A cycling race from frost to palm trees, this is the untold story of the celebrated Paris–Nice where the world’s greatest riders are made

The annual Paris–Nice race – aka the Race to the Sun – takes frostbitten riders from the chill of the Paris suburbs to the palm tree-fringed balm of the Côte d’Azur in a matter of days, via time trials, mountain stages and the Massif Central.

Bestselling cycling journalist Nige Tassell investigates the particular significance of 14 iconic races in colourful detail with in-depth portraits of each race’s winner. From Eddy Merckx’s maiden win in 1969 and Laurent Jalabert’s hat-trick-sealing triumph in 1997 to Tadej Pogacar’s final-day win in 2023, this book is the ultimate celebration of the race’s near-100-year existence.

The book also weaves despatches from the road of the 2026 edition of the race, where Tassell follows Matteo Jorgenson as he attempts to become the first rider to win Paris–Nice three times this century.