French team Ag2r-La Mondiale will enter the race boasting the double-pronged attack of Carlos Betancur and Romain Bardet, with the two young riders set to share leadership of the team. Bardet, the best-placed French rider at last year’s Tour, said in an interview with organisers ASO the Paris-Nice course is perfectly suited to his, and the team’s, abilities. After a strong start to his season at the Tour of Oman, the 23-year-old could therefore be a surprise contender for overall honours.

Winner of the best young rider’s jersey in the Tour of Oman, Bardet – who intentionally delayed his start to the season – followed a fine performance in the desert with victory in the 1.1-rated Valence Drome Classic. With each day’s course designed with the Classics in mind, it is an encouraging sign for last year’s Tour de l’Ain winner, who was a regular contender in the youth classifications throughout last season. He is an outsider for the overall prize, and may even find himself in more of a super-domestique role to Betancur depending on the early stages, but Bardet is fast becoming a rider to watch on the big stage.