Paris - Nice 2020, March 8 - March 15

[Lequack]

Most star filled race this season. First race in the season for Roglic! Other than that it's Alaphilippe, Bernal, Quintana, Pogacar, Landa, Superman Lopez, Pinot, Porte, etc. Reads more like a Tour de France startlist.
Starts off with some flat stages, then a 15km mostly flat ITT, then it's all mountain stages.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/paris-nice/2020/overview
https://www.paris-nice.fr/en/

Live video stream available on Eurosport.

Full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/paris-nice/2020/gc/startlist

 

[Lequack]

Stage 1 » Plaisir › Plaisir (154k)

Stage 2 » Chevreuse › Chalette-sur-Loing (166.5k)

Stage 3 » Chalette-sur-Loing › La Châtre (212.5k)

Stage 4 (ITT) » Saint-Amand-Montrond › Saint-Amand-Montrond (15.1k)

Stage 5 » Gannat › La Côte-Saint-André (227k)

Stage 6 » Sorgues › Apt (160.5k)

Stage 7 » Nice › Valdeblore La Colmiane (166.5k)

Stage 8 » Nice › Nice (133.5k)

 

[Pantani_lives]

It's essentially one ITT, one MTF and one or two tricky stages in the middle mountains.

****Bernal, Roglic, Alaphilippe
***Pinot, Quintana, Pogacar, Izagirre
**López, Landa, Zakarin, Mas, Porte
*Van Garderen, Barguil, Bennett

 

[Red Rick]

I can't believe they changed the final stage. The one thing that made this race every year.

If you're gonna change it up on the last day, give PN the TdF test run and use Col de Turini on the final day

 

[repre]

New EF climber-TT specialist Magnus Cort will win this bike race

 

[SafeBet]

I'm sorry for those facing Nairo Pantani this time of the year.

 

[Lequack]

I'm sorry for those facing Nairo Pantani this time of the year.

I agree, Quintana will go Quintana on everyone.
Also for Pogacar this will be the 3rd one week race this year already? Kind of a busy schedule. Also he's still in quarantine back in UAE alsong with his team, because of the virus.

 

[Anderis]

New EF climber-TT specialist Magnus Cort will win this bike race

And Higuita will win a couple of sprints.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's essentially one ITT, one MTF and one or two tricky stages in the middle mountains.

****Bernal, Roglic, Alaphilippe
***Pinot, Quintana, Pogacar, Izagirre
**López, Landa, Zakarin, Mas, Porte
*Van Garderen, Barguil, Bennett

I would rate Lopez, Pogacar and Quintana higher than this. It's a short ITT and both Lopez and Quintana seem to have improved their ITT form (Lopez only 27s slower than Dennis in Algarve over 20k, Quintana beating Bernal for the Colombian ITT championships). Roglic hasn't ridden anything in 2020, and Bernal and Alaphilippe don't seem to be in top form atm. I'd also put Teuns and Higuita in there somewhere. At least over Mas, Barguil, Van Garderen...

 

[Lequack]

Also Landa is in very good form as shown in Ruta Del Sol.

 

[Koronin]

Is Pogacar actually going to manage to get to this race? He's still stuck in UAE.

 

[Escarabajo]

Thanks for starting the thread. Finally here.
Good to gauge how is everyone going at this point. The climb on stage 7 does not seem too hard. Maybe the TT will make the difference. Last stage has been truncated . Too bad.

 

[Naico]

Is Pogacar actually going to manage to get to this race? He's still stuck in UAE.

Good question. He’ll be back in time I think, but it remains to be seen what it will have done to his form. Doubt riders like him, Formolo and Gaviria will be happy with the situation. Only speculating here but one might think that his team staying there is for the most part a PR move for the local authorities (who sponsor the team). Lots of talk from the peloton and reporters that there was not a single positive Corona test. If true than it will be all about “you can’t be too careful enough” as opposed to what most riders and teams (truly) feel like: a lost race and hysteria that could have been avoided.

 

[Lequack]

Also last year Simon Yates miraculously won the ITT.

 

[Koronin]

Good question. He’ll be back in time I think, but it remains to be seen what it will have done to his form. Doubt riders like him, Formolo and Gaviria will be happy with the situation. Only speculating here but one might think that his team staying there is for the most part a PR move for the local authorities (who sponsor the team). Lots of talk from the peloton and reporters that there was not a single positive Corona test. If true than it will be all about “you can’t be too careful enough” as opposed to what most riders and teams (truly) feel like: a lost race and hysteria that could have been avoided.

The last I heard about UAE team is they are free to leave, but are staying in quarantine due to several cases of the regular flu. Yeah, it seems most are saying no confirmed cases of anything other than the flu. It also sounds like the teams who have left are not under any kind of quarantine and are free to go back to doing normal things.

 

[tobydawq]

The last I heard about UAE team is they are free to leave, but are staying in quarantine due to several cases of the regular flu. Yeah, it seems most are saying no confirmed cases of anything other than the flu. It also sounds like the teams who have left are not under any kind of quarantine and are free to go back to doing normal things.

Was there actually anyone involved in the race who had the CoVid-19?

 

[Koronin]

Was there actually anyone involved in the race who had the CoVid-19?

That is a great question that no seems to have an answer for.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hooray! Finally the Côte de Neauphle-le-Château! I have frequently designed Paris-Nice routes with a Plaisir finish on stage 1 with that climb (usually with circuits) and a 15km TT around Saint-Amand-Montrond did crop up frequently too.

Sadly, with the real Paris-Nice undertaking these options and using some of my favourite early race options, they have seen fit to make the second half of the race absolute ass.

 

[CyclistAbi]

The first race i plan to watch more closely this year. Admittedly Roglič being the main reason for that. I know it's all about the Tour this year, for Roglič, but i somehow have a feeling, Roglič will be well prepared for Paris-Nice.

Don't know how much he is bluffing, likely Alaphilippe won't be in the best shape, Bernal on the other hand likely will be.

Will be interesting to see on how Quintana performs in the new team. As always the likes of Lopez and Pogačar, for sure have their own plans, and the legs to make it happen.

 

[Koronin]

The first race i plan to watch more closely this year. Admittedly Roglič being the main reason for that. I know it's all about the Tour this year, for Roglič, but i somehow have a feeling, Roglič will be well prepared for Paris-Nice.

Don't know how much he is bluffing, likely Alaphilippe won't be in the best shape, Bernal on the other hand likely will be.

Will be interesting to see on how Quintana performs in the new team. As always the likes of Lopez and Pogačar, for sure have their own plans, and the legs to make it happen.

You're forgetting that Pogacar is still sitting at a hotel in UAE in quarantine. He hasn't been able to train since the last two stages of UAE Tour were cancelled. If he even makes it to the race, I wouldn't expect much from him.

 

[70kmph]

Most wins- Sean Kelly 7

 

[hayneplane]

Looking at the course it suits Roglic the most but with the big unknown surrounds his form and race shape as it’s his 2020 debut.

Quintana has the best form and it will be interesting to see him measure up against Bernal. The new French based calendar seems to be really working for Nairo.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

I like the look of this line-up. Could be really close among several of these guys. Will be following!

 

[CyclistAbi]

The whole quarantine situation is indeed inconvenient for Pogačar, but as he was in a a rather good shape at UAE Tour, likely it won't affect him all that much. In addition his team performed good, on the last day.

P.S. That is as long as Pogačar and UAE Team can make it in time and to be there on the day the Paris-Nice race starts.

 

[johnymax]

It will be interesting to see if anybody can stop Quintana 2.0.