Paris-Nice 2014 Route stage 8: Nice - Nice

Sunday, March 15 – This year's Paris-Nice concludes with a short but tough stage through the hills around Nice. In just 128 kms, the riders climb 5 hills, the last being the famous Col d’Èze, before finishing on the Promenade in Nice. (Slideshow route/profile)

Paris-Nice 2014 Route stage 8: Nice - Nice

Paris-Nice has closed its last 2 editions with an individual time trial from the center of Nice to Col d’Èze on the outskirts of the city. This year the hill is the last of a series of 5 categorized cols, crested at 15 kilometers from the finish line. The last kms are mainly downhill.

The famous Promenade des Anglais (image) in Nice runs next to the Mediterranean. Paris-Nice usually either finishes here or on the Col d’Èze. From 1946-1968 the race finished on the Promenade but from 1969-1995 the finish was moved to the col on the outskirts of the city. The Promenade took over again between 1996 and 2011 before the individual time trial up Col d’Èze from the last 2 editions.

The Promenade did feature in the last 2 years however on the penultimate stage.The 2013 stage to the Promenade started in Manosque and was a tough 220km ride containing 5 categorized cols early in the stage. Sylvain Chavanel surprised the fast men and took the sprint on the line.

The stage starts at 13:35 (CET) and the finish is expected to be around 16:45.