The first challenge of the season between Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic will be at Paris-Nice, a stage race that starts on March 3 and will end on March 10 after eight stages.

This year the Corsa del Sole, already crucial for Fantacycling as it is held at the same time as the Tirreno-Adriatico, offers a team time trial on the third day of the race, 26.9 km long, and the grand finale with the stages on Saturday (uphill finish to Auron after 7.3 km) and on Sunday (a busy section with departure and arrival in Nice after 109 km) which are particularly interesting.

The weather factor is decisive, particularly in the first stages, due to possible days with rain, cold and wind.

We have already written about the duel that is expected between the two great favorites of the race: there is a lot of curiosity, in particular, about Roglic's seasonal debut in the Bora jersey. They won't be the only riders fighting for the general classification. Right at Soudal Quick Step we mention Ilan Val Wilder while among the teammates of the last winner of the Giro d'Italia stands out Aleksandr Vlasov .

In the other teams, pay attention to Matteo Jorgenson and Wilco Kelderman of Visma, Mattias Skjelmose of Lidl Trek, Carlos Rodriguez of Ineos, Joao Almeida of Uae (with the unknowns McNulty and Vine), Ion Izagirre of Cofidis, Felix Gall of Decathlon Ag2R, Pello Bilbao and Santiago Buitrago of Bahrain and David Gaudu of Groupama.

For stage successes, pay attention to Mads Pedersen (Lidl Trek), together with some sprinters such as Olav Kooij (VIsma), Arnaud De Lie (Lotto), Fabio Jakobsen (Dsm), Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor), Kaden Groves (Alpecin) and Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla). For them, however, there will be few opportunities, perhaps a couple, to play for the victory of the day.

The scheduled stages:

Stage 1 (03/03): Les Mureaux – Les Mureaux (157.7 km)

Stage 2 (04/03): Thoiry – Montargis (177.6 km)

Stage 3 (05/03): Auxerre – Auxerre (26.9 km – team time trial)

Stage 4 (06/03): Chalon-sur-Saône – Mont Brouilly (183 km)

Stage 5 (07/03): Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut – Sisteron (193.5 km)

Stage 6 (08/03): Sisteron – La-Colle-sur-Loup (198.2 km)

Stage 7 (09/03): Nice – Auron (173 km) Stage 8 (10/03): Nice – Nice (109.3 km)

Photo Sprint Cycling