CSC look for three
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ByEurosport
Published 05/03/2006 at 14:01 GMT
Team CSC will look for their third consecutive Paris-Nice victory when the 'Race to the Sun' kicks of the UCI pro tour season on Sunday. From March 5-12, the first tour of the pro season will give a chance for Bjarn Riis and all the sports directors to va
CYCLING Paris Nice Julich
Image credit: Imago
American Bobby Julich won the race for the Danish team the last time out, and he will be accompanied by Jens Voigt, who finished fourth at Paris-Nice in 2005.
CSC had a great start to the year as Julich finished third behind teammate David Zabriskie, and race winner Floyd Landis (Phonak) at last week's inaugural Tour of California.
American Christian Vandevelde finished ninth to give CSC three riders in the top-ten and make them the most successful team under the hot California sun.
With Voigt joining them on the week-long trip to the French Riviera, look for another strong performance for CSC.
WHERE THEY STAND
T-Mobile sport and technical director Mario Kummer thinks Paris-Nice gives the German squad a chance to improve on their California performance where Olaf Pollack claimed a final stage win.
He also complimented his opponents on a good showing in the States.
"At the Tour of California it was obvious that the competition has very strong early season form," Kummer said. "CSC, Discovery Channel and Phonak were particularly impressive, but I also expect Gerolsteiner to get some good results in France.
"We have also set ourselves some high targets for Paris-Nice. For us the race is an indicator of where we stand.
"In Patrik Sinkewitz, Kim Kirchen and Linus Gerdemann we have three riders capable of aiming for the GC. I am anxious to see how we get on."
All three riders are off-season acquisitions making their first pro tour run with the magenta.
Kirchen finished second at Fleche-Wallonne last year for the now defunct Fassa Bortolo.
He started the year strong with a second-place finish at the GP di Lugano over the weekend and turns 28 on the day of the 200km second stage from Cerilly to Belleville.
Follow full coverage of Paris-Nice LIVE all week starting with the prologue on Sunday on Eurosport and www.eurosport.com.
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