Regularly disrupted by the weather, Paris-Nice could be deprived of a particularly decisive part this year.
Negative temperatures and snow are in fact forecast at the top of the Auron ski resort (1,600 m), where the runners must arrive at the end of the seventh stage, after the ascent of the Col de Colmiane, perched at an altitude of 1,500 m.
According to the director of the event, Thierry Gouvenou, a pure and simple cancellation of the stage is, however, at present, “not an option”.
“It may be complicated, but we have to wait for more detailed forecasts to know exactly what we have to do,” he explains.
We have the advantage of leaving early and the weather is expected to be difficult only at the end of the day.
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This Tuesday morning, before the start of the fourth stage between Chalon-sur-Saône and Mont Brouilly, David Gaudu, the leader of the Groupama-FDJ team, reacted to the subject of this possibly disrupted weekend: “They are planning - 4 degrees on arrival in Auron with snow.
Will we be able to cycle?
If this is not the case, I hope they will find an alternative for the sake of the race.”
A disrupted ranking?
The threat hanging over this Saturday's queen stage makes that of this Wednesday even more important for the riders in the general classification, including the new yellow jersey Brandon McNulty, with his seven climbs for a first arrival at the summit of Mont Brouilly.
“It’s almost a one shot today because we don’t really know for Saturday,” explained Gaudu before the start.
I take this stage as if I were starting from Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Today, you will have to be present and not calculate your pedal strokes.”
The Dane Mattias Skjelmose, leader of the Lidl-Trek team, also reacted, becoming the spokesperson for the peloton: “We talked about it on the bus this morning.
I heard they were looking for an alternative but it will be complicated to find such a difficult ending.
Many runners are afraid of what can happen on Saturday.
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This would not be the first time that the program of the “Race to the Sun” would be modified since already last year, the sixth stage between Tourves and La Colle-sur-Loup also had to be canceled this time. this because of the wind.
“It’s Paris-Nice!”
» summarizes Thierry Gouvenou.