It was the third hilly stage with a classics profile in a row at this year's Paris-Nice - but again without a mountain finish. After a short descent, the finish was in the municipality of Apt, where Harold Tejada (XDS Astana Team) finally took the stage win after 179 kilometres. It was Tejada's first success in the WorldTour.
Six seconds later, Dorian Godon (INEOS Grenadiers) brought the 20-rider group of favourites to the finish line, which included Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Georg Steinhauser (EF Education - EasyPost). Third place went to Lewis Askey (NSN Cycling Team).
Vingegaard defends the yellow jersey
The finale was characterised by two climbs within the last 40 kilometres - paired with the chase for the remaining breakaway riders. Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) and Igor Arrieta (UAE-Emirates-XRG) were caught on the last climb five kilometres before the finish, whereupon the group of favourites decided the victory among themselves on a descent.
There were no changes at the top of the overall standings. Vingegaard is still 3:22 minutes ahead of Daniel Martinez (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) and Steinhauser (+5:50 minutes). Steinhauser also continues to wear the white jersey of the best young rider.
Before and during the stage, there were once again a number of withdrawals. For example, Oscar Onley (INEOS Grenadiers) and Ivan Romeo (Movistar Team) did not start the sixth stage. Niklas Märkl (Picnic-PostNL) also dropped out early.
Paris-Nice 2026 - Results of the 6th stage
Stage 6: Barbentane - Apt
Paris-Nice 2026: Stage 6, Barbentane - Apt
| Rnk. | Riders | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | XDS Astana Team | 03:54:38 |
| 2 | INEOS Grenadiers | +000:00:06 |
| 3 | NSN Cycling Team | +000:00:06 |
| 4 | Cofidis | +000:00:06 |
| 5 | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | +000:00:06 |
| 6 | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe | +000:00:06 |
How the 6th stage of Paris-Nice 2026 went
After 50 kilometres and several attacks, the day's escape group was formed: Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), Igor Arrieta (UAE-Emirates-XRG), Steff Cras (Soudal-Quick-Step) and Arthur Kluckers (Tudor) came together. However, the peloton did not allow the quartet a large lead - the group was able to pull away by a maximum of two minutes.
In the peloton, Team Visma | Lease a Bike kept the race under control. There were a total of four mountain classifications in the profile of stage 6, including two category 2 climbs in the final 40 kilometres: the Col de l'Aire Deï Masco (7.1 kilometres long, average gradient 4.4 per cent) and the final stage, the Côte de Saignon (four kilometres long, average gradient five per cent).
Last breakaway five kilometres before the finish
After the Col de l'Aire Deï Masco, the lead of Tarling, Arrieta and Kluckers even increased to 1:30 minutes for a short time, as only Cofidis was endeavouring to chase in the peloton. It wasn't until shortly before the Côte de Saignon that Lidl-Trek and Lennard Kämna got more traction in the peloton again, which led to cracks in the field. At the start of the Col de l'Aire Deï Masco, nine kilometres before the finish, the lead of the three escapees was only 31 seconds due to the chase.
Kluckers initially dropped back on the four-kilometre climb. Shortly before the mountain classification, the larger peloton also caught up with Tarling and Arrieta five kilometres before the finish. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain - Victorious) then attacked from the group of favourites, but the competition from the top ten remained attentive and on the Frenchman's rear wheel. Nevertheless, a larger group formed on the descent, from which Harold Tejada (XDS Astana Team) eventually rode away.
