"The weather conditions remain unfavourable for
Saturday, especially at higher altitudes," the organisation confirmed. "In
order to guarantee the safety of the riders, the decision to modify the route
of the seventh stage has been taken in consultation with the city of Nice, the
Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur, Alpes-Maritimes and in consultation with the UCI
commissaires' panel and representatives of teams and riders."
The finish in Auron remains unchanged, but the descent of
the Col de la Colmiane has been deemed too dangerous, forcing the organisers to
reroute the stage. As a result, the peloton will now skip both the Côte de
Belvédère and the Col de la Colmiane, instead following a safer alternative
route through the Var valley and then the Tinée valley after 55.8 kilometres.
The riders will then rejoin the original course shortly
before Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, ensuring that the final 32.5 kilometres remain
intact. Ultimately, this modification reduces the stage from 147.8 kilometres
to 109.3 kilometres, significantly altering the race dynamics.
It has been a challenging day for the race organisers,
already dealing with the shock withdrawal of
Jonas Vingegaard earlier in the
morning. After crashing on Stage 5, the defending Paris-Nice champion was
forced to abandon the race, leaving Team Visma | Lease a Bike to rethink their
strategy.
While the shortened stage will dampen some of the excitement
for fans, safety remains the top priority, and the modified course still offers
plenty of opportunities for decisive racing. With fewer kilometres but the same
intense finale, expect fireworks as riders look to take advantage of the
altered stage profile.