[Article was written before the start of Paris-Nice and has not been updated.]
In 2016, Geraint Thomas won Paris-Nice 4 seconds ahead of Alberto Contador and last edition Sergio Henao outgunned El Pistolero by 2 seconds overall. Which goes to show, every second counts at the Race to the Sun.
Probably, the likes of Julian Alaphilippe are eyeing up the punchy arrival of the 1st stage and its time bonuses, while those kind of riders are likely to strike in the tricky (and punchy) finale of the 6th stage, too. Yet, proper time gaps are to be expected in the hilly time trial and the Queen Stage on the penultimate day of racing. Also, the final stage had a major impact on GC in the last several years.
So, the overall victor has to be a good time trialist and an outstanding climber, while some puncher’s skills could mean extra time bonuses on a number of stages.
Of the riders who are still racing, Sergio Henao (2017), Geraint Thomas (2016), Richie Porte (2015, 2013), Carlos Betancur (2014), Tony Martin (2011), Luis León Sánchez (2009) and Davide Rebellin (2008) won the Race to the Sun in the last decade. Henao and LL Sánchez are the only former winners who are competing in Paris-Nice 2018.
Favourites Paris-Nice 2018
***** Wout Poels, Bauke Mollema, Julian Alaphilippe
**** Tim Wellens, Simon Yates, Ion Izagirre, Sergio Henao
*** Esteban Chaves, Ilnur Zakarin, Daniel Martin, Jakob Fuglsang
** Nicolas Roche, Rui Costa, Tejay van Garderen, Tony Gallopin
* Warren Barguil, Lilian Calmejane, Sam Oomen, Marc Soler
Paris-Nice 2018: Route maps, height profiles, and more
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Paris-Nice Route
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Vuelta 2019: Riders
Vuelta 2019: Favourites
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Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 1: TTT with red lining
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 2: Benidorm - Calpe
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 2: Versatile ride to Calpe
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 3: Ibi – Alicante
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 3: Sprinters or daredevil attackers
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 4: Cullera – El Puig
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 4: For pure sprinters
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 5: L’Eliana – Javalambre
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 5: Mountain goat on steep last climb
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 6: Mora de Rubielos - Ares del Maestrat
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 7: Onda – Mas de la Costa
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 7: GC battle on finishing Wall
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 8: Valls – Igualada
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 8: Sprinters or (late) attackers
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 9: Andorra la Vella – Cortals d’Encamp
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 9: Explosive climb race for GC men
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 10: Jurançon - Pau (ITT)
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 10: Roglic for glory
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 11: Saint Palais - Urdax
Vuelta 2019 Favourites stage 11: Sprint of brave attackers
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 12: Circuito de Navarra - Bilbao
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 13: Bilbao - Los Machucos
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 14: San Vicente de la Barquera - Oviedo
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 15: Tineo - Santuario del Acebo
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 16: Pravia - Alto de la Cubilla
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 17: Aranda de Duero - Guadalajara
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 18: Colmenar Viejo – Becerril de la Sierra
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 19: Ávila - Toledo
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 20: Arenas de San Pedro - Plataforma de Gredos
Vuelta 2019 Route stage 21: Fuenlabrada - Madrid
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Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 2: Kelso - Kelso
Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 3: Berwick-upon-Tweed - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 4: Gateshead - Kendal
Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 5: Birkenhead - Birkenhead
Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 6: Pershore ITT
Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 7: Warwick - Burton Dassett
Tour of Britain 2019 Route stage 8: Altrincham - Manchester
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Route and profile 1st stage
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Route and profile 3rd stage
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Route and profile 5th stage
Route and profile 6th stage
Route and profile 7th stage
Route and profile 8th stage
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