Start as you mean to go on. The opening stage has a suburban feel but the tricky uphill finish is crucial for the overall contenders, a split in the field or a missed time bonus could cost them plenty.
Month: March 2018
Paris-Nice Preview
The first major stage race of the year starts on Sunday outside Paris and makes its way to Nice. It’s the “Race to the Sun, with the emphasis on the preposition “to” as before the riders feel the sun on their backs and pedal past palm trees there’s plenty of tricky terrain to cover.
There will be daily stage previews here and ahead of the race here’s a look at who might win the race overall.
The Moment The Strade Bianche Was Won
Tiesj Benoot ditches Romain Bardet and Wout van Aert on the final section of sterrato. This was the moment the race was won. Amid a galaxy of star riders Benoot was not the obvious pick at the start in Siena but five hours later there was no doubting his strength.
Thursday Shorts
Lotto are stepping down from sponsoring Dutch team Lotto-Jumbo. Their contract is up at the end of the year and that’s enough for them. The good news is co-sponsor Jumbo has said it will step up and become the main sponsor and even increase the budget to somewhere north of €15 million.