Paris-Nice organisers cut the race's queen stage from 138.7km to just 47km on Saturday, March 14, after torrential rain and heavy snowfall made the planned summit finish at the Auron ski resort impossible. Riders were instructed to travel "in colonne," a neutralised convoy, from Nice to a new start point at the Louis Nucéra bridge in Le Broc, with racing set to begin at 13:45 local time.
The revision transforms what was supposed to be the decisive Alpine test of the 2026 edition into a 47km route toward Isola, removing the categorised climbs that would have shaped the general classification battle. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) entered the stage with a lead of 3:22, and the shortened, largely false-flat route reduces the terrain available for any sustained GC attack.
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The decision came in two stages. On Friday evening, organisers announced that an arrival at Auron was "inconceivable," with the rain-snow line estimated at around 1,100 metres altitude, and trimmed the route to 120.3km finishing in Isola. When conditions deteriorated further on Saturday morning, a second revision cut the competitive distance to 47km. The call was made in consultation with UCI commissaires, the AIGCP teams' association, the CPA riders' union and local authorities.
Paris-Nice confirmed the convoy would depart Nice at midday, with riders covering the neutralised portion before the flag dropped for the final 47km to Isola.
The cancellation of the Auron ascent marks the third consecutive year that the Queen stage of the Paris-Nice route has been shortened due to Alpine weather. In 2024, the debut finish there was scrapped entirely in favour of La Madone d'Utelle. In 2025, the stage was shortened from 147.8km to 109km to avoid freezing rain.
Vingegaard's advantage now looks difficult to overturn, with only Sunday's final stage remaining.
UPDATED - on March 14 to reflect further stage shortening
Cover image credit: Billy Ceusters
