Greig Leach

Richie Porte (BMC) isn't having the Paris Nice that he wanted. As is the tradition in any stage race, he is wearing number 1 as the defending champ from last year's edition of the race, but he is far from number one this year. Porte lost big chunks of time in the first two stages of the race and has seemed to have just packed it in since then. Even today, on an uphill individual time trial, he seemed not to have the heart to take on the stage (or the wet course). But I guess the thinking is, " Why risk injury in a losing cause... after all it is a long season."