Cycling: riders to watch, stages not to be missed, broadcast times… The five things to know s – franceinfo

Second race on the 2022 UCI World Tour calendar after the UAE Tour, and first on French soil, Paris-Nice, starts on Sunday March 6 from Mantes-la-Ville. Maximilian Schachmann, surprise double title holder, will have a lot to do with a very tough field for the 80th anniversary of the Race to the Sun, which will return to the Promenade des Anglais.

The year of Primoz Roglic?

Last year, we already saw him raise his arms in Levens, during the final stage and win his first Paris-Nice with style, he who had won three stages in the 2021 edition. But the fate of the last stage wanted it otherwise. With only three second category passes, the yellow jersey seemed destined to remain on the shoulders of Roglicbut this day of less than 100 kilometers proved to be an ordeal for the Slovenian, who fell twice and had to change bikes after a mechanical problem.

After the Tour de France which had escaped him during a time trial on the penultimate stage in 2020, the curse of the Slovenian in France continues and there is no doubt that he would like to end it on this Paris-Nice . Surrounded in particular by Rohan Dennis, Steven Kruijswijk, Mike Teunissen and Wout Van Aert, Primoz Roglic is once again the favorite of this competition.

Schachmann, Quintana, Martin and Gaudu among the favorites

But the competition will be tough. The outgoing double winner Maximilian Schachmann would see himself making the pass of three, now accompanied by Aleksandr Vlasov, his runner-up last year in the general classification. Nairo Quintana has already won two stage races in the Alps this season with the Tour de la Provence and the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var. The Colombian, second in 2019, has never won Paris-Nice.

Guillaume Martin, accompanied by Ion Izagirre, third last year, will be one of the best French chances to do well in the general standings. David Gaudu will also be able to count on a solid Groupama-FDJ team including Stefan Küng and Valentin Madouas. The Ineos-Grenadiers will bet them on the young Ethan Hayter and Adam Yates.

High sprints

The sprinters’ field is very dense for the three plain stages which are promised to them. Jasper Philipsen, winner of two stages on the UAE Tour in February, is the sprinter in form at the start of the season thanks to a very efficient train from his Alpecin-Fenix ​​team. He will face him Sam Bennett who has already won five stages in Paris-Nice including two last year.

Dylan Groenewegen, past BikeExchange and three-time winner of the Race to the Sun, is also one of those sprinters who have already raised their arms in this competition. Just like the Dutchman Cees Bol, winner at Amilly last year. Mads Pedersen, twice on the podium in 2021 could, for his part, come and write his name on the long list of winners of a stage in this prestigious race.

A demanding course

“A menu as varied as it is balanced”. This is how the organization describes on its website the layout of this 80th edition. Three flat stages to start from Yvelines, which should lead to massive sprints. Borders could also spice up these steps. A time trial of a little more than thirteen kilometers should make it possible to create the first real gaps. Filippo Ganna, Stefan Küng and Stefan Bissegger, specialists in this format should be wary of Primoz Roglic who could take advantage of the very steep final.

Then will come the mountain stages which will decide the winner of this Paris-Nice 2022. Thursday’s stage between Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert and Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut is the most complicated on paper with 3350m of vertical drop and three first category passes. But the arrival at the Col de Turini (14.9 kilometers at 7.3%), Saturday, will not be a gift after seven days of racing. Before ending with a loop around Nice which will take a new side of the Col d’Eze, and will end with the traditional finish on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.

An event broadcast on France Télévisions

Every day, you can find the runners on France 3 with Alexandre Pasteur, Marion Rousse, Laurent Jalabert and Thomas Voeckler on commentary. Airtime at 3:15 p.m. for the first and last stage, at 2:40 p.m. during the week and at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday March 12, for the penultimate stage. An event to also follow live or in replay on the platform france.tv.