The 2017 Rose Parade went off without a hitch on Monday morning, but fans of "The Bachelor" were disappointed when Nick Viall didn't take part in the festivities. In recent seasons, both Chris Soules and Ben Higgins rode on rose-covered "Bachelor" floats, waving to fans in the crowd and thrilling fans who watched the annual parade on TV.

Where was Nick, and who rode on the float in his place? That's the question many fans are asking after tuning in to the Tournament of Roses parade on Monday morning. Just hours before Nick's season premiere airs on ABC, viewers were hoping to get a glimpse of the new Bachelor on the float that was decked out in a tropical theme based on one his dates in the upcoming season.

Nick pulls a no-show

Well, let's cut the new "Bachelor" some slack. There's a good chance Nick didn't have a choice about where he was on the day of his premiere. Instead of riding on the float at the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, Nick was in New York City for an appearance on Good Morning America.

He wasn't replaced by another guy on the float, but the network did fill his spot with a few girls from his season. For those that aren't familiar with all of Nick's ladies yet, it's likely that viewers had no idea who they were, and why Nick seemingly bailed on his parade appearance.

However, there's no doubt that as the season progresses, we'll get to know all the girls quite well, especially the ones who are rumored to bring some big-time drama to the popular reality dating series.

Will Nick find love the fourth time around?

Granted, we didn't get to see Nick on the Rose Parade, but we'll see plenty of him over the next 10 weeks, as "The Bachelor" travels around the world to find love.

According to ABC, highlights of this season include a group date with the Backstreet Boys as well as dates in amazing locations, including St. Thomas, the Bahamas, and Finland (where Nick will hand out his final rose).

Watch the two-hour premiere of "The Bachelor" at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, January 2 on ABC.
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