Paris - Nice 2025: GC Favourites

[The text below was written before the start of Paris-Nice and has not been updated]

The first real time gaps will open up in the team time trial on day three. The following day also looks promising for GC riders with ambitions. It’s a hilly stage with 2,700 metres of climbing, finishing on a 6.7-kilometre climb at an average gradient of 7.1%. Not a stage to destroy your rivals, but definitely one to land a solid blow.

Stage 5 should be another cracker. Similar elevation gain, plus a load of short, punchy climbs inside the last 50 kilometres. The finish line is set at the top of a brutal 1.7-kilometre ramp averaging 11.1%.

Stage 6 is one for the sprinters, while stage 7 takes the riders into the high mountains. The last 60 kilometres feature two tough climbs — first the Col Saint-Martin – 7.5 kilometres at 7.1% -, followed by the final ascent to Aron: 7.3 kilometres at 7.2%.

The route of the final stage has delivered thrilling racing for years. Stage 8 is a short and explosive ride in the mountains above Nice. The last climb, Quatre Chemins – 3.6 kilometres at 8.8% -, is followed by a fast 9-kilometre descent to the finish on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.

This season, top favourite Vingegaard has only raced once. He secured overall victory at the Volta ao Algarve by winning the final time trial, with Almeida finishing second. Another contender who has already won a stage race this year is Buitrago—he dominated the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, leaving Almeida and Arensman behind. Sivakov also claimed a stage race win this season, taking the overall at Ruta del Sol despite not winning a stage.

Favourites Paris-Nice 2025

***** Jonas Vingegaard
**** Matteo Jorgenson, João Almeida
*** Lenny Martinez, Mattias Skjelmose, Santiago Buitrago
** Thymen Arensman, Ben O’Connor, Aleksandr Vlasov, Felix Gall
* Maximilian Schachmann, Neilson Powless, Florian Lipowitz, Brandon McNulty