The 84th edition of Paris-Nice will take place from March 8 to 15, 2026. Eight stages are scheduled between Île-de-France and the Côte d’Azur. The route includes a team time trial, several rolling finishes, and a final finish moved to the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice due to municipal elections.
The cycling race Paris‑Nice starts tomorrow, Sunday March 8, 2026, for an 84th edition offering eight stages spread over a week. Organizers have designed a route mixing sprints, terrain, and longer climbs. The profiles vary throughout the week. The early stages will cross the plains of central France. The last two days will take place in the Alpes-Maritimes between Auron and Nice. Twenty-two teams of seven riders will start.
Eight stages between plains, hills, and mountains
The first stage will depart from Achères, in the Yvelines. The peloton will reach Carrières-sous-Poissy after 171.2 kilometers. The day will end with a circuit around the finish line. The Chanteloup-les-Vignes climb, 1.1 kilometers long at 8.3%, could play a role in the final.
The second stage will link Épône to Montargis over 187 kilometers. The profile remains globally flat. The plains of Beauce will cross the route. A sprint finish is likely, although wind conditions could influence the race.
The third stage will feature a 23.5-kilometer team time trial between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Pouilly-sur-Loire. The route remains relatively flat but should not cause major gaps among the favorites.
The fourth stage will take the peloton from Bourges to Uchon over 195 kilometers. The Morvan terrain will appear in the final. The Croix de la Libération climb, 4.6 kilometers long at 5.3%, will precede the final ascent to Uchon. This climb measures 8 kilometers at 4.5%. The slope becomes more irregular in the final part. A finish had already been organized in this area during the 2021 Tour de France.
The fifth stage will link Cormoranche-sur-Saône to Colombier-le-Vieux over 205.4 kilometers. The profile will include four climbs in the last forty kilometers. This day represents the stage with the highest elevation gain of the 2026 edition.
The sixth stage will take place between Barbentane and Apt over 179.3 kilometers. Two third-category climbs and two second-category climbs will mark the route. The final difficulty will be the Saignon climb, 4 kilometers long at 5%. A four-kilometer descent will then lead to the finish line.
The seventh stage will depart from Nice to reach the Auron ski resort after 138.7 kilometers. The final will be uphill. The ascent to Auron measures 7.3 kilometers with an average gradient of over 7%. The road will remain in the Alpes-Maritimes department. At the last finish at the resort, Australian rider Michael Storer won the stage.
The final day will be contested around Nice over 145 kilometers. The route will include the Porte pass, 7 kilometers long at 7.2%. Riders will also cross the Châteauneuf-Villevieille climb, 6.6 kilometers long at 6.6%, as well as the Linguador climb, shorter but steeper. The finish will be at Allianz Riviera stadium.
A finish moved to Nice
The 2026 edition will see an organizational change in the final. Usually, the race concludes on the Promenade des Anglais. Municipal elections scheduled in Nice are leading organizers to modify this plan.
The Promenade des Anglais will host the start of the seventh stage. The final stage will end at Allianz Riviera stadium. The general classification will therefore be decided at the Nice stadium.
Several favorites at the start
The defending two-time champion, Matteo Jorgenson, will not participate in this edition. The American rider won the 2024 and 2025 editions. Slovenian Tadej Pogačar, winner in 2023, is also not on the participants list. Belgian Remco Evenepoel will not start.
Danish Jonas Vingegaard (two-time Tour de France winner) will begin his season on this race. Team Visma | Lease a Bike announced his participation on February 23. Jonas Vingegaard stated: “I am delighted to start at Paris-Nice again. It is a prestigious race steeped in history. As a team, we have a title to defend.”
Several riders will target the general classification. Spaniard Juan Ayuso arrives after a victory at the Tour of the Algarve. Russian Aleksandr Vlasov, fifth in 2024 and second in 2021, is also among the riders to watch, as are American Brandon McNulty (3rd in 2024), Spaniard Carlos Rodriguez, and Colombian Jefferson Cepeda.
On the French side, several names appear. Kévin Vauquelin, Cannes native Lenny Martinez, and David Gaudu will attempt to influence the race with genuine chances of victories and good overall placings.
Sprinters will target certain stages. The peloton will notably include Pascal Ackermann, Biniam Girmay, Cees Bol, Phil Bauhaus, Bryan Coquard, and Matteo Trentin.
The 2026 route maintains a classic progression from north to south France. Stage profiles alternate between plains, hills, and mountains. A week of racing will decide the successor of Matteo Jorgenson on the “Race to the Sun.”
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