Edited by Jaime Naragon
This year’s Tour de France has “classic” written all over. From the star-studded field of riders slated start including the return of Lance Armstrong, to the epic route announced last October. Below is a summary of the twenty-one stages:
1 Individual time-trial Monaco > Monaco 15.5 km
2 Monaco > Brignoles 187 km
3 Marseille > La Grande-Motte 196.5 km
4 Team TT Montpellier > Montpellier 39 km
5 Le Cap d’Agde > Perpignan 196.5 km
6 Gérone > Barcelone 181.5 km
7 High Mountains Barcelone > Andorre Arcalis 224 km
8 High Mountains Andorre-la-Vieille > Saint-Girons 176.5 km
9 High Mountains Saint-Gaudens > Tarbes 160.5 km
R Rest Day
10 Limoges > Issoudun 194.5 km
11 Vatan > Saint-Fargeau 192 km
12 Tonnerre > Vittel 211.5 km
13 Medium mountains Vittel > Colmar 200 km
14 Colmar > Besançon 199 km
15 High Mountains Pontarlier > Verbier 207.5 km
R Rest Day
16 High Mountains Martigny > Bourg-Saint-Maurice 159 km
17 High Mountains Bourg-Saint-Maurice > Le Grand-Bornand 169.5 km
18 Individual time-trial Annecy > Annecy 40.5 km
19 Bourgoin-Jallieu > Aubenas 178 km
20 High Mountains Montélimar > Mont Ventoux 167 km
21 Montereau-Fault-Yonne > Paris Champs-Élysées 164 km
Source: www.letour.fr
While certainly every stage is its own adventure and is important in the race, some stages are worth keeping an extra close eye on…
Stage 1
The Tour begins on July 4th in the Principality of Monaco. Monaco has been a stage-town five times, and this year, a 15.5km TT will select the first man to don the yellow jersey.
Source: www.letour.fr
Stage 4
After two days for the sprinters, the team TT will return to the Tour for the first time since 2005. The 39km route runs through Montpellier, the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon Region. The region is currently known for its chemistry, health, pharmaceuticals, and, certainly, tourism. July 7th will certainly draw an even larger crowd as cycling fans clamor to watch Garmin, Liquigas, Astana, Columbia, and Saxo Bank duke it out to be the best team on the day….or will another team spoil the front-runners?
Source: www.letour.fr
Stage 7
After two more days for the sprinters or break-aways, the Tour will venture into the mountains, starting with 5 climbs:
• Km 32.0 – Côte de Montserrat – 4.1 km climb to 3.8 % – Category 4
• Km 97.0 – Port de Solsona - 5.8 km climb to 4.3 % – Category 3
• Km 127.0 – Col de Serra-Seca - 7.7 km climb to 7.1 % – Category 1
• Km 136.5 – Port del Comte - 3.1 km climb to 5.3 % – Category 3
• Km 224.0 – ANDORRE ARCALIS – 10.6 km climb to 7.1 % – Category H
The stage begins in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, Spain. The Roman, Gothic, and Modernist architecture will be but a blur as the riders prepare for the frightening conclusion of the stage. At 2200m elevation, the Andorre Arcalis will represent one of the highest finishes in the Tour’s history. This is the first time the Tour will venture to the ski resort in the Vallnord area of Andorra.
Source: www.letour.fr
Source: www.letour.fr
Stage 9
With just two climbs it may seem odd to profile this stage, but when those two hills are classic Tour climbs, they are worth mentioning:
• Km 60.5 – Col d’Aspin - 12.3 km climb to 6.4 % – Category 1
• Km 90.0 – Col du Tourmalet – 17.1 km climb to 7.4 % – Category H
The end of the Pyrenees will be a welcome to the riders with the first rest day looming the next day. Saint-Gaudens has been a stage-town on 11 different occasions, largely due to the city’s love of athletics. The Route du Sud frequently uses the city, as do various tennis, football, rugby, and car racing contests. Tarbes will be the conclusion of the stage. This city has also been a stage-town 11 times. Most renowned for its Massey Garden, Tarbes is also important for tennis and fencing.
Source: www.letour.fr
More stages previewed after Rest Day 1.
