The strong gusts of wind that hit the Provence area in France have caused the sixth stage of Paris-Nice, which was to have a distance of 197.5 kilometers between Tourves and La-Colle-sur-Loup, has been canceled by the organization.
The threat of strong wind had already led the organizers to announce at 11:00, 40 minutes before the start of the stage, that the initial route would be shortened to just 80 kilometres, starting at kilometer 117 at La Fontaine d’Aragon. Out of respect for the public gathered at the Tourves exit, the cyclists rolled through the neutralized section at the scheduled time before boarding the buses to head to the new starting point
However, around 1:00 p.m. and when the teams were on their way to the new start, the Paris-Nice organization issued this statement confirming the suspension of the stage. “After reviewing several options to modify the route and waiting for an improvement in weather conditions in the afternoon, the organizers of Paris-Nice have decided to cancel the 6th stage to preserve the safety of the riders of the 81st edition, according to local authorities. The exceptionally violent winds, which have caused several tree falls in the region, make the cancellation of the stage inevitable. As a result, the sporting action will resume tomorrow from Nice for the 7th stage towards Col de la Couillole.
In this way, the fight for the general classification of Paris-Nice will be decided in the last two stages, as long as time permits. Two final stages in which Tadej Pogacar will continue as the leader with a six second advantage over David Gaudu and a 46 second margin over Jonas Vingegaard. This Saturday the great mountain day of this edition is scheduled with the final climb to Col de la Couillole, while on Sunday there will be the stage around Nice that will decide the final winner of a Carrera del Sol marked by strong winds.