Paris-Nice stage 8 – Live: GC to be decided in intense hilly finale

There are only about 30 riders left in the peloton, and Jorgenson is the only rider left from Visma-Lease a Bike. Ineos have already succeeded in isolating him.

Ineos’ pace has proven to be too much for Pedersen. He’s been brought back.

Ineos Grenadiers are leading the peloton. Are they hoping to attempt challenging the yellow jersey with Thymen Arensman, currently third overall at 1-20?

Pedersen’s doing a great job for now, maintaining a lead of about 15 seconds over the peloton. Once again the Dane’s climbing is defying expectations.

A surprise in the peloton as Lenny Martinez is one of the riders dropped on the climb. Given his form this week, he was one of the favourites for the stage win today.

He is for now – the four chasers have been caught by the peloton, leaving Pedersen as the only rider left out front.

COL DE LA PORTE

Pedersen leads the race as they begin the first climb of the day, the Col de la Porte. This one’s a proper mountain, averaging 6.9% for 7km. It will be very impressive if the Dane can out-climb the likes of Steinhauser and Haig on an ascent like this. 

Steinhauser’s been caught, and now Pedersen has counter-attacked.

80KM TO GO

Steinhauser has a small lead of about five seconds, ahead of Pederen, Narváez, Sobrero and Haig.

Steinhauser has dropped Pedersen and Narváez.

Ben O’Connor and Ilan Van Wilder have been involved in a crash.

That chasing trio has been caught, but the five leaders have a gap of about 12 seconds.

Cavagna, Powless and Gachignard are chasing behind.

Jack Haig and Matteo Sobrero have joined Pedersen, Narváez and Steinhauser at the front of the race.

Four riders are chasing that leading trio.

Pedersen is with Narváez and Steinhauser.

Another group now trying its luck. It goes without saying that Pedersen is involved.

That was a promising group, but it too has been shut down.

Paret-Peintre is the highest ranked rider on GC present in the group, at 4-50.

Here’s a full list of the 13 riders who are in the lead:

Dries Van Gestel (Soudal-Quick Step)

Daan Hoole (Lidl-Trek)

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)

Ben O’Connor (Jayco AlUla)

Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

Callum Scotson (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

Tobias Lund Andresen (Picnic PostNL)

Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar)

Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)

Ewen Costiou (Arkéa-B&B Hotels)

Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost)

Ed Plancakert (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)

The road is currently going uphill, on a long drag that bring them to the foot of the first climb of the day, Col de la Porte.

90KM TO GO

This lead group also features Julian Alaphilippe, and has a lead of about 10 seconds.

More riders have joined them. There are about a dozen in the lead group now.

They’ve been joined by – guess who? – Mads Pedersen.

Lorenzo Milesi and Edward Planckaert are the latest riders to try and attack. 

Here’s a glimpse of what it’s like at the moment on the road, with attacks going clear but none getting much of a gap. 

UAE Team Emirates have confirmed that McNulty is indeed ill.

Brandon McNulty had abandoned the race. We can only assume he’s come down with some kind of illness, as he had been going well all week and was poised for a top ten finish. 

100KM TO GO

Still attacks are firing off the front of the peloton, but still no group has succeeded in forming the break.

Mads Pedersen earlier, during one of his multiple attempts to get up the road.

Max Walker of EF Education-EasyPost has also pulled out.

Adrien Petit (Intermarché-Wanty) is another rider to have dropped out of the bunch, and he’s abandoned the race.

Some riders are being dropped out of the peloton already, including Brandon McNulty. That’s a surprise, as the American is up in 7th on GC.

Pedersen has 7 other riders with him.

110KM TO GO

For a third time, Pedersen is on the attack. He’s in a small group trying to get a gap

Pedersen’s been brought back once again.

Matteo Jorgenson at the start. Will he still be in yellow come the end of the day?

Correction from earlier – it’s actually Alberto Dainese (Tudor Pro Cycling), not Cavagna, who has pulled out of the race. 

After being caught, Pedersen is on the move again! Clearly the Dane is in the mood today, having been in great form all week.

Pedersen’s been brought back.

Mads Pedersen wastes no time in attacking straight away.

120KM TO GO

And they’re off!

A welcome sight for the riders – the sun is shining today! After a week of miserable weather, Paris-Nice has at last lived up to its name as Race to the Sun.

Two riders have pulled out of the race before the start today – Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ) and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk (Intermarché-Wanty).

The scene at the start.

The riders are off from the unofficial start, and will be racing soon.

One rider who won’t be threatening Jorgenson is Mattias Skjelmose, after he crashed out of the race yesterday. There was good news today though, as it was confirmed that he has not sustained any fractures. 

Could this year see another last day yellow jersey coup? Visma-Lease a Bike have controlled this race comfortably ever since taking the yellow jersey for Matteo Jorgenson on stage three’s time trial, and haven’t ever come under real pressure. But Florian Lipowitz remains just 37 seconds behind him on GC, and the terrain is there today for him to gain that.

It’s time for what is often one of the most exciting days of the season – the Paris-Nice finale. Every year this race ends with a short, intense day of climbing, and almost always produces thrilling racing, with the GC lead often changing hands at the last hurdle.

Hello and welcome to the eighth and final stage of the 2025 Paris-Nice.