Paris-Nice

The race typically opens with flat or rolling stages in the north, where crosswinds and positioning matter more than watts. A time trial early in the week, a team time trial in every edition from 2023 to 2026, often provides the first real separation among GC contenders. The decisive climbing usually arrives in the final third, with summit finishes in the hills above Nice. The Col d'Èze, a climb of nearly 10 kilometers above Nice, is the race's signature road: it hosted the closing time trial every year but one from 1969 to 1995 and again in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and it has often featured in the final road stage. Weather is a constant variable: northern stages can be cold and wet, while the Mediterranean finish may bring sun or mistral winds. The winner is usually a climber with time-trial ability who can limit losses against the clock and gain time in the hills.