After some twisting and turning in the first kilometres, the course lends itself to produce blistering speeds. There are only a few points along the way where the riders really need to hit the brakes. Most corners are wide enough to keep the pace high.
There is hardly any climbing to speak of either. After roughly 5 kilometres, the road rises for 500 metres at 4.5%, and the same happens again at kilometre 17. The gradient then eases briefly before a 700-metre section comes with a 4.4% gradient. This entire stretch averages 3.6% over 2 kilometres.
After those 2 kilometres, the riders reach Saint-Andelain, the highest point on the route at 262 metres. The road then descends over 3 kilometres to the Loire, before continuing on the flat for the final 1.5 kilometres.
The intermediate time check comes after 14 kilometres, in Saint-Laurent-L’Abbaye.
Last year, Visma | Lease a Bike were the fastest in the Paris–Nice time trial. The yellow-and-black squad kept Team Jayco AlUla and Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe at bay, while Matteo Jorgenson and Jonas Vingegaard crossed the line first and second, well ahead of their teammates.
On 4 July, the Tour de France kicks off in Barcelona with a team time trial using the same format: each rider’s time counts individually. But while this year’s Paris–Nice course is fairly straightforward, the Tour TTT’s finale features a sharp little climb. Solo riders will undoubtedly be tempted to test their luck — especially with the bonus at stake: the yellow jersey.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 3 Paris-Nice 2026.
The first team sets off at 15:10, while the last team is expected to finish around 17:00 – both local times (CET).
Paris-Nice 2026 stage 3: route, profile, videos
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