Which one is the best race: Tirreno-Adriatico or Paris Nice?

[Mellow Velo]

Well, I may be wrong, but Italian tv appears to be showing Paris-Nice live, with Tirreno-Adriatico used to fill in around the edges and 2 hours recorded for the late, late slot.

Over the past decade or so, P-N has usually been the better race, but as Kwibus says: it depends upon the course and how the race pans out.

Tirreno, because the PN sucked in the last year and will suck this year.

Form an opinion form one edition?
P-N certainly didn't suck today.
Pretty impressive for a flat stage.

 

[Martinello]

P-N, but I have a bit of veneration for Cote d'Azur and have ridden some French amateur races in the area so I might be biased.
With the return of the Col d'Eze TT and the whole concept of 'race towards the sun' P-N still is THE Spring stage race for me.

On a side note, as others have pointed out; Italian racing is severely handicapped by the lack of broadcasting to the international audience.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I like both races, they are both 'big races' in context of the season, riders peak for said races. Probably my favorite stage races outside of the GTs.

TA has had some better parcours the past couple years tho, but PN is generally a good race.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

On paper, TA for the last two years.

That being said, PA this year could shape into a dogfight. I don't think Leipheimer is confident (and shouldn't be) enough to wait for the TT. Pisti is always a firecracker in the last few k's of a hill finish, and the huge gaps to strong men could provide some big names in breakaways. Who knows.

However, I realize that counting on LL and Wiggans to spice up a race may not be the best way to go...

 

[lukinox]

Historically Paris-Nice has been the better race, but last year and especially this year the list of riders in Tirreno is impressive with many teams bringing their top riders. The route has got something for everyone, from sprinters to attackers, climbers and all rounders/GC men.
Obviously being an italian race all the italian teams are bringing their big guns, but also foreign teams like BMC , Astana, Katusha are all bringing pretty much their A-team and Sky, Garmin, Lotto and Greenedge are all bringing their top sprinter.
Check out the full list of riders for Tirreno (http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/TirrenoAdriatico/2011/it/download/TA-Iscritti2012.pdf) and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Basically all I'm saying is that there are all the conditions for an epic week of racing.
Maybe because I don't really like the guys in contention for this year P-N (Wiggo, Leipheimer, Valv-piti), I'm a bit bias, but I think I'll be following more Tirreno this week.

 

[Eric8-A]

Why is TGBM not an option?

Because it's now all about JTL


Haussler said Paris-Nice is easy.

 

[Swede1]

They are both pretty good races usually. and yeah it really depends on the route. The past couple of years tirreno has been better, but maybe this year paris-nice will be better (it has certainly started well).

 

[greenedge]

I think T-A has been better in recent years-espescailly the routes. However i think P-N has more prestige and i loved stage 2.

I think this years route of P-N is not great but the route is not that bad and it is setting up to be really exciting ( with the stages on offer )

 

[More Strides than Rides]

I forgot, T-A has a way more boss trophy

 

[airstream]

Passo Lanciano is no joke actually. Saying that TA has only Montelupone is a bit of disrespect. The focus on short and steep climb of TA is a recent thing anyway, and it's not by any means a rule; for istance it included Monte Bondone once (many years ago)

ah, really? normal Passo Lanciano or joke version of 2009?

Suprised you dont like ATOC a bit.
After this year I doubt you will like the dauphine much any more.

Why? Dauphine is more interesting because, unlike other 1 week races, almost everyone wants to check himself and opponents at about 90% of current form. In PN and Tirreno they are all in too different condions and have totally different goals. Some just use it not to forget subtle sense of riding in the pack.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I forgot, T-A has a way more boss trophy

I was going to say Tirreno Adriatico anyway, but that trophy clinches it.

 

[Eshnar]

ah, really? normal Passo Lanciano or joke version of 2009?

Normal Passo Lanciano. Giro 2006 side.
And the MTF too is quite good.

 

[Echoes]

Paris-Nice easily.

At least ASO finally realized that in order to be a good prep for Milan-Sanremo, Paris-Nice should not be a little Bore de France but a hilly race with long stages rather than small mountainous stages.

Paris-Nice has the better history, no doubt. The most prestigious race after the Classics, GT and Worlds.

What's more Paris-Nice does not have a TTT, this year and never had some crap hills like Montelupone, which do not belong to cycle racing.

And by 2003/4, all Tirreno stages finished with a bunch sprint, uphill or flat whatever.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

How is Montelupone that different from Montée Laurent Jalabert? Sure, the latter is a bit longer, but how is Montelupone a BAD hill?

 

[cineteq]

I was going to say Tirreno Adriatico anyway, but that trophy clinches it.

Cadel thinks so too

 

[Echoes]

How is Montelupone that different from Montée Laurent Jalabert? Sure, the latter is a bit longer, but how is Montelupone a BAD hill?

The Côte de la Croix-Neuve (let's call it by its real name) is a bit longer and the maximum gradient is 12%.

I'm all for hard climbs but at a certain gradient, when the riders almost have to dismount, a hill becomes more of a circus game than true cycling.

Climbs like Angliru, Koppenberg, Montelupone, Zoncolan, etc. do not add much to the races, I think.

 

[Red Rick]

The Côte de la Croix-Neuve (let's call it by its real name) is a bit longer and the maximum gradient is 12%.

I'm all for hard climbs but at a certain gradient, when the riders almost have to dismount, a hill becomes more of a circus game than true cycling.

Climbs like Angliru, Koppenberg, Montelupone, Zoncolan, etc. do not add much to the races, I think.

I don't think so, it still about the rider's quality if he makes it without dismounting or not, and the guys that have to dismount are nowhere anyway because they would've been dropped brutally if it was a bit less steep.

However, I do not think that we should be trying to reach 30% grades or race on stuff like scannupia.

 

[Red Rick]

Form an opinion form one edition?
P-N certainly didn't suck today.
Pretty impressive for a flat stage.

I can't say anything from the PN or TA prior to 2009 cause I didn't follow them at that moment. THIS YEAR, im pretty sure TA will be better, because PN is nothing more than a prologue, two hill sprints, a wall and col d'eze tt. There's no serious climbing. I do not say it's going to be an uninteresting race. Last year was much worse

 

[greenedge]

Cadel thinks so too

Cadel summons forth the wrath of the CAS to hand Contador a doping ban. This power can only be used once.

I will vote after T-A but so far P-N looks great.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Well, they really tore it up at Tirreno in today's 230km epic.

 

[Fetisoff]

OK, voting Tirreno. "Queen" stage of P-N was disappointing

 

[roundabout]

At the same time it wasn't a vintage a Paris-Nice stage today.

 

[roundabout]

OK, voting Tirreno. "Queen" stage of P-N was disappointing

Both races aren't over. Why vote now, even of Paris-Nice seems to be underwhelming yet again?

 

[Fetisoff]

Both races aren't over. Why vote now, even of Paris-Nice seems to be underwhelming yet again?

I dunno really... lol... Just kinda felt like it. Probably due to being disappointed by the P-N stage. I doubt there's gonna be too much action in the road stages coming, TT is... well a TT.

 

[roundabout]

Sanchez will go on the attack on Saturday's stage and gain 5 minutes.