The route of Paris-Nice 2026 was unveiled this Wednesday in Versailles, less than three months before the start of the 84th edition of “la Course au Soleil” (the Race to the Sun) in the Yvelines department.
The peloton will set off on Sunday, March 8th from Achères, a first-time host city for the race, and will reach Nice one week later after overcoming the usual challenges: sprints, crosswinds, a team time trial, hills and major climbs.
Traditions will be shaken up during the final weekend due to the municipal elections. The Promenade des Anglais will host the start of Stage 7 on Saturday, March 14th, and the winner will be crowned the following day at the Riviera stadium
The question of who will succeed Matteo Jorgenson will be decided on this unprecedented route. The contest could feature riders such as Simon Yates (2nd in 2018 and 2022), João Almeida (6th in 2025), Juan Ayuso, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Mattias Skjelmose (4th in 2024), or among the French contenders Kévin Vauquelin, Lenny Martinez, and David Gaudu (2nd in 2023). On the stage-win front, Mads Pedersen, Olav Kooij, and Michael Matthews are already familiar with the route and will aim to repeat their successes.
The list of 22 selected teams has been revealed. In addition to the 18 WorldTour teams and the three highest-ranked ProTeams (Cofidis, Pinarello–Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, and Tudor Pro Cycling Team), the organisers have extended an invitation to TotalEnergies.
Almost every year, the Promenade des Anglais is where the peloton comes to warm up and launch its season. But in 2026, due to the municipal elections, the 84th edition of Paris-Nice will feature a new setting to crown the winner of the Race to the Sun: the rendezvous is at the Riviera stadium on Sunday, March 15th, after a week of efforts spent crossing the countryside, racing against the clock, overcoming elevation and battling for the yellow-and-white jersey won by Matteo Jorgenson in 2024 and 2025.
To defend his title, the Nice-based rider will line up on Sunday, March 8th in Achères, which becomes the 30th town in the Yvelines to host a stage of the Race to the Sun. The opening stage already promises early skirmishes, with a circuit finish around Carrières-sous-Poissy via the Côte de Chanteloup-les-Vignes, a landmark climb of the Polymultipliée. From the very next day, the peloton will cross the plains of the Gâtinais, an area well suited to crosswinds. Sprinters will be keen to shine between Épône and Montargis (Stage 2) before giving way to the general classification contenders.
With the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Barcelona in mind, the “Nice-style” team time trial between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Pouilly-sur-Loire (Stage 3) will provide a full-scale rehearsal: which team will best launch its leader into orbit? The riders will then head towards the roads of the Morvan, made famous by the 2021 Tour de France. This time, the climb of Uchon will not merely be included, it will determine the stage winner and possibly a new race leader.
The second half of this 84th Paris-Nice is packed with climbs, but the diversity of profiles reshuffles the deck day after day. Stage 5, the longest of the week, also features the greatest elevation gain, designed to wear down the riders on the way to Colombier-le-Vieux. The following day, a thriller is expected in Apt (Stage 6), with a final climb to be tackled within the last five kilometres.
For the Nice weekend, the peloton will indeed return to the Promenade des Anglais for the start of Stage 7, heading towards the resort of Auron, where Michael Storer delivered an outstanding performance in spring 2025. The following day, the final stage will loop around the Riviera stadium and explore new summits. The decisive showdown is expected on the brutal slopes of the Côte du Linguador. The scenery may change, but as every year in the Race to the Sun, only the very best will shine on the French Riviera.
Teams:
TEAM SELECTION
18 UCI WORLDTEAMS
ALPECIN – PREMIER TECH (BEL)
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS (BRH)
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM (FRA)
EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST (USA)
GROUPAMA – FDJ UNITED (FRA)
INEOS GRENADIERS (GBR)
LIDL – TREK (GER)
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ (BEL)
MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP)
NSN CYCLING TEAM (SUI)
RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE (GER)
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP (BEL)
TEAM JAYCO ALULA (AUS)
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL (NED)
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE (NED)
UAE TEAM EMIRATES – XRG (UAE)
UNO-X MOBILITY (NOR)
XDS ASTANA TEAM (KAZ)
TOP 3 PROTEAMS IN THE 2025 UCI RANKING
COFIDIS (FRA)
PINARELLO – Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM (SUI)
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM (SUI)
TEAM INVITED BY THE ORGANISER
TOTALENERGIES (FRA)
