WebreaderShopNewsletterTop dealers & workshops

Paris-Nice 2026The route for the first major stage race in Europe is set

Andreas Kublik

 · 20.12.2025

Paris-Nice 2026: The route for the first major stage race in Europe is setPhoto: ASO
The route map
Paris-Nice is always the first stage race in the racing calendar of the World Tour series on European soil. The 84th edition runs from 8 to 15 March from Achères in the greater Paris area over six stages to Nice. Along the way, the professionals from the 22 teams can expect a team time trial and a mountain finish in the Maritime Alps

Race organiser ASO has published the route for the 2026 edition of Paris-Nice. The route covers six stages. Standing out from the course are a 23.5-kilometre team time trial on stage 2 and the mountain finish in Auron at 1,600 metres on the penultimate day of the race. The Australian Michael Storer won there in 2025 in the snow. The race ends on 15 March with the traditionally challenging, mountainous final stage around Nice. Most of the stages have a classic-like elevation profile.

>> Florian Lipowitz's plans for the year 2026

>> How Paris-Nice 2025 went

>> The route of the Tour de France 2026

22 teams at the start - without Florian Lipowitz

The 2025 podium: Matteo Jorgensen (in yellow) won ahead of Florian Lipowitz (left) and Thymen Arensman (right)Photo: Getty ImagesThe 2025 podium: Matteo Jorgensen (in yellow) won ahead of Florian Lipowitz (left) and Thymen Arensman (right)

At the 84th edition, 22 teams of seven racers each will be at the start. In addition to the 18 World Tour teams, the three best Pro Conti teams have qualified: These are Cofidis, Pinarello-Q36.5 and Tudor Pro Cycling. The French team Total Energie received a wildcard from the organiser ASO. Vuelta runner-up Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), the Lidl-Trek trio Juan Ayuso, Mads Pedersen and Mattias Skjelmose as well as top sprinter Olav Kooij (Decathlon-AG2R) are currently planning to take part. The last edition in 2025 was won by US rider Matteo Jorgensen (Team Visma-Lease-a-bike) ahead of Florian Lipowitz. Lipowitz will not be at the start this year. He will contest his first stage race at the Tour of Catalonia at the end of March (link).

The stages at a glance

Stage 1 - 8 March: Achères - Carrières-sous-Poissy, 171.1 km

Stage 2 - 9 March Épone - Montargis, 187 km

How do you like this article?

Stage 3 - 10th March: Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire - Pouilly-sur-Loire (MZF), 23.5 km

Stage 4 - 11 March: Bourges - Uchon, 195 km

Stage 5 - 12 March: Cormoranche-sur-Saone - Colombier-le-Vieux, 205.4 km

Stage 6 - 13 March: Barbentane - Apt, 179.3 km

Stage 7 - 14th March: Nice - Auron, 138.7 km

Stage 8 - 15th March: Nice - Nice, 145 km

Andreas Kublik

Andreas Kublik has been travelling the world's race courses as a professional sports expert for TOUR for a quarter of a century - from the Ironman in Hawaii to countless world championships from Australia to Qatar and the Tour de France as a permanent business trip destination. A keen cyclist himself with a penchant for suffering - whether it's mountain bike marathons, the Ötztaler or a painful self-awareness trip on the Paris-Roubaix pavé.

Home

Most read in category Professional - Cycling