Paris-Nice edges closer to the coast

Today the peloton take to the mountains and tackling the 193.5km from Aubagne to Fayence. Current leader, Quick-Step's Julian Alaphillippe, is just 33 seconds ahead of Lotto Soudal's Tony Gallopin and 47 seconds ahead of third placed Movistar's Gorka Izaguirre Insausti.

Stage 5 winner, the seasoned sprinter Andrei Greipel, said “It’s always nice to win a stage in Paris-Nice; it’s the second time now. It’s an important race as well with all the good sprinters.”

Today’s stage 6 will not be so sprinter friendly but instead is a day for the climbers. The race from Aubagne to Fayence features six categorised climbs, including two circuits around the finish town, each of which includes the category 1 Col de Bourigaille.

Saturday and Sunday will bring the race into the heart of Nice with Stage 7 beginning in the city and winding its way up into the Alpes-Maritimes, and the final stage on Sunday both starting and finishing in the historic beachfront city of Nice. “Another race starts now. Each of the three stages are going to bring surprises. Tomorrow [Friday] it could be a breakaway, like a fireworks display,” said race leader Alaphilippe. “If I have to attack to defend my yellow jersey, I’ll do it.”

Drivers are reminded that traffic restrictions will be in place on Saturday - the race will leave Nice at lunchtime with roads closing 20 minutes ahead of the cyclists and reopening 10 minutes after. There will also be modifications to the tram and bus services throughout the day so please check before you travel. Travel should return to normal by 14:00.

There will be parking restrictions in place from Saturday evening, ahead of the final stage of Paris-Nice 2017 on Sunday 12th March. Other road closures have not yet been announced but we would not advise driving into the centre of Nice on Sunday if it can be avoided.

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UPDATE for traffic circulation during Saturday and Sunday 11th & 12th March 2017.

Under the authority of the Police Services, the circulation of vehicles of any kind will be prohibited except for priority general interest vehicles, rights holders and organisation;

Saturday, March 11, 2017 from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm
- Avenue de Verdun between the Place Masséna and the Promenade des Anglais with the exception of the users of the Plaza and Massena car parks who will be allowed to leave until 8 am to the Avenue de Suède, - Avenue Félix Faure between Alberti and Place Masséna, - Rue Chauvain between rue Gioffredo and avenue Félix-Faure, - Alley of the Resistance and the Deportation, - Avenue of Sweden direction west / east between rue Gustave V and avenue de Verdun.

Saturday, March 11, 2017 from 8:45 am to 1:30 pm
- The two lanes east of the Avenue des Phocéens between the Promenade des Anglais and Place Masséna (access to the Lyautaud Tunnel will be authorised), - Boulevard Jean Jaurès between Place Masséna and the Traverse Flandre Dunkirk, - Rue St François de Paule between rue Desboutin and Avenue des Phocéens.

Saturday, March 11, 2017 starting at 11:45 am For the fictitious departure operations of the Nice-Col de la Couillole stage in Paris-Nice, vehicle traffic will be temporarily interrupted under the control of the police forces, the runners and the last vehicle of the organization: - Promenade des Anglais, north road, from avenue des Phocéens to Pont Napoléon III, commune limit.

Sunday, March 12, 2017 from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Avenue de Verdun between Place Masséna and the Promenade des Anglais with the exception of users of the Plaza and Massena car parks who will be allowed to leave until 10 am to the Rue de Suède; - Avenue Félix Faure between rue Albert 1er and Place Masséna; - Rue Chauvain between rue Gioffrédo and avenue Félix Faure; - Alley of the Resistance and the Deportation; - Avenue of Sweden direction West / East between the street Gustave V and the avenue of Verdun.

Sunday, March 12, 2017 from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm
- Quai des Etats-Unis from Place Guynemer with the exception of vehicles coming from the Rue Bosio which can evacuate towards the port until 14:30, - Under the filtering of the police services vehicles of the residents and vegetable gardeners of Old Nice will be able to access by the street Cité du Parc until 2.30 pm, - Promenade des Anglais north road between avenue des Phocéens and avenue de Verdun, - Rue Van Loo, - Rue Bréa,- Milton Robbins Street.

Sunday, March 12, 2017 from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
- Promenade des Anglais south road between boulevard Gambetta and avenue des Phocéens, - Tunnel of the Congress, - The central axes of the Promenade des Anglais between boulevard Gambetta and avenue de Verdun, - Avenue des Phocéens between the Promenade des Anglais and the Place Masséna, - Tunnel Lyautaud, - Boulevard Jean Jaurès between Place Masséna and the Traverse Flandre Dunkirk, - Rue St François de Paule between rue Desboutin and Avenue des Phocéens.

Sunday, March 12, 2017 starting at 1:15 pm For the fictitious departure operations of the Paris-Nice race, the movement of the vehicles will be momentarily interrupted under the control of the police forces, the passage of the riders and the last vehicle of the organization:
- Promenade des Anglais roadway north of avenue des Phocéens to bd Georges Pompidou - Access to the comics Georges Pompidou - Bd Georges Pompidou, south / north direction - Slide of the Digue des Français - Route de Grenoble and Boulevard du Mercantour (RM 6202) direction South / North until the limit of commune.

Sunday, March 12, 2017 from 14:30 to the runners and the last vehicle of the organization, as well as the services of the cleaning, with a reopening planned according to the removal of the material of the organization:
- Papacino Quays, Customs and Lunel - Place Guynemer - Rauba Capeu wharf with the exception of vehicles coming from the rue des Ponchettes which will be authorized to join Place Guynemer until 15:30, - Wharf of the United States in its entirety - Rue Bosio between rue St François de Paule and the Quai des Etats-Unis Sunday, March 12, 2017 from 3:15 pm to the passage of the riders and the last vehicle of the organization, with a reopening planned according to the intervention of technical services: - Col de Villefranche - Corniche André de Joly - Bd du Mont Boron from Maeterlinck Boulevard, except residents - Bd du Mont Boron from the avenue du Mont Alban, except residents - Bd Lech Walesa from Lascaris street, except tunnel access Saluzzo - Demonzey road from the avenue du Mont Alban, except residents - Bd des 2 Corniches, descending direction, from Rue Demontzey, except residents - Avenue du Mont Alban, downhill, between the bd of Mont Boron and the Corniche André de Joly, - Bd du Mont Boron, meaning rising, between the avenue du Mont Alban and the Corniche André de Joly, except residents - Bd du Mont Boron, between avenue Maeterlinck and the Corniche André de Joly, except residents - Place Max Barel - Bd of Riquier - Bd of the Army of the Alps - Bd Bishoffscheim - Bd of the Observatory - Rue Bonaparte, from Place Max Barel to rue Arson - Rue Arson, from rue Barla to Place Ile de Beauté - Rue Lascaris, from Lech Walesa to Arson Street - Rue Fodéré, from rue François Guisol to rue Arson - Place Ile de Beauté. - Rusca Street - Pacho Street - Bd Carnot, from Stalingrad to Place Ile de Beauté with the exception of residents and users of the port - Rue Foresta meaning North / South Traffic may be temporarily interrupted at all intersections upstream of the course.