This seventh stage, announced as the queen stage of this Paris-Nice 2024, had seen its crown well before the start.
Instead of two hard climbs, first on the Colmiane, then to reach the Auron station, the organizers had to shorten the route due to snowfall forecast in the area.
Instead, they proposed a dry climb (15.3 km at 5.7% average) on the Madone d'Utelle.
Would the latter, nicknamed Notre-Dame des miracles, allow us to finally see a very beautiful day on a Paris-Nice that had until then been a little disappointing?
If the Swiss Johan Jacobs (Movistar) presented himself at the forefront from the start of the climb, he had not taken off enough to hope for anything other than an extra role which was quickly overtaken.
As the rain had let up a bit, the first part of the climb felt like a game of marking.
Understanding that it was necessary to act, Remco Evenepoel launched a first skirmish 4.4 km from the finish.
And the Belgian passed second 1.8 kilometers from the line.
An attack which caused Brandon McNulty (UAE) to drop the yellow jersey.
đ @ale_vlasov wins the 7th stage!
đ
đ @ale_vlasov wins Stage 7!
đ#ParisNice pic.twitter.com/WSUtMpak6k
â Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 9, 2024
But during this time, the Russian Alexandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) took off to get the stage victory.
Behind him, neither the American Matteo Jorgenson (Visma - Lease a Bike), although second overall, nor Evenepoel made sufficient progress against McNulty.
The latter keeps his yellow tunic for 4 seconds.