Mont Ventoux dominates the profile and the imagination but it’s very unlikely to pick the winner today. Instead the route gradually levels out and the ensuing climbs are more decisive, including one with a hidden 20% section before the flat and windy run to the finish.
New for 2016 is the UCI’s Extreme Weather Protocol, a rule that concerns itself with bad weather of all kinds and it got its first use in the World Tour yesterday in Paris-Nice. As rule explainers go this is a quick one but worth exploring.
A sprint stage? Maybe the final sprint stage of the race. Warmer weather will greet the riders and a series of small climbs makes this a draining day.
After one sprint stage it’s time to get back to the action with some climbs and Mont Brouilly with its miniature summit finish.
“They stole my Tour, they’re bastards“
That’s 1956 Tour de France winner Roger Walkowiak talking about the Parisian newspapers who criticised him for winning the race. To this day “winning à la Walkowiak” is a term used for an easy or an unexpected win, often in cycling but sometimes beyond, a French politician can triumph à la Walko too. With Paris-Nice passing by the city of Montluçon today, birthplace of Walkowiak, it’s a good day to correct this phrase. What if à la Walko really meant to take an impressive win at the end of a great race?
Things return to normal with a classic transition stage, 213km to take the riders south towards an inevitable sprint finish.
Today’s stage features gravel road sectors late in the stage. There are two sections each covered twice on a finishing circuit that’s also got narrow roads, a steep “wall” climb and some tight bends. It’s all got the (cold) air of a spring classic.
Paris-Nice begins with a prologue, a chance for a time trial specialists to shine and for the GC contenders to gain time or limit their losses depending on their outlook and abilities. Don’t miss the early afternoon finish of this race.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège was first run in 1892, Paris-Roubaix in 1896, the Tour of Flanders in 1913. These races have become legendary thanks to their rich history. The Strade Bianche race can trace its history back to 2007, a time when Jay-Z and Rihanna topped the charts. This weekend marks the tenth edition of the race. It has become an instant classic.
With new races springing up and 21 new applicants for the World Tour calendar what can the instant success of this race tell us?
The first major stage race of the year starts on Sunday. This edition sees new stage race contenders like Tom Dumoulin and Geraint Thomas up against old timers like Richie Porte and Alberto Contador over a mixed route with the old and the new, like Mont Ventoux and gravel roads.