Paris-Nice 2024: route, stage profiles and favourites

Published on February 29, 2024

Every year, Paris-Nice offers captivating entertainment to cycling enthusiasts worldwide, attracting the top riders to compete in a series of grueling stages across France. The 82nd edition of the "Race to the Sun" will take place from March 3 to 10, 2024, promising to be particularly thrilling with an interesting route, varied profiles, and professional riders ready to battle it out. Follow us!

The Paris-Nice race, in a nutshell

Paris-Nice holds a prestigious place among the professional cycling stage races. Established in 1933, this competition traditionally connects Paris to Nice, covering approximately 1,200 kilometers across France. Dubbed the "Race to the Sun," Paris-Nice is renowned for its varied route ranging from mountain stages to time trials and flat sections conducive to sprinters. Over the years, it has hosted the biggest names in cycling, becoming a crucial stage in riders' preparation for the grand tours.

In addition to its demanding route, Paris-Nice is known for its changing weather conditions, which can make mountain stages even more challenging or create unforeseen scenarios on the windy roads of the French Riviera. With its rich history and international prestige, this race continues to captivate cycling enthusiasts and provide moments of suspense and challenge for both riders and spectators.

The Paris-Nice 2024 Route

This year, the Paris-Nice 2024 route promises to be demanding, with a combination of flat, hilly, and mountainous terrain. The stages will offer a range of challenges blending straight stretches with formidable climbs, testing riders' skills in various disciplines. Flat stages will favor fast sprinters while brutal ascents will challenge climbers' endurance. Time trials will provide crucial opportunities for specialists to gain valuable time over their competitors.

1st Stage: Les Mureaux > Les Mureaux (157.7 km)

The first leg of the route will take place around Les Mureaux. The originality of previous editions is maintained with a 100 km loop followed by a second half half the length and a gradual climb towards the finish line. Two significant climbs must be tackled twice, with the last one located 12 km from the finish.

2nd Stage: Thoiry > Montargis (177.6 km)

The second stage between Thoiry and Montargis could pose challenges in case of gusty winds, especially with changes in the course direction. However, the straight finish also offers an ideal opportunity for sprinters.

3rd Stage: Auxerre > Auxerre (Team Time Trial), 26.9 km

The team time trial event, introduced last year in an innovative format, convinced all participants and will be held again this year around Auxerre. The route will be shorter, covering a distance of 26.9 km, and will feature more hilly terrain, especially towards the end, which should lead to interesting tactical battles. As last year, time will again be taken on the first rider to cross the finish line.

4th Stage: Chalon-sur-Saône > Mont Brouilly (183 km)

Mont Brouilly has a positive elevation gain of 3,300 meters. It was inaccessible during the 2016 race due to snowfall. This year, it will be climbed twice. About twenty kilometers from the finish, the Col du Fut d'Avenas will also offer a challenging test to ambitious riders.

5th Stage: Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut > Sisteron (193.5 km)

The following day, during the stage towards Sisteron, the gateway to Provence and a traditional stage of the Race to the Sun, sprinters will have a second great opportunity. The final loop will be shortened to provide a wide arrival, ideal for fast sprinters.

6th Stage: Sisteron > La-Colle-sur-Loup (198.2 km)

La Colle-sur-Loup, which could not host the riders in 2023 due to violent and unpredictable winds, will provide a remarkable stage for attackers. After departing from Sisteron with 70 km of flat terrain, the difficulties will stack up, offering daring riders the opportunity to try their luck, especially in the finale, featuring beautiful steep climbs.

7th Stage: Nice > Auron (173 km)

During the final weekend, the queen stage will give riders a taste of the Tour de France. Similar to July, they will face the climb of Colmiane before heading towards Isola 2000. However, instead of continuing towards the resort, they will head towards Auron. This will start a steady ascent of just over 7 km with sections at 9%. This unprecedented climb is expected to be decisive.

8th Stage: Nice > Nice (109.3 km)

The Sunday stage partially follows the final time trial route of the 2024 Tour de France (yes, no sprint on the Champs Elysées in the 2024 edition of the Tour de France!), notably with a short climb to Col d'Èze. An interesting addition is made: the descent towards Nice after the passage of Chemin du Vinaigrier is much shorter, with the end of the ascent just 9 km from the finish on the Promenade des Anglais. Any delay accumulated at the top will be difficult to recover.

The Favorites for the Paris-Nice 2024 Race: our top 5

The Paris-Nice 2024 race always attracts an impressive list of world-class riders, and this year is no exception. Familiar names like David Gaudu or Primoz Roglic are among the favorites, each seeking to make their mark on the race and claim the final victory. So, without further ado, here is our top 5:

5. David Gaudu

After a remarkable performance at Paris-Nice in 2023, Gaudu experienced a setback mainly due to health issues. In 2024, he returns to the roads where he shone by competing with Vingegaard and Pogacar. However, the route seems less favorable for him this year, especially due to the team time trial event. That's why we see him taking the 5th position.

4. Mattias Skjelmose

In 2023, Skjelmose was one of the standout figures, confirming the promises he showed in 2022. At just 23 years old, he is already one of the leaders of the professional peloton. His overall victory in the Tour de Suisse was a real breakthrough, especially against strong competition. Although the grand tours remain a challenge for now, in week-long races, the Danish rider has strong arguments. Therefore, seeing him aiming for the podium or even victory would not be surprising, especially early in the season.

3. Joao Almeida

The Portuguese Almeida is no stranger to stage races. Although he is slightly behind the other two favorites, he stands a good chance of aiming for the podium. With his consistency and a well-prepared team for time trials, he should be able to reach the third step of the podium, as usual.

2. Remco Evenepoel

We are still waiting for Remco Evenepoel to win a major week-long stage race in the World Tour, and this Paris-Nice 2024 could be the perfect opportunity. For this, his team will have to surpass Primoz Roglic's Bora Hansgrohe and then constantly stay in pursuit of the Slovenian. However, he may be slightly behind at the finish due to the Slovenian's powerful finish. However, the competition is expected to come down to a duel between the two for victory.

1. Primoz Roglic

The Slovenian rider, who won Paris-Nice in 2022, is considered the undisputed expert of week-long stage races. Thus, he is naturally the favorite for Paris-Nice 2024. The route suits him perfectly, allowing him to seize good opportunities. Furthermore, he should benefit from the support of a strong team in the team time trial. His main rival, Evenepoel, not having an individual time trial to gain an advantage, will therefore have to compete with Roglic in the road stages. While this is possible, the odds are in favor of the new leader of the Bora team.

Cycling enthusiasts worldwide will be glued to their screens to follow every stage of this prestigious race, waiting to see which rider will finally stand atop the podium in Nice. Make your predictions!

Of course, races are not exclusively reserved for men 😊 Cédrine Kerbaol shares her experience of the first edition of the Women's Paris-Roubaix.

Did this summary of the route spark stars in your eyes? And what if you too could ride a pro bike? The Cyclist House advises you.