The route for the Queen stage 7 of Paris-Nice 2025 has been modified and shortened due to adverse weather conditions in the Alpes-Maritimes department, with two climbs removed and the distance cut from 147.8km to 109.3km, race organisers ASO announced on Friday.
Both the Côte de Belvédère (3.3km at 5.7%) and the Col de La Colmiane (7.5km at 7.1%) were originally due to feature but will now be bypassed, due to worries over descending off the latter.
The riders will instead head through the Var and Tinée Valleys before rejoining the original route for the final 32.5km. The planned stage finish in Auron has been preserved, with the day still set to be decided on the 7.3km ascent, which averages a 7.2% gradient.
“The organizers of Paris-Nice have been closely monitoring the weather conditions in the Alpes-Maritimes department throughout the week. These conditions remain unfavorable for Saturday, particularly at higher altitudes,” read an ASO press release on Friday morning.
“To ensure the riders’ safety, the decision to modify the route of stage 7 has been made in agreement with the city of Nice, the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, and in consultation with the panel of commissaires from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), as well as representatives of the teams and riders (A.I.G.C.P, C.P.A).”
Grim weather has already played a role in the 2025 edition of Paris-Nice when racing was resumed after being neutralised on stage 4 amid snow falling and freezing temperatures.
With mixed opinions from riders over whether that stage should have continued , ASO has instead moved to reduce the risk and concerns over safety by ensuring that a potentially dangerous 20km descent off the Colmiane in rain and snow is not taken.
This is the second year in a row that the penultimate stage of Paris-Nice has been modified, with stage 7 last year also planned to finish in Auron.
With heavy snow in the region in 2024, that stage finish was completely modified, and the day instead finished up the Madone d’Utelle, where Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) took the victory ahead of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep).