Paris-Nice 2025 Route stage 5: Saint-Just-en-Chevalet

Paris-Nice 2025 Route stage 5: Saint-Just-en-Chevalet - Côte-Saint-André

Thursday, 13 March - Stage 5 boasts a finale that’s bound to be thrilling. In the final hour, the riders tackle a series of short and sharp ramps before the race concludes on a brutal wall: 1.7 kilometres at a 11.1%. The stage covers 196.5 kilometres.

It’s smooth sailing in the first 148 kilometres, with little to get excited about. Sure, there’s a climb after 10 kilometres – the Côte de Saint-Polgues – but at 1.5 kilometres averaging 5.5%, it’s nothing compared to the walls waiting in the last hour.

The same goes for the Côte de Trèves, a 2.3-kilometre climb at 6% that’s crested 106.3 kilometres. Once the KOM points are snapped up, the road continues to rise gently before descending into Chavanay. From there, a 22.3-kilometre false flat leads straight to the walls.

The first challenge is the Côte du Château Jaune, an introductory 1.2-kilometre climb averaging 9.2%. Straight from the descent, the Côte de Sibuze throwns in 1.1 kilometres at 8.2%. There’s no immediate descent after the ‘summit’, instead, the riders face a gentle rise that transitions into the Côte de Chavagneux: 1.1 kilometres at 8.6%. At the top, the KOM sprint awaits, with 29.3 kilometres left to race.

The pattern continues: no descent after the KOM sprint. First comes a brief flat section, and then the riders plunge downhill for just over 2 kilometres before hitting another false flat. This leads into the Côte d’Arzay, a wall of 1.3 kilometres at 8%, with sections ramping up to 15%.

And yet again, no proper descent follows. Instead, a 3.5-kilometre flat section leads to the intermediate sprint in Porte-des-Bonnevaux. Right after that, it’s downhill. Once the riders reach the valley floor, there’s just 10 kilometres left to race. It’s mostly flat – except for the sting in the tail.

The final 1.7 kilometres rise at an average gradient of 11.1%, with the steepest ramps hitting 18%.

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

Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 5 Paris-Nice 2025.