The return of snow in the Alpes-Maritimes is forcing the Paris-Nice organization to adapt.
Scheduled at the Auron ski resort (1,600 m above sea level), the arrival of the seventh and penultimate stage of the 2024 edition will finally take place at the summit of the Madone d'Utelle (less than 1 200 m altitude) this Saturday March 9.
A decision made official this Thursday evening after the fifth stage, won by the Dutchman Olav Kooij.
“Due to the unfavorable climatic conditions experienced by the Alpes-Maritimes department and depending on the weather forecasts for the weekend and in order to ensure the safety of the runners, the organizing teams (…) took the decision to modify the stage 7 route,” explains the organization.
“The finish will be judged at the summit of the Madone d'Utelle, which offers 15.3 km of ascent at an average slope of 5.7%, and passages at 8%,” she specifies.
In 2016, the Madone d'Utelle had already hosted Paris-Nice with a victory for Ilnur Zakarin ahead of Geraint Thomas and Alberto Contador.
Departing from Nice for this 7th stage, the runners will face 104 kilometers and 2,000 meters of elevation gain.
The first 89 kilometers of the initial stage are retained.
This is not the first time that the program of the “Race to the Sun” has been modified since already last year, the sixth stage between Tourves and La Colle-sur-Loup had to be canceled, this time due to the wind.