Zabel looking for repeat

The 36-year-old German won two stags in the Vuelta a Espana and then almost caused a sensation at the world road race championships in Salzburg two weeks ago, where only a late surge from Paolo Bettini prevented him from taking the rainbow jersey.

That performance triggered the competitive streak in the veteran sprinter, and he shelved his retirement plans, instead insisting he would race on for another two seasons.

While Bettini misses out after the death of his brother in a car accident last week, his team-mate at Quickstep, Boonen is likely to be Zabel's biggest rival in the race.

Much like Zabel, Boonen will look back on 2006 with a certain degree of disappointment after losing his rainbow jersey and consistently coming off second best in the sprints to Robbie McEwen at the Tour de France.

His dominance in the opening few stages of the Tour of the Benelux proved he has not lost any of his finishing speed, and the ability of Steven de Jongh and Wouter Weylandt to launch him in sprints could prove the key at the business end of Sunday's race.

Lampre's Daniele Bennati and Credit Agricole's Thor Hushovd both have the finishing speed to beat anybody on their day, though Hushovd may act as a lead out man for Jaan Kirsipuu, for whom this is the last race of his career.

The big Estonian has over 120 victories to his name, though Paris - Tours is one of the few to elude him. While all eyes may be on Zabel and Boonen, there would be no more popular victory in one of France's classics, than if Kirsipuu, who has only ever ridden for French teams throughout his 14-year career, were to bring the curtain down on an illustrious career with a victory.