Oman and Paris-Nice are like night and day, says Bardet
Romain Bardet will line up at this year’s Paris-Nice as the man most likely to end the 19-year drought without a French winner, though the Ag2r-La Mondiale rider has warned that the Race to the Sun is a very different event to the Tour of Oman, where he placed an impressive second last month.
To that end, Bardet lined out at the Classic Sud Ardèche and the Drôme Classic last weekend, and was in contention for the win in each of the hilly races, placing 5th and 8th, respectively.
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“Oman and Paris–Nice are like night and day, so it was very important for me to readjust to the usual pace in French races,” Bardet said. “Racing in Drôme and Ardèche has that element of stress and a flurry of activity in the peloton. In this respect, Paris–Nice is a mini-Tour de France —you can't say the same for Oman.”
Bardet declared himself pleased with his showing in Oman, where he was the last man to stay with Vincenzo Nibali on Green Mountain – “This wasn't the first time I went head-to-head with the best, but it provided some validation” – and said that at 25 years of age, he is eager to push himself. “I'm no longer eligible for the white jersey competition, you know. You can't keep playing the youth card forever!”
Bardet will face stiff competition from a strong field at Paris-Nice, with Alberto Contador, Richie Porte, Tom Dumoulin, Geraint Thomas and Andrew Talansky among the contenders on a course that includes the summit finish at La Madone d'Utelle on the penultimate day.
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