Paris-Nice Stage 7 Reduced to 47km as Weather Forces Second Route Change

Nice, France – Organizers of the Paris-Nice cycling race have been forced to drastically alter stage 7 for a second time due to deteriorating weather conditions in the Alpes-Maritimes region. What was initially a queen stage with a challenging mountaintop finish has been whittled down to just 47 kilometers of racing, a decision announced Saturday morning.

The latest modification comes after heavy snowfall and rain have made significant portions of the original route unsafe for competition. Riders will now be transported by team bus to a recent start location 47 kilometers from the finish in Isola-Village, with racing commencing at 1:45 PM local time (11:45 AM UTC). This follows an earlier adjustment on Friday evening that moved the finish line from the summit of Auron (1,600m) to Isola due to anticipated snowfall at higher altitudes.

“As weather conditions have deteriorated further compared with yesterday’s forecast, the race organisers have decided to make additional changes to the route for stage 7, in consultation with the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, the UCI race jury, and representatives of the teams and of the riders,” a statement from the race organizers read. The decision prioritizes rider safety amidst increasingly treacherous conditions.

Initially, riders were scheduled to start from Nice by bicycle at noon. Instead, they gathered briefly on the Promenade des Anglais under heavy rain before boarding buses for the transfer to the revised starting point. The hope, according to Thierry Gouvenou, the race’s technical director, is that conditions will improve enough to allow the stage to reach its conclusion in Isola-Village. “We have good hope that it will thaw by then,” Gouvenou told AFP, adding that avoiding the descents of the planned route was a key consideration.

This isn’t the first time Paris-Nice has faced weather-related challenges. The race, traditionally held in late winter, frequently contends with difficult conditions. In 2024, the queen stage was likewise impacted by weather, preventing a finish at Auron. Last year, snowfall disrupted the final kilometers of a stage.

Vingegaard Maintains Commanding Lead

Despite the disrupted stage, Jonas Vingegaard of Team Visma | Lease a Bike remains firmly in the overall lead. Heading into the penultimate stage, the Danish rider boasts a substantial advantage of 3 minutes and 22 seconds over Dani Martinez of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. The significant gap suggests Vingegaard is well-positioned to secure a dominant general classification victory.

The current jersey leaders, as of Stage 6, are as follows: Jonas Vingegaard in the yellow jersey (overall time of 21 hours, 16 minutes, and 50 seconds), Luke Lamperti wearing the green jersey for points (161 points), Jonas Vingegaard also holding the polka-dot jersey for best climber (26 points, worn by C. Pedersen of Soudal Quick-Step), and G. Steinhauser of EF Education-EasyPost in the white jersey for best young rider (21 hours, 22 minutes, and 40 seconds). Ineos Grenadiers currently leads the team classification with a time of 64 hours, 27 minutes, and 13 seconds, while Joshua Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers was awarded the combativity prize.

Several riders will not be starting Stage 7, including Tim van Dijke (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Nikias Arndt (Bahrain Victorious), Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal Quick-Step), Max Kanter (XDS Astana), Petr Kelemen (Tudor), Timo Roosen (Picnic PostNL), Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost), Sven Erik Bystrom (Uno-X Mobility), Aime De Gendt, and Frederik Frison (Pinarello-Q36.5).

The Paris-Nice race, often dubbed “The Race to the Sun,” continues to test the resilience of its competitors. The unpredictable weather adds another layer of complexity to an already demanding event, forcing organizers to prioritize the safety of the riders while striving to deliver a compelling sporting spectacle.

The final stage of Paris-Nice is scheduled for Sunday, concluding in Nice. The race will ultimately be decided on how riders navigate the remaining kilometers and respond to any further challenges posed by the elements. Fans can follow live updates and results on the official Paris-Nice website: https://www.paris-nice.fr/en/