The rivalry Pogacar-Vingegaard illuminates Paris-Nice

the slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE) and Danish Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma), the last two winners of the Tour de France and with 5 and 4 victories recognized this season, will star in a stellar duel in the 90th edition of Paris-Beautifulthe “Carrera del Sol” taking place with 8 stages on the route from this Sunday until next, on March 12.

In eight stages, a team time trial and five top-class climbs Along the way, Paris Nice will serve to Pogacar and Vingegaard face their forces for the first time since last July at the Tour de France.

Both riders came in a sweet moment of form and victories. The Slovenian won the Vuelta a Andalucía, with 3 stages, and the Clásica de Jaén, while the Nordic offered a great display at O ​​Camiño, winning the general classification and another 3 stages. Pogacar’s decision to sign up for Paris Nice re-valued the test to a large extent.

In the fight for the title and for the podium, the Colombian is also asking for a step up Daniel Felipe Martinez (Ineos), winner of the Tour of the Algarve and third in Nice in 2022, as well as the British Simon Yates (Jayco), twice overall, 2018 and 2022.

With the participation of the Spaniards there will be some runners who have already won this test, such as Iván García Cortina, Ion Izagirre, David de la Cruz and the veteran Luis Leon Sanchezwinner of the general classification in 2009 and in four stages, the last one, in 2012.

Movistar He joins American Matteo Jorgenson after making his record debut at the Tour of Oman, in a lineup completed by Iván García Cortina, Gorka Izagirre, Imanol Erviti, Max Kanter, Mathias Norsgaard and Gregor Mühlberger.

The Carrera del Sol route consists of 8 stages with a total of 1,200 kilometers. On Sunday, the first online stage in La Verrière, which will continue 2 favorable days for the sprinters. This will be followed by a 32.2-kilometer team time trial that will start and finish in Dampierre-en-Burly.

The test will begin to overcome difficulties. The fourth stage aims at the top of the The Lodge of Gardes, after climbing 6.6 kilometers at 7 percent average gradient, the first of five top passes to be climbed this year.

The last two stages of this edition bring together 4 ports, with a special mention of the arrival at the Col de la Couillole on the penultimate day of the race, at 1,678 meters, the highest point of the route.

The eighth and final stage between the sea and the mountains, which starts and ends on the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice, promises great sensations on the 119 km of the route. It will have 5 ports, three in the second category and two in the first, Cota de Peille and Alto d’Èze.

.- The stages:

Day Stage Route Kms

5 1st La Verrière – La Verrière 169.4

6 2nd Bazainville – Fontainebleau 163.7

7 3rd Dampierre-en-Burly – Dampierre-en-Burly (CRI) 32.2

8 4th St-Amand-Montrond – La Loge des Gardes 164.7

9 5th St.Symphorien-sur-Coise-St.Paul Trois-Châteaux 212.4 km

10 6th Tourves – La-Colle-sur-Loup 197.4

11 7th Nice – Col de la Couillole 142.9 km

12 8th Nice – Nice 118.4

.- Final winners:

. 2022. Primoz Roglic (ESL)

. 2021. Maximilian Schachmann (GER)

. 2020. Maximlian Schachmann (GER)

. 2019. Egan Bernal (COL)

. 2018. Marc Soler (ESP)