Laye , Demare took it last year, tiny % but not a normal Sam Bennett finish, I'd expect him to be saving himself for the next few stages. Marc Soler had a good race here last year and Simon Yates looked handy in Spain a few weeks ago certainly in better form than a lot of the others for GC.

neris

Is there not usually a stage towards the end that is either abandoned or shortened because of crap weather or snow.

Be interested to see what Quintana does. Don't expect him to win.

fat bloke

Just tuned in, love that white Look at the front.

Wind looks to be blowing a gale out there. Race is all over the road :pac:

Bambaata

This could be an epic stage! Wind is making things interesting

Eamonnator

Is Sam Bennett in the the first group?

Just spotted Sam there, good job hiding there.

Eamonnator

Deleted User wrote: »

Just spotted Sam there, good job hiding there.

Deadly

cunavalos

Groenewegen from Ewan,Jacobsen 3rd Sam ended up 4th but simply ran out of gas.
Apparently some potential GC riders have lost time but waiting for confirmation

neris

Is this on eurosport? Not showing up on their listings today

cunavalos

neris wrote: »

Is this on eurosport? Not showing up on their listings today

Eurosport 2 most of the week

neris

Guessing the stage was over when I went looking for it

https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/status/1104744618795638789?s=19

cunavalos

Yesterdays stage was far more than just a sprint finish. Crosswinds played a big role with echelons forming and lots of riders missing out. It was arguably a better race than the early early classics (Strade Bianchi aside)

Coverage of todays second stage has just begun and the crosswinds have split the peloton again.The finish circuit is a triangle so more damage expected to occur in the last 20km

Sam is in the second group 40 seconds back with 30km to go but is with some sprinter teams (Ewan and Jakobsen).

Groenewegen, Demare Kittel and Degenkolb are in the front group

neris

Minute back now with 20km

cunavalos

Coming back together now with 10 to go, no confirmation that Sam is there but 3 Bora riders have rejoined so looks positive (Keep an eye out for Bib52)

Thought Rob Hatch mentioned Sam being back there

Wow you can really see their speed from that heli shot coming up to the roundabout,

cunavalos

He did but the last overhead showed all riders and Bennett not there.

I don't think he's in the second group here either. I see 53 there and 54

cunavalos

Comfortable for Groenewegen in the end, but Sky looking strong for the overall with two cards to play in Kwiatkowski and Bernal.

Did anyone else spot that as they cut away for the ads there? looked to some Bora lads in the background not very happy. One gesturing with his thumb backwards shaking his head, couldn't tell if it was Sam or not.

cunavalos

Stage 3 heading towards its conclusion with 20km to go.
Looking like a bunch sprint with the whole peloton together

cunavalos

Sky have split the peloton in the last 5km, Sam and other sprinters struggling to get back in

cunavalos

Sam gets it

Get in !!!!! I thought it was close but the overhead told a different tale.

cunavalos

Quick clip of bunch sprint
https://twitter.com/Eurosport_UK/status/1105500210271268864

MPFGLB

They better bring him to the Tour ...the way he is going wining the last sprint stage this year ..he could win on the Champes

dahat

Everyone was on or wanted his wheel and still won, powerful display.

neris

https://twitter.com/procycletrumps/status/1105523355128602626?s=19

13 man break today. No shock to learn Thomas De Gendt is in there