Paris-Nice 2026: Results from Stage Two

The Course to the Sun wrapped up on Monday, March 9, 2026, in Montargis, in the Loiret department: it was Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team) who took the win at the end of the 2nd stage of the Paris-Nice 2026. He finished ahead of Laurence Pithie and Jasper Stuyven, completing the stage in 4 hours, 25 minutes, and 7 seconds. Starting from Épône in the Yvelines department, the peloton traveled 187 kilometers across the Île-de-France roads before descending into the vast plains of Gâtinais. This flat stage delivered all the excitement it promised.

In the wake of Luke Lamperti (EF Education-EasyPost) claiming victory in the first stage at Carrières-sous-Poissy, the peloton exited the Yvelines region via the roads of the Rambouillet Forest massif, passing through Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines before entering Essonne. The early part of the race featured three third-category climbs: the Côte des Mesnuls, the Côte de Villeconin, and the Côte du Pressoir. The final 70 kilometers, flat from Milly-la-Forêt to Montargis, set the stage for the sprinters to shine.

Max Kanter Takes the Lead Ahead of Pithie and Stuyven

In the end, it was Max Kanter who crossed the finish line arms raised on the long straightaway of Avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, after a massive sprint. The pre-race favorite, Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team), was unable to make his move and finished well back in the peloton. The feared wind didn't quite produce the chordons — the breakaways — that everyone was expecting. Notably, French rider Dorian Godon (INEOS Grenadiers) secured fourth place, while Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) rounded out the top 10.

Results of the Second Stage:

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1. Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team) — 4 hours, 25 minutes, and 7 seconds
2. Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) — same time
3. Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) — same time
4. Dorian Godon (INEOS Grenadiers)
5. Luke Lamperti (EF Education-EasyPost)

Overall standings after 2 stages

In the overall standings, the gaps remain nonexistent after these two flat stages, with almost the entire peloton finishing together. Max Kanter temporarily takes the lead thanks to his bonus seconds (10 seconds), ahead of Laurence Pithie (6 seconds of bonus) and Vito Braet (Lotto-Intermarché, also 6 seconds). The top contenders for the overall — Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), and Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers) — are all on the same time and haven't yet revealed their strategies. The real competition kicks off tomorrow with the team time trial.

What's Next for the 2026 Paris-Nice Race

• Stage 3 — Tuesday, March 10: Team Time Trial from Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire to Pouilly-sur-Loire (23.5 km) — the first real test for the overall contenders
• Stage 4 — Wednesday, March 11: Bourges to Uchon (195 km) — mountain finish at Signal d'Uchon
• Stage 5 — Thursday, March 12: Cormoranche-sur-Saône to Colombier-le-Vieux (205.4 km)
• Stage 6 — Friday, March 13: Barbentane to Apt (179.3 km)
• Stage 7 — Saturday, March 14: Nice to Auron (138.7 km) — summit finish at 1,614 meters altitude
• Stage 8 — Sunday, March 15: Nice loop back to Nice (145 km) — finish at Allianz Riviera stadium

All live updates and standings can be found on the official Paris-Nice website. The race will also be broadcast daily from 3:10 PM on France 3 and Eurosport.