Stage 1: Les Mureaux - Les Mureaux, 158.3 kilometers
The opening day of the French race, as usual, is an explosive one that is open to many type of riders. Sprinters, puncheurs and classics specialists all have opportunities to succeed here - even if the weather doesn't play out.
Starting and finishing in Les Mureaux, the day will most likely be a slow build-up towards a particular section of the stage. With 28 kilometers to go there is an intermediate sprint at the top of a 700-meter hilltop at 8%. Right after follows a fast descent and right into another small climb.
This one is 2.6 kilometers at 5% but has a very steep start. It's a very explosive start to the stage where some sprinters may be dropped or put into trouble, but it can be used for attacks. This climb ends with only 12.5 kilometers to go, and before the finish there is still a descent that will go by fast.
The stage may come down to a sprint, which will have an uphill rise to the line as well. The gradients will reach 7% right before the final corner which comes with just 150 meters to go.
Stage 2: Thoiry - Montargis, 178.3 kilometers
On the outside of Paris, the second stage of the French race should see a bunch sprint. It's an almost pan-flat day from Thoiry to Montargis, with 178 kilometers in distance and very little to note.
The arrival into town is the most notable moment of the day, which the sprinters will be waiting for all afternoon long. The final kilometers are not technical but do have some key points.
With 1.2 kilometers there is a very tricky section that resembles a double chicane. Very tricky, there will be a big slowdown and stretch in the peloton. We'll have a big race to this point, and then a slight right-hander which leads the riders into the final 600 meters to go. From there on straight and fast into the finish line.
Stage 3 (TTT): Auxerre - Auxerre, 27 kilometers
Team time-trials are not so frequent nowadays but the French race reintroduced this traditional discipline and will provide a day that is important for the overall classification. This TTT not only is rather long but features some climbing, meaning that some planning and tactics will be necessary.
The riders do find a climb that is around 2 kilometers at 5% early on, and then another into the intermediate sprint which is around 4 kilometers at 4%. Not brutal ascents however in an effort such as this which is so carefully planned, teams need to think of how hard they should go up it. From the end there are still 13 kilometers to the finish and time can be gained or lost there.
These are flat, slightly downhill even, where having a big lineup is important. The approach back to Auxerre is rather technical and includes a final ramp that has some uphill gradients.
Stage 4: Chalon-sur-Saône - Mont Brouilly, 183.7 kilometers
A very important day in the race. I does not feature any big climb, but differences will be made. Paris-Nice organizers wanted a difficult day and although they did not have many climbs to tackle, they then introduced a circuit where damage will be done. 183 kilometers and 3300 meters of climbing throughout the day.
A roller-coaster day, full of climbs throughout the entire day. 4.5Km at 6.1% (94Km to go), 3.2Km at 6.8% (79Km to go) and 2.2Km at 9.1% (56Km to go) are a big warm-up. The riders then climb up Mont Brouilly for the first time, a 2.9-kilometer climb at 7.8% whose gradients go up to 15%. The first ascent summits with 39 kilometers to go.
The riders still find more climbing right after the first climb of Brouilly. The first category Col du Fut d'Avenas Les Chappes is 5.1 kilometers at 7.3% which summits with 22 kilometers to go. After the summit we've got a fast and winding descent that will lead the riders back into Brouilly.
This climb has been used in the past in the race, both at time-trials and normal road stages. The riders should wait for the second half to really make the difference where we've got the double-digit gradients, but gaps can certainly be created among even the very best here all the way into the finish.
Stage 5: Saint-Sauveur-De-Montagut - Sisteron, 194.6 kilometers
The fifth day of the race once again suits the sprinters. It's a rather hilly day but some can absolutely survive some uphill gradients, and this will be a good test for Milano-Sanremo. 194 kilometers on the menu and some rolling climbs to tackle.
Kilometer 80 to 153 sees four categorized climbs, all of them rolling but all will add to the fatigue throughout the day. All will be about the final kilometers into Sisteron however.
With 9 kilometers to go we've got a kilometer-long climb at 6% where more attacks or pace pushing can take place. A downhill will follow, and then after a small rise, the run-up to the line in Sisteron. A finale that is not technical in any way, it will also be flat and favour the fast men that have survived.
Stage 6: Sisteron - La Colle-sur-Loup, 199.1 kilometers
The sixth day of racing at the Race to the Sun is a difficult and treacherous one. The riders start at 500 meters of altitude and slowly rise all the way into almost 1200. A flat start, with some hilltops later on in the 199-kilometer long day. The riders will then descend almost into sea level.
In the middle of it is a 6.3-kilometer climb at 4.3% which ends with 59 kiloemters to go. The main feature of the day will then be the Côte de la Côte-sur-Loup, which starts right after a first passage through the finish line.
This climb is 1.8 kilometes at 10% but the ramps go up to 19%, a climb with some switchbacks and suffocating gradients right at the bottom. This climb ends with 29 kilometers to go, and then some rolling roads follow - with an uphill trend. Then the intermediate sprint will be at the top of this entire climb the ramp is another 800 meters at 8.3% more attacks may surge.
It is an ideal spot to put in an attack for victory on the day. In the remaining 22 kilometers the riders slowly go down 300 meters in altitude, these will be very fast. The overall classification may be raced in this climb, the stage win surely will. If a sprint is to happen to decide the outcome of the day, it will be a flat and non-technical one.
Stage 7: Nice - Auron, 172.9 kilometers
The queen stage.... Or is it? A difficult day into the Alpes Maritimes in France, However the organizers have not made the effort to make it a day as hard as it's been in the past. The constant climbs of the region are not the best to create big differences, but with six days of racing in the legs, a lot of riders will have secondary challenges to battle at this point in the race.
172 kilometers in distance with a slight ascent early in the day that can help a strong breakaway to form. The riders will slowly head into the Col de La Colmiane. It is 7.5 kilometers at 7.1% and summits with 53 kilometers to go. This comes after a slow rise, and the final climb is a shockingly similar climb.
In total 32 kilometers in length, but that depends on what you consider part of the climb. In the 25 kilometers leading up to the 'serious' climb the riders climb 500 meters in altitude, with no descent whatsoever. It's a valley road that tilts slightly up, so the riders get to the base of the ascent with some effort already in the legs.
The climb to Auron is 7.3 kilometers at 7.2%. An ascent with a few hairpins early on, but more simple later on. It's a climb where differences can be made, but team support will definitely be important.
Stage 8: Nice - Nice, 110.2 kilometers
The final day of race. Paris-Nice always delivers in it's final Sunday, we've got 110 kilometers on the menu only but six climbs, many technical descents, many hairpins and one final steep climb where everything can be decided.
6.1Km at 4.9% (90Km to go), 5.4Km at 4.6% (73Km to go), 6.3Km at 6% (59Km to go) open up the day; the climbing starts after 14 kilometers. This will usually see big battles for breakaway formation, teammates of leaders frequently go up the road. This leads up to the Côte de Peille which is 6.5 kilometers at 6.9%, full of hairpins, a climb where winning attacks have happened in the past. This summits with 41 kilometers to go.
However this time around there are still two tough ascents to go. The riders have an intermediate sprint at the Col d'Èze which is 1.6 kilometers at over 9%, this summits with 25 kilometers to go. Attacks certainly can happen here, because the following fast descent leads directly into the final climb of the day.
This is the Col des Quatre Chemins - part of the Col d'Éze. It is 3.6 kilometers at 8.8%, but the final half is quite steeper. The ramps go up to 18%, brutal and enough to create differences. The race can end atop this ascent, it summits with 9 kilometers to go and from there on it's almost downhill all the way to the finish line at the Promenade des Anglais.
