Preview: Paris-Nice 2026 stage 5 – two in a row for Jonas Vingegaard?

The day after a grueling hill stage, the GC riders have to step up again in Paris-Nice. The finale of the fifth stage features multiple climbs on the menu. Will the new leader Jonas Vingegaard strike again? WielerFlits looks ahead!

Route

Stage five is the longest ride of this Paris–Nice edition: 205.4 kilometers, with over 3000 vertical meters, promising to be a tough stage. From the flat and water-rich Saône area, the peloton heads towards the hills of the Ardèche.

In the opening phase, the route goes almost straight south. The first climb comes after 60 kilometers: the Lentilly (2.3 km at 4.7%). After about 100 kilometers, the Côte d’Échalas follows (5.7 kilometers at 5.1%).

With 40 kilometers to go, the Côte de Sécheras appears (3.9 km at 7%). After that, it really gets tough with the Côte de Saint-Jean-de-Muzols: a 2.2-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 11%. The descent isn’t steep immediately, as the downhill really begins only after 2 kilometers. Once down, the Côte de Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain follows (3.2 km at 7.6%). From the top, there are still 9 kilometers to the finish: half of that gently descends while the other half gradually rises again. The final kilometer climbs at 2.9%.

The finish town Colombier-le-Vieux lies in a region known for chestnut forests, vineyards, and steep valleys. It’s a lesser-known but very authentic side of France. Which rider will perform best on this terrain?

Classifications

Favorites

Jonas Vingegaard has secured his stage win in Paris-Nice and is well placed to claim the overall victory, but there’s still more at stake. Who will challenge the Dane from Visma | Lease a Bike on the way to Colombier-le-Vieux? Juan Ayuso might have been a dangerous contender, but the Spaniard had to abandon the race on Wednesday after a heavy crash. Oscar Onley remains in the race, but the Brit also went down and clearly took a big hit in the bad weather. Has he recovered in time to fight for the stage win again on Thursday?

We expect more from his teammate Kévin Vauquelin in that respect. Although he 'only' finished sixth on the way to Uchon, he was possibly the best of the rest. The Frenchman from INEOS Grenadiers chased all day and still managed to overtake a whole bunch of riders on the final climb. Daniel Felipe Martínez was second in the first climbing battle but couldn’t match Vingegaard on the brutally steep final kilometer. It would surprise us if he suddenly manages that on Wednesday, although the conditions will of course be different.

Furthermore, we consider riders like Marc Soler, David Gaudu, and Lenny Martinez. The latter was dropped from the first echelon on Wednesday but still finished seventh, just behind Vauquelin.

Weather and TV

After a day with rain and wind, the weather promises to be more pleasant on Thursday for the riders in Paris-Nice. The chance of precipitation is negligible, and the sun shines abundantly. It won’t get very warm, but with 12 degrees Celsius, it’s not too chilly either. The wind (3 Beaufort) comes from the north-northeast.