Because of the prolonged confinement this weekend of the coast of the Alpes-Maritimes, the race will not end on the Promenade des Anglais, or even in the Nice metropolis. The organizers are looking for a fallback solution.
And two! For the second consecutive year, the riders of Paris-Nice will undergo a last minute change of course. While the confinement put in place over the weekend will be extended for two weeks in the Alpes-Maritimes, cyclists should not be able to ride in the Nice metropolis on March 13 and 14.
The prefecture of the department announced on Thursday in a press release that the “Race to the sun” will not end in Nice this year, despite the name of the event. Meetings are underway between the organizer, ASO, and the State services to “Adapt the course” and find a fallback. “In any case, these stages can only take place outside the confined area and behind closed doors”, explained the administrative body, effectively excluding the final arrival on the Promenade des Anglais, as tradition dictates.
Christian Estrosi had pleaded for
This decision was expected since Wednesday evening. Informed of the extension of the confinement over the weekend, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, spoke out on Twitter in favor of a “Cancellation of the arrival from Paris-Nice as scheduled”. The chosen one explained wanting “Take measures to allow the people of Nice to get through this new weekend” containment by opening the Promenade des Anglais to pedestrians and cyclists. This measure was obviously not aimed at professional cyclists, and the whole armada of cars and safety that accompany them.
Last year, the final Paris-Nice stage was quite simply canceled two days from the finish. The motive was more or less the same as for this 2021 edition: to fight “Against the spread of the coronavirus epidemic”. The next day, the Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, announced the closure of “Non-essential public places”, before Emmanuel Macron decides, two days later, to put the whole country under cover.
This year, however, the finish will take place, but we do not yet know where. Saturday’s stage was to start from the center of Nice and, for Sunday’s, the start and finish were scheduled in the prefecture-level city of the Alpes-Maritimes. Half-amused, half-desperate, cycling fans therefore went there with their speculations, not without a touch of humor. “If the finish is canceled, they continue to drive until they are exhausted ? The last bike wins ?», asks a surfer. Others call on cyclists to increase the pace: “If they arrive before Friday 18 hours, it passes. “
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