ASO, Paris-Nice race organiser, has officially presented the route of this year's 'Race to the Sun', confirming speculations that the weeklong WorldTour race will once again end with a 9.6 km individual time trial up the Col d'Èze climb overlooking Nice.

Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) was victorious in the 2012 Col d'Èze time trial to clinch overall victory ahead of Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). This year, however, the British rider will not return to defend his title, preferring instead a rather different race programme in his preparations to conquer the Giro d'Italia.

The racing in what is the 71st edition of Paris-Nice begins on Sunday March 3 with a very short 2.9 km prologue time trial around the streets of Houilles, just north-west of the French capital.

The first stage sees the riders go from nearby Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Nemours for the first uphill finish of the race. Several rolling stages follow, taking the race south, cutting through the Massif Central to Saint Vallier in the process.

On paper stage five from Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Montagne de Lure appears to be the most challenging stage of the race, with five minor climbs before the summit finish after 13.8 km at an average gradient of 6.6%. At 1600 m, it is the highest ever finish for a Paris-Nice mountain stage. Spanish climber Alberto Contador claimed a famous stage win here in 2009 only to crack the following day to hand over overall victory to Luis Leon Sanchez.

More action in the mountains follows on Saturday March 9 taking the race to Nice with 220 km of racing in Provence. The Cote de Cabris and the Col du Ferrier combine to make another tough climb but topping out 70 km from the finish on the Promenade des Anglais they are unlikely to change anything in the overall standings. The winner of the Paris-Nice yellow jersey will be decided in the 9.6 km final time trial to the summit of Col d'Èze.

In the absence of Wiggins and with Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans and Vincenzo Nibali all participating in Tirreno-Adriatico, the 2013 version of the 'Race to the Sun' seems to be up for grabs. ASO has confirmed that Tony Martin and Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) will take part in this year's race.

2013 Paris-Nice stages:

Prologue: Sunday 3 March: Houilles, individual time trial (2.9 km)

Stage 1: Monday 4 March: Saint-Germain-en-Laye - Nemours (195 km)

Stage 2: Tuesday 5 March: Vimory - Cérilly (200.5 km)

Stage 3: Wednesday 6 March: Chatel-Guyon - Brioude (171 km)

Stage 4: Thursday 7 March: Brioude - Saint-Vallier (199.5 km)

Stage 5: Friday 8 March: Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Montagne de Lure (176 km)

Stage 6: Saturday 9 March: Manosque - Nice (220 km)

Stage 7: Sunday 10 March: Nice - Col d’Eze, individual time-trial (9.6 km).