The Paris-Nice 2026 route was unveiled today in Versailles, less than three months before the start of the 84th edition of the Race to the Sun in the Yvelines department.

The peloton will depart on Sunday, March 8th from Achères, a town making its debut in the race, and will arrive in Nice, after tackling the usual challenges: sprints, crosswinds, team time trial, and demanding climbs. The route will undergo modifications during the last weekend due to municipal elections: the Promenade des Anglais will host the start of the 7th stage on Saturday, March 14th, and the winner will be crowned the following day at the Riviera Stadium.

It is in this new venue that the successor to Matteo Jorgenson will be decided. The race could be a battle between contenders like Simon Yates (2nd in 2018 and 2022), Joao Almeida (6th in 2025), Juan Ayuso, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Mattias Skjelmose (4th in 2024), or among French riders Kévin Vauquelin, Lenny Martinez and David Gaudu (2nd in 2023). In terms of stage wins, Mads Pedersen, Olav Kooij and Michael Matthews have already established themselves multiple times and will seek to repeat their success.

To defend his title, Nice's adopted son Jorgenson is invited to Achères on Sunday, March 8th, which becomes the 30th city in the Yvelines department to host a stage of the Race to the Sun. The first stage already promises some confrontations, with a finish on a circuit around Carrières-sous-Poissy, passing through the Côte de Chanteloup-les-Vignes, the iconic climb of the Polymultipliée. The next day, riders will cross the Gâtinais plains, subject to crosswinds: sprinters will be eager to showcase themselves between Épône and Montargis (second stage) before giving way to general classification contenders.

With the Tour de France Grand Départ in Barcelona on the horizon, the team time trial between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Pouilly-sur-Loire (third stage) offers teams an excellent dress rehearsal: which team will position its leader best for victory? Riders will then head towards the roads of Morvan, made even more spectacular by the 2021 Tour passage. This time, the climb to Uchon will not only be tackled but will also determine a stage winner and perhaps a new leader.

The second half of this 84th Paris-Nice is rich in climbs, but the variety of profiles reshuffles the cards every day. Stage 5, the longest of the week, also presents a significant elevation gain, designed to test riders' endurance on the road to Colombier-le-Vieux. The following day, an exciting stage is planned in Apt (stage 6), with a final climb in the last five kilometers.

For the weekend in Nice, the group will visit the Promenade des Anglais for the start of stage 7, heading towards the ski resort of Auron, where Michael Storer delivered a spectacular performance in spring 2025. The next day, the final stage will circle around the Riviera Stadium and explore new peaks. The decisive moment is expected on the significant slopes of the Côte du Linguador. The scenario changes, but, as every year in the Race to the Sun, only the best will shine on the Côte d'Azur.