The race started in Amilly and finished in Nice.

[2] Favorites to win included Alberto Contador, who won in 2007, Cadel Evans, and Fränk Schleck.

The 2008 winner, Davide Rebellin, did not take part in the event.

[3] The race was the second event in the inaugural UCI World Ranking.

The following twenty UCI ProTour and UCI Professional Continental teams, containing a total of 159 riders, were selected to the 2009 Paris–Nice:[4]