Paris – Nice 2024 – Stage 3 Preview
The team time trial.
Route
A shorter time trial than in 2023 but with roughly 150 climbing meters more. The first climb is 2200m at 4.5%, the second climb 2600m at 4.4%. You benefit a lot by drafting.
Weather
Another TT. The weather means a whole lot. First team down the ramp 14:40, last time finishes at 16:30 or something like that. What that means is an average speed of 53 km/h, the TTT is going to take roughly 30 minutes, meaning the race is from 14:40 – 16:00.
Windy: Rain, 4 m/s wind from SW. Roads are more dry early on.
Yr.No: Rain (small chance of dry roads at 15:00 – 16:00), 4 m/s wind from SW.
Meteoblue: 40% chance of rain, 4 m/s wind from SW.
No clue what to summarize. Everyone will have a headwind out and a tailwind home and the roads are likely going to be wet.
Contenders
I will say honestly that this isn’t my forte. I will base this mainly on the old-school system, where you needed four riders across the line.
Bora – Hansgrohe – I assume they will go well tomorrow. Roglic, Jungels, Sobrero and Vlasov are all good time trialists. Denz, Van Poppel and Haller can be used in the opening headwind section and just plant them after the intermediate time check.
Soudal – Quick Step – the favorites I think. Evenepoel, Cattaneo, Lampaert and Van Wilder are good. Plus, Evenepoel counts for two.
UAE Team Emirates – On paper a really good team. Almeida, Fisher-Black, McNulty and Vine. It could be one of the favorites. You add Politt to take a bit of the headwind in the first half, then the team looks rock solid.
Visma-LAB – don’t underestimate them. Jorgensen, Affini, Kelderman and Bouwman. Not a bad quartet but not good enough to win.
INEOS Grenadiers – Bernal, Castroviejo, Tarling and De Plus? The first three can do their part. Tarling counts for two as well. I would be surprised not to see them on the podium.
Jayco – AlUla – Matthews, Durbridge, Harper and Plapp. They have a good team and it is a team with a good history in the discipline.
EF Education – same for EF. On paper it doesn’t look like much but synergy goes a long way tomorrow.
Who will win?
I will take a win Soudal – Quick Step. I think INEOS Grenadiers and Team UAE finish on the podium with them.
