UPDATE 14 March 2025: Due to dangerous weather conditions Paris-Nice officials announced Saturday’s pro race route will eliminate high elevation climbs/descents, reducing race length by 40km. So far no officials have not commented on any weather related changes for Saturday’s amateur Paris-Nice Challenge cyclosportive.

This week’s professional Paris-Nice stage race has been anything but a spring ‘Race to the Sun.’ Instead, top pros have journeyed across a grey northern France in dismal conditions, including sleet, hail, rain, gale force wind, race neutralizations, hypethermia and plenty of crashes.

On Saturday 15 March, amateur riders look set to get the same full ‘pro’ experience at the Paris-Nice Challenge cyclosportive, with the forecast calling for a temperature of 8C, 16 km/hr wind and a 50% chance of rain all day at the start/finish in Nice.

Those brave enough to line up will ride the final Paris-Nice stage, just like the pros on Sunday, with a distance of 131 kilometers including 2370 meters of climbing on what is shaping up to be wet roads open to traffic. Some adventurous souls may even tack on the Tour de France worthy Col de la Madone climb, extending their ride to 148 kilometers with almost 3000 meters of ascent/descent!

Paris-Nice Challenge is billed as ‘The perfect way to begin your season!’ – just be sure to bring winter gloves, waterproof shoe covers, one of those now banned rain jackets and of course try to keep the rubber side down…

Chapeau!

Photo Credit: TNT Sports

© 2019-2025 All Rights Reserved Gran Fondo Daily