When we talk about Paris-Nice we say: “The Sun rises again this year!”.

Paris-Nice is a cycling road race that is ‘on air’ every start of March.

This road race opens the season of spring classics and predicts, somehow, the development of the new season.
The race history begins in 1933 when the owner of two local newspapers: “Le petit journal” and “Le Petit Niçois” with the editorial office in Paris, respectively in Nice tried to realise the cultural link between tow regions: center and south.
Thus, he created the six days race, in that time, the caravan was crossing the places situated on Rohn Valley and bypassing the Alps heights.
At the end of race the cyclists arrived in Nice, the place full of sun and spring heat, therefore it is called THE RACE TO THE SUN.
Since that time the race will take place uninterrupted, only by the World War II, between 1940-1946.

In 1959 a special race route: Paris – Nice –Rome, will make the people living in the three regions shaking hands  and supporting their cyclists – it was a huge step that introduced a new concept: fraternity.
The race doesn’t  starts every time from Paris, the organisers persue to surpise with an original location, thus, in 2008 the race began from Amily – a commune in the Loiret departement – suburb of Paris.
Paris-Nice is organised by ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation). The organisation is well-knowed in sport’s world, it’s the ‘brain’ of other cycling races like the most famous majour tour: Tour de France.

Controversy: the contest between ASO and UCI (International Cycling Union) on the sun race: UCI followed to prevent teams join to the race, threatening with exclusion from pro circuit. But  a race like this, with a huge history (75 years), with cultural links between North and South, between french people  and italian, with thousands cyclists who followed the well-know route – can’t be beaten.

Important notes: most winnings by a single cyclist:
7  -  Seán Kelly [Ireland], 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
5 -  Jacques Anquetil [France], 1957, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966.
The longest edition: 1955 KM  in 1959.