Racing in the rainbow jersey of world champion, Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) has the perfect opportunity to make his mark for his new team. Given the nature of his two stage victories at the Tour de France last year –and indeed in the world road race championships – the course appears perfectly suited to the Portuguese rider’s ability. More than capable on undulating courses, his solo attacks on stages 16 and 19 of the Tour showed he knows how to time his moves to maximum effect on the sort of courses awaiting in Paris-Nice.
His biggest target for the season will be the Tour, where he will look to justify Lampre-Merida’s faith in him as team leader, but the Portuguese rider has been upping his preparations and a hugely impressive Volta ao Algarve show him to be rapidly approaching top form. Three second-place finishes and third overall, in the Algarve are a solid base and Paris-Nice victory would put him in a great position ahead of the Ardennes Classics and the Tour de France. However, as Philippe Gilbert discovered last year, the rainbow jersey makes you a marked man. Costa was able to escape to his victories at the Tour as he was not a GC threat. His rivals will be keeping a much closer eye on him this time out.
