After a 2016 season in part interrupted by a serious hand injury, John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) makes his return to Paris-Nice, for his fourth participation. With a stage victory already this season on the Dubai Tour, the German sprinter will have to fight off compatriots Marcel Kittel and André Greipel, and with the majority of his future rivals on Milan-San Remo. The goal for “Dege” will be to add another win to his Paris-Nice résumé, following his triumph in 2014 at the Magny-Cours circuit.
John Degenkolb, what role does Paris-Nice play in your season, as an objective and interim target ahead of the classics?
“For me, Paris-Nice is a very important race in preparing for the “monuments” to come, like Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and of course Paris-Roubaix. Paris-Nice is the last opportunity to test my form with eight stages, including four sprint finishes and a super strong peloton. The training phase is definitively over. What matters now is the rigor in terms of speed and pace of the races, the final consultations with the team and the right settings for my bike… and I hope we will have favorable weather conditions.”
Including yourself, the last three winners of Milan – San Remo will participate. What risks are you willing to take in the sprints?
“I am happy there will be such a large number of sprinters. It is the time to put the cards on the table. A sprint finish is always a little perilous. Of course I will not risk it all in the last kilometres and neither will the other guys. They also will want to cross the line as the winner, but really want to avoid an accident. To reach this goal, you have to go “all in”. You are not going to satisfy your ambition by not riding hard.”
Paris – Nice will be a “who’s who” of German cycling. The sprinters have already picked up significant results since the start of the season. Is this linked to a “Düsseldorf effect”?
(laughing) “Yeah, the season has gotten off to a good start. If you ask me, it can continue. The start of the Tour de France in Germany this year will, I hope, focus on the constant success of previous seasons for my German fellows and I, but everything in due course. What counts for the time being is the Spring Classics. After that I will slowly but surely focus on the Tour de France.”
PARIS-NICE CHALLENGE
After welcoming more than 850 cyclists for its first edition in 2016, Paris-Nice Challenge will be back on Saturday 11 March 2017 on the eve of the arrival of the professional race. The day before the final stage, amateur cyclists are invited to take part in the second edition of this cyclosportive event, along the same roads of the Nice hinterland that the professionals will take the following day.
