Sean Kelly in the Paris-Nice, a tour he dominated in the 1980's
The call is the "Race to the Sun" though it's officially known as the Paris-Nice. I prefer to refer to it as the "Sean Kelly Classic" given the Irishman dominated it for seven consecutive years from 1982 to 1988. It begins this weekend, it lasts eight days and it holds a little more interest for me given I was in Nice last summer for my Honeymoon and it'll be interesting to see the race finish there as I try point out as many familiar sights as possible. Sad, but we all do it when the TV cameras show a foreign place we've been to before.
At first glance you might think that winning this race bodes well for your chances at the Tour de France given that three of the last six winners have gone on to cross the line in Paris in July with the Yellow jersey upon their shoulders. Floyd Landis in 2006 and Alberto Contador in 2007 and 2009. Of course, it doesn't take much further study to quickly realise that Landis was later stripped of his title and Contador of his 2009 crown following positive doping tests which means this years winner ought to watch his step. Also the 2008 winner of the "Race to the Sun", Davide Rebellin, has since failed a doping test himself.
Anyway, we're in a new era now right? Tony Martin won it last year and look how badly he did in the 2011 Tour de France. He's back to defend his crown for 2012, though if you're looking a good man to throw your hard earned cash at look at none other than a man who has already come out his doping suspension over with, Alejandro Valverde. The Spaniard has been in fine form earlier this season what with his teary eye'd stage win at the Tour Down Under, and second place overall, and well as a stage win and overall win at the Vuelta a Andalucia.If not him then Luis-Leon Sanchez, the 2010 winner of Paris-Nice, or someone like Levi Leipheimer. I could rattle off half a dozen more names but that still won't necessairly make me any closer to being right. This race is wide open, it's the first week long stage race of note of the season and for the traditionalists, this one tends to mark the true start to the European road racing year.
