The International Cycling
Union’s so called “World Calendar” resumes this weekend with the 68th
edition of Paris-Nice. Paris-Nice will be not only an important test for
teams and riders, but also an audition in front of the organizer, Amaury
Sport Organization (ASO) which also puts on the sport’s biggest event
of the year, the Tour de France.
There are 16 teams guaranteed a place in the Tour de France, but
the unique arrangement for Historic races leaves ProTour teams
Garmin-Transitions, Katusha, Sky and RadioShack battling it out with the
wild card Professional Continental teams for the 4-6 open spots. With
Tour director Christian Prudhomme tipping Team Radioshack as a nearly
assured invite, Garmin, Sky, Cerv?lo, Skil-Shimano, Saur-Sojasun,
Vacansoleil, all of whom will compete in Paris-Nice, and the team of
World Champion Cadel Evans, BMC, who chose to race in Tirreno-Adriatico
instead, are some of the prime contenders for the remaining positions.
