PARIS - NICE

Paris-Nice is the first big stage race of the year and always serves to give an indication of the fitness of returning riders as well as introduce us to up and coming new talents that may be making their first appearance in a professional stage race.
The race will start in Amilly

Sunday, March 8 Stage one: Amilly-Amilly, 9.3km Starting in Amilly, just south of Paris. The flat opening time trial is longer than eight kilometres and so, according to UCI rules, must be called stage one instead of a prologue. Although mostly flat, the second half of the course is technical, so it's not necessarily one for the diesels.

Monday, March 9 Stage two: Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire – La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin, 195.5km A couple of third-category climbs midway through are unlikely to upset the sprinters. The stage finishes with a 39-kilometre loop before the anticipated bunch gallop.

Tuesday, March 10 Stage three: Orval – Vichy, 175km Another day for the sprinters, with three third-category climbs en route.

Wednesday, March 11 Stage four: Vichy – Saint-Etienne, 171.5km This is the first day that will split up the race. With four third-category climbs in the final 60 kilometres, it'll favour a break. On the run-in, the race will also pass the exact spot where the Kazakh rider Andrei Kivilev crashed and lost his life in 2003.

Thursday, March 12 Stage five: Annonay – Vallon-Pont d'Arc, 204km An extremely tough stage with the Col de Juvenet (cat 2, 672m), Col de Montreynaurd (cat 2, 760m), Vernoux-en-Vivarais (cat 3, 581m), Col de Comberon (cat 3, 685m), Côte de Chambon de Bavas (cat 2, 442m) and Col de Moulin " Vent (cat 3, 600m) all in the first half of the stage. The high point is the first-category Col de Benas (795m), before a rolling finish. But by then, considerable damage may have been done. It may not be a day to decide the race, but it's vital to be attentive.

Friday, March 13 Stage six: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – La Montagne de Lure, 182.5km Starting in a town renowned for its truffles, the race heads into the Vaucluse, and the second half of the day will keep Mont Ventoux on the horizon. The race won't go there, but will finish on top of Ventoux's 'little sister', La Montagne de Lure, a first-category climb of 13.8 kilometres.

Saturday, March 14 Stage seven: Manosque – Fayence, 191km Another very hilly day with four second-category climbs and five third-category ones before the final third-category rise to the finish.

Sunday, March 15 Stage eight: Nice – Nice, 119km The now traditional loop to take in the Col de la Porte, La Turbie and Col d'Eze, all first-category climbs, before the flying descent to Nice and the Promenade des Anglais