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.
Paris-Nice 2023 stage 8: route, profiles, more
Click on the images to zoom
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Leave a comment
No comments yet, your opinion is most welcome.
Related articles Winners and records - Paris-Nice Route stage 1: La Verrière - La Verrière - Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 2: Bazainville - Fontainebleau - Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 3: Dampierre-en-Burly - TTT - Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 4: Saint-Amand-Montrond - La Loge des Gardes - Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 5: Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise - Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 6: Tourves - La Colle-sur-Loup - Paris-Nice 2023 Route stage 7: Nice - Col de la Couillole - Paris-Nice 2023 More articles Tour of Valencia 2023: The Route
Tour of Valencia 2023: Favourites
Tour of Valencia 2023: Riders
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 1: Orihuela - Altea
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 2: Novelda - Alto de Pinos
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 3: Betera - Segunto
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 4: Burriana - Alto de la Cueva Santa
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 5: Paterna – Valencia
UAE Tour 2023: The Route
UAE Tour 2023: Riders
Giro 2023: The Route
Giro 2023: Riders
Giro 2023 Route stage 1: Fossacesia - Ortona
Giro 2023 Route stage 2: Teramo - San Salvo
Giro 2023 Route stage 3: Vasto - Melfi
Giro 2023 Route stage 4: Venosa - Lago Laceno
Giro 2023 Route stage 7: Capua - Gran Sasso
Cycling Calendar 2023
Ruta del Sol 2023: The Route
Tour de France 2023: The Route
Tour de France 2023: Riders
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 1: Bilbao - Bilbao
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz - San Sebastián
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 3: Amorebieta-Etxano - Bayonne
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 6: Tarbes - Cauterets
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 9: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat - Puy de Dôme
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 13: Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne - Grand Colombier
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 14: Annemasse - Morzine
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 15: Les Gets - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 20: Belfort - Le Markstein
Vuelta 2023: The Route