Bytagand the publication "Paris-Nice 2026: an unprecedented arrival at the Allianz Riviera"
The 84th edition of Paris-Nice, the first major stage race of the cycling season, will take place from March 8 to 15, 2026. As usual, it will start in the Yvelines department (departing from Achères) and finish on the French Riviera. But this year, there's a major change: the finish line will not be on the traditional Promenade des Anglais, but in the heart of the Allianz Riviera stadium, home of OGC Nice. The reason? The first round of municipal elections will be held on March 15, requiring the Promenade des Anglais to be used for polling stations. In total, the riders will cover approximately 1,250 km with over 16,000 meters of elevation gain, a demanding route that promises to be one of the toughest in the race's recent history.
Picture : paris-nice.fr
Key moments of the journey
- The team time trial: a flat 23km stage between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Pouilly-sur-Loire. This team event will serve as an ideal rehearsal for the team time trial scheduled for the 2026 Tour de France in Barcelona. Teams will make their final adjustments, without necessarily aiming for a definitive hierarchy. Matteo Jorgenson, the two-time defending champion, is not certain to defend his title with the same team.
- The stage in the Morvan: a decisive day with a summit finish in Uchon (scene of Matej Mohorič's victory in the 2021 Tour de France). On the menu: the Côte de la Croix de la Libération (4,6 km at 5,3%) and the Côte d'Uchon, for a total of nearly 2,520 m of elevation gain.
- The Ardèche toboggans: the next stage, the longest (205,4 km), between Cormoranche-sur-Saône and Colombier-le-Vieux, with more than 3,000 m of D+, promises to be a real test.
- The highlight in Auron: the day before the final arrival, the climb to the Auron ski resort (approximately 7,3 km at 7,2%) will be the big show for the climbers. Michael Storer triumphed there last year in the snow, after a long breakaway.
The final stage, redesigned, will avoid the Col d'Èze in favor of other difficulties such as the Côte du Linguador, before a spectacular finale in the Nice stadium.
The starting teams
The 18 WorldTour teams will be at the start, joined by the three best ProTeams of 2025 (Cofidis, Pinarello-Q36.5, Tudor) and TotalEnergies, invited by the organizer ASO.
The stages of Paris-Nice 2026
08/03 – Stage 1: Achères – Carrières-sous-Poissy (171,2 km)
09/03 – Stage 2: Épône – Montargis (187 km)
10/03 – Stage 3: Cosne-sur-Loire – Pouilly-sur-Loire (23,5 km – Team Time Trial)
11/03 – Stage 4: Bourges – Uchon (195 km)
12/03 – Stage 5: Cormoranche-sur-Saône – Colombier-le-Vieux (205,4 km)
03/13 – Summer 6: Barbentane – Apt (179,3 km)
14/03 – Stage 7: Nice – Auron (138,7 km)
03/15 – Summer 8: Nice – Nice (145 km)
