Paris-Nice Preview

March 8th, 2008 by Ron Callahan View Comments

It’s still anyone’s guess as to what will happen at the start of Paris-Nice tomorrow.

All of the teams have voted to go against the wishes of the UCI and participate. The UCI has started legal proceedings against the race organizer. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has decided that they have no jurisdiction in the battle.

The defending champion Alberto Contador switched to the “wrong” team this year, and will not be able to defend. Luis Léon Sánchez of Caisse d’Epargne has set Paris-Nice as his first goal this season.

Politics aside, Paris-Nice is the first “real” stage race of the season. It starts in the suburbs near Paris and heads south across the Massif Central and down the Rhone Valley, leaving behind Paris until it reaches the spring-like conditions in France’s glittering Cote d’Azur. It is dubbed the “Race to the Sun.” Sean Kelly won the race seven straight times in the 1980s.

Both the Slipstream and High Road teams will be participating this year.