The third stage of Paris-Nice is a team time trial: Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire to Pouilly-sur-Loire, 23.5 km. The race is contested as a team, but the final time for the stage victory will be taken on the first rider of the team, and for the general classification the time recorded by each cyclist counts individually. In this way, the leader or the team's key riders will be able to gain an advantage in the final stretch and secure precious seconds over their teammates.

The course is flat or slightly undulating, with just 212 meters of elevation gain. After some hairpin turns in the first few kilometers, the route allows for high speeds, with only a few points where braking is necessary, and then most of the bends are wide enough to maintain a high pace. After approximately 5 kilometers, the road climbs for about 2 km with an average gradient of 3.6%. There are 500 meters at 4.5%, and then 700 meters at 4.4%. The intermediate point is at km 14 at Saint Laurent L'Abbaye. Then you reach Saint Andelain, the highest point of the course at 262 meters: 600 meters at 4%. After that, it descends toward the Loire River for over 3 kilometers, before continuing flat for the final 1.5 kilometers.

The first team, PicNic-PostNl, will start at 15:10; the last team, EF Education of leader Lamperti, at 16:34. UAE Emirates will depart at 15:26, Visma-Lease a Bike of Vingegaard at 15:34, Red Bull-Bora at 16:18. In 2025, the victory had gone to Visma with 14" over Jayco AlUla and 24" over Red Bull-Bora.

On July 4th, the Tour de France will start from Barcelona with a team time trial that will have the same format: the time of each rider counts individually. But while the Paris-Nice course is rather straightforward, the finale of the Tour's test will feature the climb to Montjuïc, 1,100 meters at 5.1%, with the finish in front of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Stadium.