A top half finish at Haut Var last weekend served notice that he is on his way back, but Saur-Sojasun's Brice Feillu will not be ready to tackle Paris-Nice at the start of next month according to his team.

Feillu suffered a broken collarbone during the winter, with the injury hampering his pre-season preparations and meaning that he is short of the level that the rest of his team have reached. The 26-year-old Frenchman, who is in his first season with Saur-Sojasun after a difficult year riding with Leopard Trek last term, won a stage at the 2009 Tour de France and is hoping to return to similar heights. But with a long season ahead his team do not want to rush him, which means missing Paris-Nice.

This year's eight stage 'Race To The Sun' takes place from March 4 to 11, and in the opinion of team manager Lylian Lebreton it comes too soon.

"He broke his collarbone during the offseason and has fallen behind his teammates," Lebreton told L'Equipe. "It is better for him to continue to grow until the Tour of Catalunya (March 19-25). He still has to work rather than embarking on Paris-Nice."