NICE, France: Colombia’s Sergio Henao lifted his troubled Sky team’s spirits with a dramatic two-second success over Alberto Contador in the Paris-Nice on Sunday.
Henao set up the win when grabbing a half-minute lead in the ‘Race to the Sun’ with fourth in Saturday’s penultimate stage.
But the 29-year-old only scraped home in the face of a determined challenge from Contador.
The Spaniard, placed third at 31 seconds at the start of the day, took second in the closing eighth stage behind his fellow countryman David de la Cruz.
Stage success for de la Cruz (Quick Step) denied Contador the bonus points which would have seen him and not Henao take overall victory.
For Contador it was a cruel near miss coming after he had been edged out by just four seconds by Geraint Thomas 12 months ago.
Ireland’s Dan Martin completed the final podium, half-a-minute behind Henao who became the second Colombian to win the race after Carlos Betancur in 2014.
Team Sky have won five of the past six editions courtesy of Bradley Wiggins (2012), Richie Porte (2013-2015), Thomas (2016) and Henao.
The British team have been hit by doping and sexism rows in recent weeks, their reputation taking a battering as a result.
Henao had said he hoped to see out the win for beleaguered team chief Dave Brailsford.
Henao shades Contador by two seconds in Paris-Nice
Henao shades Contador by two seconds in Paris-Nice
Hankook lights up Red Sea Coast for Formula E night race challenge
- The 3 km track features long straights, chicanes and hairpin corners
- Lack of solar heat means the track’s temperature and surface changes under the lights
JEDDAH: South Korean tire company Hankook has its focus firmly on the Red Sea this weekend, as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship arrives in Jeddah for the competition’s fourth and fifth rounds.
The Feb. 13-14 double-header will take place under the lights, with back-to-back night races at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit — which presents a challenge at the best of times.
Adapted from its Formula 1 configuration to better suit the demands of Formula E, the layout covers just over 3 km and blends long, fast straights and heavy braking zones with technical chicanes and hairpin turns.
At night, track temperature and surface conditions gradually evolve thanks to the absence of direct solar heating, influencing grip levels and thermal behavior across tire operating windows.
Hankook’s iON Race tire is engineered to deliver dependable grip under high loads while maintaining consistent thermal control and optimized rolling resistance — a critical balance in Formula E, where tire performance is closely linked to energy efficiency and race strategy.
This capability is particularly valuable on the streets of Jeddah, where sustained high-speed sections and frequent braking zones generate significant thermal demands. Night-race conditions call for a tire that can respond instantly while maintaining a consistent, predictable performance window throughout every session.
“The electrifying atmosphere of Jeddah under the lights adds another dimension to this already demanding circuit,” said Manfred Sandbichler, senior director of Hankook Motorsport.
“With high speeds, repeated braking zones, and shifting track conditions across the evening, tire stability and consistency become decisive factors. The iON Race is designed to give teams a reliable and predictable platform to perform at their best in both qualifying and race situations.”
