Paris-Nice Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
| Paris-Nice | |
|---|---|
| Local name: | Paris-Nice |
| Region: | Central and Southern France |
| Date: | March |
| Type: | Stage Race |
| History | |
| First Edition: | 1933 |
| Number of Editions: | 62 |
| First Winner: | Alfons Schepers, (Belgium) |
| Most Wins: | Sean Kelly (Ireland) 7 times |
Paris-Nice, nicknamed "the race to the sun", is an annual cycling stage race held in April. The first Paris-Nice was held in 1933. The first winner was Alfons Schepers from Belgium. The most succesful cyclist in Paris-Nice was Sean Kelly from Ireland. He won seven consecutive times (1982-1988).
Although the name is Paris-Nice, the race doesn't always start in Paris any more. It often starts in towns near or south of Paris. The last stage finishes every year on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The last or penultimate stage often passes the Col d'Eze, a mountain pass close to Nice.
The most recent edition (in 2004) was won by Jörg Jaksche from Germany. In 2002 and 2003 Paris-Nice was won by Alexandre Vinokourov, from Kazakhstan. During the 2002 Paris-Nice Vinokourovs' friend and fellow countryman Andrei Kivilev died.
Paris-Nice is organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). ASO also organizes other cycling races like the famous Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix and other sport events like Paris-Dakar and the Paris Marathon