Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 8: Nice

Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 8: Nice - Nice

Sunday 12 March - At 118.4 kilometres and featuring five climbs, stage 8 is expected to detonate the fireworks. The last climb, Col d'Èze on the steepest side, is crested with 15.3 kilometres remaining before the riders plunge down to the Côte d'Azur.

A version of this final stage is in operation since 2016. Only the COVID-19 plagued editions of 2020 and 2021 were stripped of the usually exciting closer of the Race to the Sun.

Once the flag is dropped the riders enter a false flat of 16 kilometres before tackling the Côte de Levens. At the top of the 6.2 kilometres climb at 5.5% the route continues to ascend some more to the village with the same name. The route then drops down to the foot of the Côte de Chateauneuf. This 5.4 kilometres ascent comes with an average gradient of 4.4%. Straight after the descent it goes back up again on the Côte de Berre-las-Alpes – 6.3 kilometres at 6%.

The first three passes are all 2nd category, the last two are labeled 1st category. And not without reason.

The Côte De Peille is a 6.6 kilometres climb at 6.8%. The riders reach the summit with 45 kilometres remaining. The route descends La Turbie and shortly after the village the riders turn right at a Y-junction. This is the only difference with last year, as they took the left turn towards Èze back then. Net result: the uphill sprint for time bonuses is longer.

A sharp lefthander and steep steep plunge towards the beautiful medieval town of Èze and they are back on last year’s route – the four-lane downhill into Nice. Shortly after reaching the city the riders turn right on the Boulevard de Riquier and almost 1 kilometre later they tackle the Col d’Èze on the steepest side. The 6 kilometres climb is averaging 7.6%, while the third kilometre is particularly brutal with an average gradient of 13.5%.

After reaching the top of Col d’Èze the riders re-enter the steep plunge to Èze and continue further downhill to Nice.

Last year, GC leader Primoz Roglic, Simon Yates, Wout van Aert, Nairo Quintana and Daniel Felipe Martínez were leading the race when Yates attacked on the steepest part of the Col d’Èze. Super domestique Van Aert took Roglic in tow and escorted him to the overall triump, while Yates soloed to the stage win.

The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.

Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 8 Paris-Nice 2023.