Special rules

ARTICLE 1. Organization
The 65^th PARIS-NICE, organised by Amaury Sport Organisation, with the authorisation of the Fédération Française de Cyclisme, takes place from Sunday 11 to Sunday 18 March with 1 Prologue and 7 stages.

ARTICLE 2. Participation
The race is open to sports groups limited to a maximum of 8 riders and a minimum of 5 riders per team.

ARTICLE 3. Registration
Registration takes place at the race office on Saturday 10 March from 2.30pm to 6.00pm.
Race number bibs can be picked up by the licensed teams' managers from 2.30pm to 4.45pm.
The Sports Managers' meeting will take place at 5.00pm, in the presence of the Stewards Committee, at the organisation's race office.

ARTICLE 4. Radio-Tour
Race information will be transmitted on the “Radio-Tour” frequency, 169.425 MHZ.

ARTICLE 5. Impartial Technical Assistance
Neutral technical assistance will be ensured by MAVIC. The service is provided using 3 technical cars and one motorbike for stages with accidents.

ARTICLE 6. Individual General Classification on Time
The overall individual time classification is established by adding together the times achieved in each of the stages and the prologue, including bonuses and time penalties.
The leader of the overall individual time classification wears the Yellow jersey.
The overall individual classification prizes are:

The prizes in the all-around individual ranking are:

Places	Prologue	1st stage	2nd stage	3rd stage	4th stage	5th stage	6th stage	7th stage	Overall classification
1	4,000	4,000	4,000	4,000	4,000	4,000	4,000	4,000	16,000
2	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,000	8,000
3	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	4,000
4	500	500	500	500	500	500	500	500	2,000
5	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	1,600
6	300	300	300	300	300	300	300	300	1,200
7	300	300	300	300	300	300	300	300	1,200
8	200	200	200	200	200	200	200	200	800
9	200	200	200	200	200	200	200	200	800
10	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
11	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
12	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
13	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
14	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
15	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
16	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
17	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
18	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
19	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
20	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	400
Total	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	40,000
Total prizes in the individual general classification: € 120,000

ARTICLE 7. Best Climber Classification
A best climber classification is competed over all the passes and hills of the 7 stages.
The following points are awarded in each of the passes:

• Category 3 climbs: 4 - 2 and 1 point to the top 3 climbers
• Category 2 climbs: 7 - 5 - 3 - 2 and 1 point to the top 5 climbers
• Category 1 climbs: 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 3 - 2 and 1 point to the top 7 riders

A overall classification is established by adding together the points obtained on all passes and hills.
The leader of the classification wears a polka dot jersey.
In the event of a tie in the overall individual mountain classification, the following criteria are applied, until the overall winner is decided upon:

1°) number of first places in the category 1 passes and hills
2°) number of first places in the category 2 passes
3°) number of first places in the category 3 passes
4°) overall final time classification

The prizes awarded to the best climber classification are:

- in each of the 30 passes and hills
1^st: €100
2^nd: €75
3^rd: €25
€ 200 X 30 = € 6,000

- in the overall final classification:
1^st: € 2,000
2^nd: € 1,000
3^rd: € 800
4^th: € 400
or € 4,200

Total best climber prizes: € 10,200

ARTICLE 8. Classification by Points
A points classification is established by adding together the points obtained in each of the 7 stages and the prologue, as well as in the intermediate sprints.
At the finish line, the following is awarded: 25 - 22 - 20 - 18 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 and 1 point to the first 20 riders to cross the finish line.

At each intermediate sprint: 3 - 2 and 1 point.
The leader of the individual points classification wears a Green jersey.
In the event of a tie in the overall final points classification, the following criteria are applied, until the overall winner is decided upon:

1°) number of stage wins
2°) number of wins in the intermediate sprints counting for the points classification
3°) overall final time classification

The prizes awarded in the classification are:

- in each of the Intermediate Sprints:
1^st: € 100
2^nd: € 75
3^rd: € 25
€ 200 X 14 = € 2,800

- in the overall final classification:
1^st: € 2,000
2^nd: € 1,000
3^rd: € 800
4^th: € 400
or € 4,200

Total overall points classification prizes: € 7,000

ARTICLE 9. Young Rider Classification
The Young Rider classification is reserved for riders born on or after 1 January 1982.
The leader of the young rider classification wears a White jersey.

The prizes awarded to the young rider classification are:
Prologue and 7 stages:
- 1^st € 150 X 8 = € 1,200
- in the overall final classification: 1^st € 800

Total overall young rider classification prizes € 2,000

ARTICLE 10. General Team Classification
The day’s team classification is established by adding together the best three individual times of each team. In the event of a tie, the teams are separated by adding up the number of stage wins won by their top three riders. If a tie should still result from this, then the overall winning team is decided upon by the place of their best rider in the stage’s classification.

The overall team classification is established by adding up each team's best three individual times in each of the stages raced. In the event of a tie, the following criteria are applied, until the overall winner is decided upon:

1°) number of first places in the daily team classifications
2°) number of second places in the daily team classifications, etc.

If a tie should still result from this, the overall winning team is decided upon by the place of their best rider in the Overall Individual Classification.
Any team reduced to less than three riders is eliminated from the Overall Team Classification.

ARTICLE 11. Prizes
The total amount of prizes for the 65^th PARIS-NICE is:

• Overall Individual Time Classification: € 120,000
• Best Climber Classification: € 10,200
• Individual Points Classification: € 7,000
• Young Rider Classification: € 2,000

TOTAL PRIZE AMOUNT: € 139,200

ARTICLE 12. Bonuses
Time bonuses only added in the overall individual classification are awarded in the 7 in-line stages.

The assignment of bonuses is as follows:
1°) in each of the Intermediate Sprints: 3'' - 2'' and 1'' to the top 3 riders
2°) at the finish line of the stages: 10'' - 6'' and 4'' to the top 3 riders

ARTICLE 13. Finishing Deadlines
The finishing deadlines are as follows:
1^st - 2^nd - 4^th: flat stages = 8%
3^rd - 5^th - 6^th - 7^th: average mountain stages = 12%

Any exception situation may be decided by the Stewards Committee after consulting with the Race Management.
The finish line of the 4^th stage in MENDE is a pass finish line. The rule of the last 3 kilometres is not applied.

ARTICLE 14.
For the Prologue, competed against the clock individually, riders start at 1 minute intervals in the starting order drawn up by the Race Management in accordance with the team managers and the stewards committee.

ARTICLE 15. Anti-Doping Inspection
Drug testing is carried out by the appointed officials, at the finish line of each stage, in the organisation's Motor-Home.

ARTICLE 16. Protocol
At the end of each stage, the following should present themselves to the protocol:
At the finish:

• the stage winner
• the leader of the individual general classification
• the leader of the classification by points
• the leader of the best climber classification
• the leader of the young rider classification

ARTICLE 17. Penalties
The table of penalties stipulated by article 12.2.001 of the F.F.C. rules will be applied for Paris-Nice 2007.

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