tour de france routes by year

The Tour de France: A Brief History

The Tour de France is an undeniably remarkable cycling event that encourages riders from all over the globe to stretch their personal physical limits and resilience.

Beginning with the first edition in 1903, the race has been through many changes, such as adding new stages and routes, and has become the massive race we know today.

In this blog, we will explore the history of this thrilling race, including the early years, the golden age where French and Italian cyclists dominated, and the modern era of cycling. It’s an inspiring journey that celebrates human achievement’s incredible power.

Humble Beginnings

The Tour de France was an incredibly audacious venture brought to life by Henri Desgrange, editor of the French sports newspaper L’Auto from 1900-1932.

Inspired by his background in cycling and organising sports events, Desgrange saw great promise in the six-day races in the United States and decided to take a chance to do something even more remarkable – a multi-stage race around France!

So it all started with Desgrange’s race announcement in January 1903. Fast forward half a year, and the first race kicked off with six stages and 2,428 km of terrain to cover in 19 days.

It was a thrilling challenge of stamina, with riders overcoming tough terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. 60 riders embarked on the race, and only 21 completed it.

Maurice Garin, a Frenchman, emerged victorious, winning three stages and finishing over two hours ahead of the runner-up and fellow Frenchman, Hippolyte Aucouturier.

The Early Years

The wild ride begins, full of controversy, discontent, and chaos. Riders resorted to cheating and sabotage in a desperate attempt to gain an edge. At the same time, the race organisers worked fruitlessly to maintain order.

The government suspended the race during World War I and II. Yet, it still managed to experience tremendous growth in popularity.

Race organisers added new stages, new riders emerged as stars, and the race helped establish cycling as a major global sport.

The first official Tour de France race takes place, consisting of six stages covering 2,428 km. Maurice Garin of France wins the race.

Mountain stages are introduced, with riders navigating the Pyrenees and the Alps.

The Tour’s organisers introduced the yellow jersey to allow spectators to identify the race’s leader quickly.

However, it was in mid-July 1919, almost a month into the race, that the jersey was awarded.

Before the yellow jersey was introduced, the race leader would wear a green armband to signal their position.

What does the yellow jersey mean?

Organisers introduced the yellow jersey (Malliot jaune) as a means for spectators to identify the race leader quickly. Organisers introduced the yellow jersey (Malliot jaune) as a means for spectators to identify the race leader quickly.

However, in mid-July 1919, almost a month into the race, they awarded the jersey.

During the Dreyfus affair , a major political scandal in France, the cost of advertising space in a leading sports paper skyrocketed, causing advertisers to become unhappy.

Advertisers withdrew their support in response to the rising cost of advertising and dissatisfaction with the paper’s support of Dreyfus. Instead, they backed the rival publication L’Auto, funded by the same advertisers.

Interestingly, L’Auto used yellow newsprint, leading some to speculate that the iconic yellow colour of the Tour de France’s yellow jersey was to match the distinctive colour in the paper purposely.

The Golden Age

The golden age of the Tour de France was a time of unparalleled greatness. French and Italian cyclists reveled in glory and became the source of national pride.

People were out in droves, cheering their heroes on and relishing their country’s great success.

It was a breathtaking sight – all around, people seemed to have come out of their homes in masses, the air thick with their passionate cheers in honour of the cycling champions, a unified spirit of love and admiration for their nation reigning strong.

Golden moments

Gino Bartali, an Italian cyclist, had a moment of glory when he achieved his second victory.

This monumental achievement was met with extreme joy from the Italian people, especially after the sorrow following the end of World War II. His victory is heroic, and he remains celebrated as a national hero in Italy.

The world held its breath as Frenchman Louison Bobet accomplished unprecedented greatness.

Bobet made history with his remarkable feat of becoming the first rider ever to win three consecutive races, an incredible accomplishment that set him apart and pushed the boundaries of what others believe can be achieved.

The legendary Jacques Anquetil rose to the challenge and achieved the impossible!

His feat of a record-breaking 5th win is a remarkable testament to his skill and unyielding dedication, making him one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen!

His accomplishment will forever be remembered and celebrated.

The Modern Era

The Tour de France of today looks drastically different from the humble event that began in France many years ago.

Just think, what was once a mere French event is now a global phenomenon, attracting riders from all corners of the world, each showing remarkable finesse and high competition standards.

Unforgettable highlights

The triumphs of French rider Laurent Fignon in 1983 and 1984 were legendary!

Famed for his daring and unorthodox approach to cycling, Fignon utilised aerodynamic equipment and a low riding position for a unique advantage over his competitors.

His feats of cycling prowess remain the stuff of legends.

The cycling world was devastated by the doping scandal, with multiple riders testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

This led to urgent action from race organisers, taking necessary steps to prevent further cheating and bringing in stricter testing protocols and punishments for cyclists who violate the rules.

What an incredible moment for Australia when Cadel Evans, who had already tasted defeat twice in 2007 and 2008, finally won in 2011! This victory had a lasting impact on cycling in Australia, inspiring a new generation of riders and cycling enthusiasts.

The legend continues

The Tour de France stands head and shoulders above other sporting events – its real presence on the world stage continues its strength.

It remains the go-to competition for top cyclists worldwide, a gruelling challenge that tests every aspect of their skill and strength.

People come from near and far to witness this awe-inspiring event, and it continues to captivate the hearts and minds of millions across the globe.

New routes and stages

In recent years, organisers have updated the course design to make the race even more exciting and captivating, including the following:

On this historic day, the 109th edition marked its inaugural start in Yorkshire, England, thus beginning a new era for the world-renowned race.

Following the English Channel crossing, the riders continued through France, with a challenging mountain stage in the Vosges and a grand finale on the towering Puy-de-Dôme volcano.

The Tour de France included a particularly difficult stage that ended with a climb up the iconic Mont Ventoux. An unfortunate motorbike incident occurred at Challet Reynard near the summit.

Several riders, including overall race winner Chris Froome, had to run with their bikes to complete the stage.

The twenty-first stage provided a thrilling conclusion as riders faced a challenging ascent of the Col du Portet in the Pyrenees, with steep inclines and decreased oxygen levels at higher altitudes.

The race began in the enchanted region of Brittany and culminated in the City of Love – Paris, as is tradition! Yet, this year the cyclists were presented with new obstacles, including:

• The daunting Mont Ventoux
• The steep ascent up the Col du Portet in the Pyrenees!

With a booming start from Copenhagen, the 2022 tour began its epic 3,328km journey through Belgium, France and the Alps.

After battling six gruelling mountain stages and five altitude finishes, riders faced their final challenges in the Pyrenees mountains before the action-packed final stage on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

This is a testament to how passionate the organisers are about creating a challenging and beautiful route that celebrates the diverse landscape of France and surrounding countries.

Experience the Ultimate Tour de France Tour

We are absolutely in love with France – the people, its unique art and culture, its incredible food and wine , its long and fascinating history, the beautiful outdoors, the magnificent mountains and its unparalleled enthusiasm for the world’s biggest sporting event.

We are excited to show you the dream Tour de France experience, including our loop rides of:

• Alpe D’huez
• Mont Ventoux, Paris
• Many more breathtaking locations around France.

View our Ultimate Tour de France cycling tour details for more information on an experience you won’t forget!

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Tour de France 2021 - Stages, schedule, route map and key dates in the battle for yellow jersey

Updated 28/06/2021 at 11:44 GMT

A balanced route that leans slightly towards the general classification rider with a strong time trial, the 2021 Tour de France route is an intriguing prospect. There are as many as eight potential stages for the sprinters, as well as some epic climbing days – including a trip into the Alps in the first week, plus a double-ascent of Mont Ventoux to contend with.

Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic celebrate at the end of stage 21 of the Tour de France 2020

Image credit: Getty Images

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Tour de France 2021 - results and standings

Tour de france 2021 - the route.

• 26 June, Stage 1: Brest - Landerneau (197.8km, hilly)
• 27 June, Stage 2: Perros-Guirec - Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan (183.5km, hilly)
• 28 June, Stage 3: Lorient - Pontivy (182.7km, flat)
• 29 June, Stage 4: Redon - Fougères (150.4km, flat)

30 June, Stage 5: Changé - Laval (27.2km, ITT)

• 1 July, Stage 6: Tours - Châteauroux (160.6km, flat)
• 2 July, Stage 7: Vierzon - Le Creusot (249.1km, hilly)
• 3 July, Stage 8: Oyonnax - Le Gran-Bornand (150.8km, mountains)

4 July, Stage 9: Cluses - Tignes (144.9km, mountains)

• 5 July, first rest day
• 6 July, Stage 10: Albertville - Valence (190.7km, flat)

7 July, Stage 11: Sorgues - Malaucène (198.9km, mountains)

8 july, stage 12: saint-paul-trois-châteaux - nîmes (159.4km, flat).

• 9 July, Stage 13: Nîmes - Carcassonne (219.9km, flat)
• 10 July, Stage 14: Carcassonne - Quillan (183.7km, hilly)

11 July, Stage 15: Céret - Andorra la Vella (191.3km, mountains)

• 12 July, second rest day
• 13 July, Stage 16: Pas de la Case - Saint-Gaudens (169km, mountains)

14 July, Stage 17: Muret - Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet (174.8km)

• 15 July, Stage 18: Pau - Luz-Ardiden (129.7km, mountains)
• 16 July, Stage 19: Mourenx - Libourne (207km, flat)

17 July, Stage 20: Libourne – Saint-Émilion (30.8km, ITT)

• 18 July, Stage 21: Chatou - Paris Champs-Élysées (112km, flat)

Tour de France 2021 - route map

The Tour de France route for 2021

Image credit: Eurosport

Tour de France 2021 - KEY stages

Stage 5 profile: Changé – Laval (ITT)

Stage 9 profile: Cluses - Tignes

Stage 11 profile: Sorgues - Malaucène

Stage 12 profile: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Nîmes

Stage 15 profile: Céret - Andorre-La-Vieille

Stage 17 profile: Muret - Col du Portet

Stage 20 profile: Libourne - Saint Emilion (ITT)

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Tour de France 2023 route: Every stage of the 110th edition in detail

This year's race has kicked off in Bilbao, in Spain's Basque Country. It looks like it'll be a Tour for the climbers, with the Puy de Dôme returning and 56,400 metres of climbing in all

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The 2023 men's Tour de France began in Bilbao, Spain on Saturday, July 1, with a route that looks set to be one for the climbers. It features four summit finishes, including a return for the iconic Puy de Dôme climb for the first time since 1988.

There is just one time trial across the three-week event, a short uphill race against the clock from Passy to Combloux over 22km. There are also returns for other epic climbs like the Col de la Loze and the Grand Colombier, with 56,400 metres of climbing on the Tour de France 2023 route.

The race started on foreign soil for the second year in a row, with a Grand Départ in the Spanish Basque Country , the setting for the race's 120th anniversary. There were two hilly stages in Spain, before the peloton crossed the border into France for a stage finish in Bayonne on day three. 

After visiting Pau for the 74th time on stage five, the race's first real mountain test came on stage six, leaving Tarbes and cresting the Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet before a summit finish in Cauterets. 

On stage seven, the Tour’s second most visited city, Bordeaux, will welcome its first stage finish since 2010, when Mark Cavendish claimed his 14th of a record 34 stage wins. Leaving nearby Libourne the next day, stage eight will head east on a 201km slog to Limoges. 

Before the first rest day, the riders will wind up to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, a dormant lava dome which hasn’t featured in the Tour for 35 years. They’ll then enjoy a well-earned day off in Clermont-Ferrand before continuing their passage through the Massif Central. 

France’s national holiday, 14 July, will be celebrated next year with a summit finish on the Grand Colombier, the site of Tadej Pogačar ’s second stage win back in 2020. From there, the mountains keep coming. The riders will climb over the Col de Joux Plaine to Morzine on stage 14, before another mountaintop test in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc the next day. 

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The sole individual time trial of the Tour de Franc route comes on stage 16, when a hilly 22km dash from Passy to Combloux will give the GC contenders a chance to force time gaps. The following day will bring the stage with the highest elevation gain, counting 5000m of climbing en route to the Courchevel altiport, via the Cormet de Roselend and the monstrous Col de la Loze. 

On stages 18 and 19, the sprinters are expected to come to the fore, with flat finishes in Bourg-en-Bresse and Poligny. 

The penultimate stage will play out in the country’s most easterly region, ascending the Petit Ballon, Col du Platzerwasel and finishing in Le Markstein, as the Tour de France Femmes did last year. 

The riders will then undertake a 500km transfer to the outskirts of Paris for the curtain-closing stage. The final day will start at France’s national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the track cycling venue for the 2024 Olympics, and will conclude with the customary laps of the capital’s Champs-Elysées. 

The 2023 Tour de France will begin on 1 July, with the winner crowned in Paris on 23 July. 

2023 Tour de France stage table

Jonas Vingegaard raced in the Basque Country this year

Tour de France route week summary

Tour de france week one.

The race began in Bilbao, starting in the Basque Country for the first time since 1992, when the Tour started in San Sebastian. The first two stages are packed full of climbs, with ten classified hills in over the opening couple of days, meaning there will be a fierce battle for the polka-dot jersey. Watch out for Basque fans going crazy on the roadside.

Stage three saw the race cross into France, which it will not leave for the rest of the 18 days. As expected we saw a sprint finish in Bayonne, even after four categorised climbs en-route. Nothing is easy this year.

The fourth day was another sprint, on a motor racing circuit in Nogaro, as the race moved, ominously, towards the Pyrenees. The Hors Categorie Col de Soudet on stage five was the first proper mountain of the race, and was followed by the Col de Marie Blanque, which has tough gradients. A GC day early on, although they are all GC days, really.

Stage five was a mountain top finish in Cauterets-Cambasque, but its gradients didn't catch too many out; it is the Col d'Aspin and Col du Tourmalet that will put people through it.

The seventh day of the race was a chance for the riders to relax their legs as the race headed northwest to an almost nailed-on sprint finish, before another opportunity for the the remaining fast men presented itself on stage eight - after two category four climbs towards the end, and an uphill finish.

The long first week of the race - which will have felt longer because last year had a bonus rest day - ended with the mythical Puy de Dôme.

Tour de France week two

Magnus Cort in the breakaway on stage 10 of the Tour de France 2022

The second week begins with a lumpy road stage around Clermont-Ferrand, starting from a volcano-themed theme park. This will surely be a day for the break. The next day could also be one if the sprint teams fail to get their act together, with two early categorised climbs potential ambush points.

Back into the medium mountains on stage 12, with a finish in the wine making heartland of the Beaujolais, Belleville. Another day for the break, probably, but none of the five categorised climbs are easy.

The following day, stage 13, is France's national holiday, 14 Juillet. The Grand Colombier at the end of the day is the big attraction, with its slopes expected to cause shifts on the GC. Stage 14 is yet another mountain stage as the Tour really gets serious, with the Col de la Ramaz followed by the Col de Joux Plane. The latter, 11.6km at 8.5%, will be a real test for a reduced peloton, before a downhill finish into Morzine.

The final day of week two, stage 15, is yet another day in the Alps before a rest day in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc. There is nothing as fearsome as the previous days, but 4527m of climbing should still be feared.

Tour de France week three

Tadej Pogačar in the final time trial at the 2022 Tour de France

The third and final week begins with the race's only time trial, 22km long and with a lot of uphill. It is not a mountain event, but it is certainly not one for the pure rouleurs .

Stage 17 looks like the race's Queen Stage, with the final climb up to the Col de la Loze looking incredibly tough on paper, and in real life. That follows the Col de Saisies, the Cormet de Roselend and the Côte de Longefoy, adding up to 5,100m of climbing. The race might be decided on this day.

After that, there is a nice day for the sprinters on stage 18, with a flat finish in Bourg-en-Bresse surely one for the fast men. The next day, stage 19 could be a breakaway day or a sprint finish, depending on how desperate teams are feeling, or how powerful the remaining leadout trains are.

The final mountainous day comes on the penultimate stage, with the men following the Femmes lead and finishing in Le Markstein. However, there's no Grand Ballon, just the Petit Ballon, and so unless something chaotic happens, there should not be great time switches on this stage.

Then, at last, there is the usual finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, after the race heads out of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, which has a long-term deal to host the start of Paris-Nice too. ASO country.

Remember, this will be the last time Paris hosts the Tour de France until 2025. So, be prepared.

Tour de France 2023: The stages

Stage one: Bilbao to Bilbao (182km)

The opening stage is very lumpy

There was no easing into the Tour de France for the peloton this year, with a tough, punchy day in the Basque Country. Adam Yates took the first yellow jersey of the 2023 Tour de France after a scintillating stage in the Basque Country that saw the overall battle for the Tour take shape at the earliest opportunity.

The Briton emerged clear over the top of the final climb of the stage, the short and steep Côte de Pike, with his twin brother Simon a few seconds behind him. The pair worked well together to stay clear of the chasing bunch of GC contenders before Adam rode his brother off his wheel inside the final few hundred metres to claim victory.

Stage two: Vitoria-Gasteiz to Saint Sebastian (208.9km)

Still in the Basque Country, there is a Klasikoa theme to stage two

This was the longest stage of the Tour, surprisingly.  Five more categorised climbs meant  it was unlikely to be a sprint stage, including the Jaizkibel, famous from the Clasica San Sebastian, tackled on its eastern side 20km from the finish. This second stage from Vitoria Gasteiz to San Sebastian on the Basque coast followed many of the roads of the San Sebastian Classic, held here every summer.

An early break was soon established in the first 50km and established a three-minute advantage. However, the break was reeled in and a group, including the yellow jersey Adam Yates, pressed towards the finish with Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) clearly hoping it would finish in a sprint. 

Victor Lafay (Cofidis) had other ideas however, and with all and sundry already having attacked Van Aert, Lafay finally made it stick with a kilometre to go, holding off the reduced bunch all the way to the line.

Stage three: Amorebiata-Etxano to Bayonne (187.4km)

Still some hills, but this should be a sprint stage

The third stage took the riders from Amorebieta-Etxano in the Basque Country and back into France, finishing at Bayonne in what was always tipped to be a bunch sprint.  Ultimately, despite a very strong showing in the leadout by Fabio Jakobsen's Soudal-Quick Step team, it was Jasper Philipsen who triumphed , having benefited from a deluxe leadout by team-mate Mathieu Van Der Poel.

Mark Cavendish, who is hunting for a record 35th stage win in what will be his final Tour de France, was sixth.

Stage four: Dax to Nogaro (181.8km)

A nailed on bunch sprint, surely. Surely!

Now this one was always going to be a sprint finish, right? It finished on a motor racing circuit in Nogaro, meaning teams have a long old time to sort their leadout trains.  After a sleepy day out all hell broke lose on the finishing circuit with a series of high speed crashes. Jasper Philipsen was one of the few sprinters to still have a lead-out man at his disposal and when that lead-out man is of the quality of Mathieu van der Poel he was always going to be very difficult to beat. So it proved with Australian Caleb Ewan chasing him down hard but unable to come around him.  Philipsen's win handed him the green jersey too .

Stage five: Pau to Laruns (162.7km)

The first proper mountain, and the first sorting out, as early as stage five

The first Hors Categorie climb of the race came on stage five, the Col de Soudet, which is 15.2km at 7.2%, before the Col de Marie-Blanque and its steep gradients. It certainly ignited the GC battle!  

A break that at one point contained 37 riders was never allowed more than a few minutes, but that proved unwise for Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar behind. Ultimately, with the break already splintering on the final big climb – the Col de Marie-Blanque – Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), riding his first Tour de France, attacked. 

With Hindley time trialling the largely downhill 18km to the finish, Vingegaard attempted to chase him down – and put time into Pogačar as he did so.

Picking up strays from the early break on the way, Vingegaard got to within 34 seconds of Hindley, but it wasn't enough to stop the Australian from taking the stage win, and the yellow jersey .

Stage six: Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque (144.9km)

While in the Pyrenees, why not tackle a few more mountains?

A day of aggressive racing in the Pyrenees towards the first summit finish saw Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) take the yellow jersey but Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) win the stage .

Having had his team set a blistering pace on the Col du Tourmalet, Vingegaard attacked with 4km until the summit. Only Pogačar could follow him as yellow jersey holder Jai Hindley dropped back to the peloton

Having joined up with super domestique Wout van Aert over the top, the group of favourites were towed up the first half of the final climb before Vingegaard attacked. Once again Pogačar followed and with two kilometers to go the Slovenian counter-attacked.

He clawed back nearly half a minute by the line, making the race for yellow a three horse race between those two and Hindley in the process. 

Stage seven: Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux (169.9km)

Bordeaux is always a sprint finish

Renowned as a sprint finish town, Bordeaux didn't disappoint the hopeful fastmen –except perhaps for Mark Cavendish, who had to concede victory to hat-trick man Jasper Philipsen, despite a very strong charge for the line from the Manxman .

With Cavendish hunting that elusive 35th record stage win, and having won here last time the Tour came visiting in 2010, many eyes were on the Astana Qazaqstan rider, with on-form Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who has won twice already, starting as favourite.

The day began with Arkéa-Samsic's Simon Gugliemi forging what turned out to be a solo break that lasted 130 kilometres. He was joined by Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) and Nans Peters (Ag2r-Citroën) halfway through the stage, the trio forming a purposeful triumvirate of home riders.

However, with the sprinters and their teams on the hunt and few places to hide on what was a hot day crammed with long, straight roads, the break served only as a placeholder for the day's main action in Bordeaux.

A technical finish with roundabouts aplenty, first Jumbo-Visma (in the service of GC leader Jonas Vingegaard) and then Alpecin-Deceuninck took the race by the scruff of the neck in the final. Philipsen enjoyed a marquee leadout from team-mate Mathieu Van Der Poel, but when Cavendish turned on the afterburners at around 150m and leapt forward, the whole cycling world held its breath.

That 35th stage win had to wait for another day though, with Philipsen sweeping past in what was yet another command performance from the Belgian.

Stage eight: Libourne to Limoges (200.7km)

Three categorised climbs in the final 70km could catch people out

Mads Pedersen powered to victory up a punchy finish on stage eight of the  Tour de France , managing to hold off green jersey  Jasper Philipsen  in the process.

Pedersen, the Lidl-Trek rider, now has two Tour stage wins to his name, in a finish which mixed pure sprinters and punchier riders. Alpecin-Deceuninck's Philipsen was third, with Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in third. To prove how mixed the top ten was, however, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) finished behind the likes of Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis).

On a day which could have been one for the breakaway, the race was controlled expertly by Jumbo, Trek and Alpecin for their options, and so the escapees were never allowed much time. Sadly, stage eight turned out to Mark Cavendish's last - the Astana-Qazaqstan rider crashed heavily and was forced to abandon .

Stage nine: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dôme (184km)

The Puy de Dôme is back, and is vicious

In a north American showdown it was Canada that came out on top as  Michael Woods  beat American rival  Matteo Jorgenson  to the win atop the legendary Puy de Dôme.

Jorgenson had gone solo form a breakaway with 40km left to race. However, on the slopes of the Puy de Dôme where the gradient remains over 105 for more than four kilometres, Woods closed the gap and came around Jorgenson with just 600m left to go.

In the final kilometre, of what had been a blisteringly hot day with temperatures north of 30 degree Celsius, Tadej Pogačar managed to drop Jonas Vingegaard but the Jumbo-Visma captain dug deep to minimise his losses and came across the line eight seconds down.

Stage 10: Vulcania to Issoire (162.7km)

Five categorised climbs over this Volcanic stage

The breakaway had its day in Issoire, as Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) won beneath the scorching sun in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. 

After a frantic start, the mood finally settled and a 14-rider move went clear. Krists Neilands (Israel Premier Tech) launched a solo bid with around 30km remaining, but was caught in the closing moments by a chasing group led by Bilbao. The Spaniard then policed attacks in the finale, before sprinting to his team's first victory at this year's race. 

"For Gino," Bilbao said afterwards, dedicating his win to his late teammate, Gino Mäder .  

Stage 11: Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins (179.8km)

The flat finalé hints at a sprint, but it could be a break day

After a difficult previous day that was hot and hilly, the bunch allowed the break to go very quickly, with Andrey Amador, Matis Louvel and Daniel Oss quickly gaining three minutes. They were kept on a tight leash though, with the sprinters' teams eyeing a bunch finish. And this they delivered, with Jasper Philipsen winning a fourth stage after a tricky finale.

Stage 12: Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais (168.8km)

Hills return, with some steep, punchy ones towards the end

Just like stage ten, Thursday's stage 12 was a fast and frenetic affair on the road to Belleville-en-Beaujolais. A strong group of puncheur type riders eventually got up the road after the breakaway took more than 80 kilometres to form. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) came out on top at the finish, soloing to the line after a big attack on the final climb of the day. 

Stage 13: Châtillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier (138km)

Welcome to the Alps, here's an hors categorie climb

Michał Kwiatkowski took an impressive solo victory on the summit finish of the Grand Colombier. The Polish rider caught and passed the remnants of the day's breakaway which included Great Britain's James Shaw to grab his second-ever Tour stage win. Behind the Ineos rider, Tadej Pogačar attacked and took eight seconds back on Jonas Vingegaard in the fight for the yellow jersey. 

Stage 14: Annemasse to Morzine Les Portes du Soleil (151.8km)

Five categorised climbs, four of which are one and above. Ouch.

Carlos Rodríguez announced himself on his Tour de France debut on stage 14 with a career-defining victory in Morzine. While all eyes were on Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar, the Spaniard broke free on the descent of the Col de Joux Plane and descended as if on rails to the finish. 

Stage 15: Les Gets Les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc (179km)

Back to a summit finish, there is no escape at this Tour

The breakaway had its day at the summit of Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. After dedicating his career to domestique duties, the victory went to Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious), who launched a late attack on the steepest slopes and held off Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) to the line.

Stage 16: Passy to Combloux ITT (22.4km)

A time trial! But not a flat one

Stage 16 brought the fewest time trial kilometres at the Tour de France in 90 years. On the uphill test to Combloux, Jonas Vingegaard proved the strongest , and by quite a way, too. The Dane's winning margin of 1-38 over Tadej Pogačar left him in the driving seat to taking his second Tour title.

Stage 17: Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc to Courchevel (165.7km)

Back to  the proper mountains, and there will be no let up on the final Wednesday

The Queen stage brought a career-defining victory for Austrian Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën), but all eyes were on the GC battle, and the demise of Tadej Pogačar. The UAE Team Emirates rider cracked on the slopes of the Col de la Loze, losing almost six minutes to Jonas Vingegaard, and slipping to 7-35 in the overall standings.

Stage 18: Moûtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse (184.9km)

Two category four climbs on the road to a chicken-themed sprint

Denmark's Kasper Asgreen put in one of the best performances of the race to grab his first-ever Tour victory . The Soudal Quick-Step rider was part of a four man breakaway that managed to hold on all the way to the line by just a handful of seconds ahead of the peloton.

Stage 19: Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny (172.8km)

Another sprint, maybe, or a heartbreaking chase which fails to bring the breakaway back

Matej Mohorič of Bahrain Victorious took an emotional victory in Poligny after a chaotic day of racing. The Slovenian rider launched an attack with Kasper Asgreen and Ben O'Connor on the final climb of the hilly stage before beating his breakaway compatriots in a three-up sprint for the line. It was Mohorič's third-ever Tour victory.

Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein Fellering (133.5km)

One last chance. Six categorised climbs, will it shake up the GC?

The race might be very near Germany at this point, but Belfort remained French after the Franco-Prussian War, unlike the territory the penultimate stage travels into. 

This is the last chance saloon for all teams and riders who aren’t sprinters, especially those with GC ambitions. However, it is not quite the task of the previous Alpine days, with the six categorised climbs not the most testing. Still, there will be a lot of people trying to make things happen.

Stage 21: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris (115.1km)

The classic Parisian sprint. Lovely.

This will be the last time the Tour heads to Paris until at least 2025, so make the most of those shots of the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. The classic procession will happen for the first 55km until the race hits the Champs for the first time 60km in. From that point on, anything goes, although that anything will probably be a bunch sprint.

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Adam is Cycling Weekly ’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.

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All the Stages of the 2021 Tour de France

A map of every stage from this year’s race, which takes place from June 26-July 18.

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STAGE 1 BREST - LANDERNEAU (197.8km)

STAGE 2 PERROS GUIREC - MÛR-DE-BRETAGNE GUERLÉDAN (183.5km)

STAGE 3 LORIENT - PONTIVY (182.9km)

STAGE 4 REDON - FOUGÈRES (150.4km)

STAGE 5 CHANGÉ - LAVAL ESPACE MAYENNE (27.2km)

STAGE 6 TOURS - CHÂEAUROUX (160.6km)

STAGE 7 VIERZON - LE CREUSOT (249.1km)

STAGE 8 OYONNAX - LE GRAND-BORNAND (150.8km)

STAGE 9 CLUSES - TIGNES (144.9km)

STAGE 10 ALBERTVILLE - VALENCE (190.7km)

STAGE 11 SORGUES - MALAUCÈNE (198.9km)

STAGE 12 SAINT-PAUL-TROIS-CHÂTEAUX - NÎMES (159.4km)

STAGE 13 NÎMES CARASSONNE (219.9km)

STAGE 14 CARCASSONNE - QUILLAN (183.7km)

STAGE 15 CÉRET - ANDORRE-LA-VIEILLE (191.3km)

STAGE 16 PAS DE LA CASE - SAINT-GAUDENS (169km)

STAGE 17 MAURET - SAINT-LARY-SOULAN COL DU PORTET (178.4km)

STAGE 18 PAU - LUZ ARDIDAN (129.7km)

STAGE 19 MOURENX - LIBOURNE (207km)

STAGE 20 LIBOURNE - SAINT ÉMILION (30.8km)

Laura is the summer 2021 editorial intern for Popular Mechanics, Runner's World, and Bicycling. Her work can also be found at Oprah Daily. She is a student at Howard University in Washington, D.C. where she studies English and Art History. When she isn't fighting the temptation to use passive voice, you can typically find her hunched over her Strat or working on her zine.

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Tour de France

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2023 tour de france route: stage profiles, previews, start, finish times.

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A stage-by-stage look at the 2023 Tour de France route with profiles, previews and estimated start and finish times (all times Eastern) ...

Stage 1/July 1: Bilbao-Bilbao (113 miles) Hilly Neutralized Start: 6:30 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:15 a.m. Quick Preview: The Grant Départ is held in the Basque Country as the Tour’s first three stages start in Spain. There are five categorized climbs, though none of the highest difficulty, with 21 King of the Mountain points available and 50 green jersey points. An uphill finish could neutralize the top sprinters.

TOUR DE FRANCE: Broadcast Schedule

Stage 2/July 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz-San Sebastián (130 miles) Hilly Neutralized Start: 6:15 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:04 a.m. Quick Preview: Five more climbs with the toughest coming near the end of the longest stage of the Tour. If no breakaways are successful, the sprinters will be rewarded with a flat finish.

Stage 3/July 3: Amorebieta-Etxano-Bayonne (120 miles) Flat Neutralized Start: 7 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:27 a.m. Quick Preview: The first flat stage brings the Tour into France along the Bay of Biscay coastline. Could be Mark Cavendish’s first prime opportunity to break the Tour stage wins record he shares with Eddy Merckx.

Stage 4/July 4: Dax-Nogaro (114 miles) Flat Neutralized Start: 7:10 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:12 a.m. Quick Preview: Another flat stage, this one finishing at France’s first purpose-built motor racing venue, the Circuit Paul Armagnac, with the final 1.9 miles taking place on the track.

Stage 5/July 5: Pau-Laruns (103 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:21 a.m. Quick Preview: The first of eight mountain stages that will collectively visit France’s five biggest mountain ranges. This one is in the Pyrenees with three summits in the second half of the day followed by a flat run-in to the finish. Expect the overall standings to shake up.

Stage 6/July 6: Tarbes-Cauterets (90 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:10 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:08 a.m. Quick Preview: The first of four summit finishes of this year’s Tour. Summit finishes are usually where the real yellow jersey contenders separate from the pack. Could be the first duel between 2022 Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard and 2020 and 2021 Tour winner Tadej Pogacar.

Stage 7/July 7: Mont-de-Marsan-Bordeaux (110 miles) Flat Neutralized Start: 7:15 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:07 a.m. Quick Preview: Flattest stage of the Tour with a single fourth-category climb. Cavendish won the last time a Tour stage finished in Bordeaux in 2010.

Stage 8/July 8: Libourne-Limoges (125 miles) Hilly Neutralized Start: 6:30 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:07 a.m. Quick Preview: A transition day as the Tour heads to the Massif Central. A 5% uphill in the last 700 meters might mean this is not a sprinters’ day.

Stage 9/July 9: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat-Puy de Dôme (114 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:30 a.m. Estimated Finish: 12:05 p.m. Quick Preview: A summit finish -- to a dormant volcano -- before a rest day is sure to shake up the overall standings. Puy de Dôme returns to the Tour after a 35-year absence.

Stage 10/July 11: Vulcania-Issoire (104 miles) Hilly Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:19 a.m. Quick Preview: The hilliest day of the Tour. Begins at a volcano-themed amusement park.

Stage 11/July 12: Clermont-Ferrand-Moulins (110 miles) Flat Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:19 a.m. Quick Preview: The last flat stage until the 19th stage. If Cavendish hasn’t gotten a stage win yet, the pressure will start to mount.

Stage 12/July 13: Roanne-Belleville-en-Beaujolais (103 miles) Hilly Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:21 a.m. Quick Preview: Even with three late climbs, don’t expect a yellow jersey battle with back-to-back-to-back mountain stages after this.

Stage 13/July 14: Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne-Grand Colombier (86 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:45 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:12 a.m. Quick Preview: On Bastille Day, the second and final beyond-category summit finish of this year’s Tour. The French have incentive to break away on their national holiday, but this is a climb for the yellow jersey contenders. A young Pogacar won here in 2020.

Stage 14/July 15: Annemasse-Morzine (94 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:18 a.m. Quick Preview: Another selective day in the Alps, with each climb seemingly tougher than the last. The downhill into the finish could neutralize attacks from the last ascent.

Stage 15/July 16: Les Gets-Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (110 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 12 p.m. Quick Preview: The last of three consecutive mountain stages features the last summit finish of the Tour. The eventual Tour winner could emerge here given the next stage’s time trial is only 14 miles.

Stage 16/July 18: Passy-Combloux (14 miles) Individual Time Trial First Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:36 a.m. Quick Preview: After a rest day, the Tour’s lone, short time trial will be punctuated by a late climb. Only twice in the last 50 years has there been just one time trial (including team time trials and prologues).

Stage 17/July 19: Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Courchevel (103 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 6:20 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:03 a.m. Quick Preview: The first of two mountain stages in the last week of the Tour. It’s the most difficult of the eight total mountain stages with more than 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) of elevation gain, capped by the beyond category Col de la Loze just before the descent to the finish.

Stage 18/July 20: Moûtiers-Bourg-en-Bresse (116 miles) Hilly Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:31 a.m. Quick Preview: About as flat of a “hilly” stage as one gets. Should still be a day for the sprinters who made it through the mountains.

Stage 19/July 21: Moirans-en-Montagne-Poligny (107 miles) Flat Neutralized Start: 7:15 a.m. Estimated Finish: 11:11 a.m. Quick Preview: An undulating stage with a relieving descent toward the end. The last kilometer goes up a 2.6% incline, which could take the sting out of some sprinters.

Stage 20/July 22: Belfort-Le Markstein (83 miles) Mountain Neutralized Start: 7:30 a.m. Estimated Finish: 10:54 a.m. Quick Preview: The last competitive day for the yellow jersey is highlighted by two late category-one climbs that could determine the overall champion should it be close going into the day.

Stage 21/July 23: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines-Paris (71 miles) Flat Neutralized Start: 10:30 a.m. Estimated Finish: 1:28 p.m. Quick Preview: The ceremonial ride into Paris, almost always a day for the sprinters. Should be the final Tour stage for Cavendish and Peter Sagan, who both plan to retire from road cycling after this season.

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Tour de France 2023 stage-by-stage guide: Route maps and profiles for all 21 days

A closer look at every day of the race from bilbao to paris, article bookmarked.

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The 2023 Tour de France has all the ingredients of a classic: two leading protagonists ready to tear lumps out of each other in reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard and the deposed Tadej Pogacar; entertaining multi-talented stage hunters Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe and Tom Pidcock; the great Mark Cavendish chasing a historic 35th stage win; all facing a brutal route with 56,000m of climbing and four summit finish.

The Tour began in the Spanish Basque country on Saturday 1 July, where Adam Yates edged twin brother Simon to win the opening stage, and these hilly routes will throw open the yellow jersey to a wide range of contenders. The race crosses the French border for some flat stages and an early jaunt into the high Pyrenees, where the Col du Tourmalet awaits. The peloton takes on the Puy de Dome volcano on its journey across France towards the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and it is in the mountains that this Tour will ultimately be decided. It all ends on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday 23 July.

Here is a stage-by-stage guide to how the race will unfold.

Stage 1: Bilbao to Bilbao, 182km

The 2023 Tour de France starts outside Bilbao’s iconic Guggenheim Museum, and winds north to the Bay of Biscay coastline before returning to the city where the stage winner will take the yellow jersey. This 182km opening stage is a hilly route with 3,000m of climbing featuring five categorised ascents, of which the final two are sharp and testing: they are tough enough to shake off the dedicated sprinters and open up early glory for the best puncheurs – those riders with the legs to get over short climbs and the power to surge away on the other side.

The profile of this stage is a great choice by organisers as it could suit just about anyone, from the speed of Wout van Aert to the climbing strength Tom Pidcock or Simon Yates – even two-time champion Tadej Pogacar.

• Jumbo’s Death Star and Pidcock’s dog: Inside the Tour de France’s Grand Depart

Stage 2: Vitoria Gastiez to Saint Sebastian, 209km

The peloton will head east from Bilbao, touching more picturesque Basque coastline before arriving at the finish in San Sebastian. At more than 200km this is the longest stage of the 2023 Tour and, with the sizeable Jaizkibel climb (8.1km, 5.3% average gradient) shortly before the finish, this is even more tough on the legs than the first day. Another puncheur with the climbing strength to get over the steeper hills can capitalise, like two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe.

• ‘ Coup du kilometre’: How to win a Tour de France stage hiding in plain sight

Stage 3: Amorebieta to Bayonne, 187km

Stage three starts in Spain and ends in France, and the finale in Bayonne is ripe for a bunch sprint. Mark Cavendish will get his first shot of this race at trying to win a historic 35th Tour de France stage, but he will be up against a stacked field including former QuickStep teammate Fabio Jakobsen and the awesome speed of Wout van Aert. It will be fascinating to get a first glimpse of how the power riders stack up.

• ‘Jasper the Disaster’ rebuts Netflix nickname with controversial win

Stage 4: Dax to Nogaro, 182km

Another flat day and an even faster finish in store on the Circuit Paul Armagnac, a race track in Nogaro. The 800m home straight will almost certainly tee up a showdown between the Tour’s serious fast men.

• Cavendish falls short as Philipsen wins crash-laden sprint

Stage 5: Pau to Laruns, 163km

The first major mountains of the Tour come a little earlier than usual, as the peloton heads up into the high Pyrenees on day five. The Col de Soudet (15km, 7.2%) is one of the toughest climbs of the race and rears up halfway through this 163km route from Pau to Laruns. The category one Col de Marie Blanque (7.7km, 8.6%) guards the finish 20km out, and holds bonus seconds for those first over the top to incentivise the major contenders to come to the fore and fight it out.

• Hindley grabs the yellow jersey as Vingegaard punishes Pogacar

Stage 6: Tarbes to Cauterets, 145km

This has the potential to be a thrilling day: the 145km route takes on the double trouble of the category one Col d’Aspin (12km, 6.5%) followed by the monstrous hors categorie Tourmalet (17.1km, 7.3%), before a fast ascent and a final climb to the summit finish at Cauterets (16km, 5.4%).

It is a day with several possible outcomes. The general classification contenders could fight it out in a showdown to the summit. Then again, a breakaway could be allowed to escape which would open up victory – and perhaps the yellow jersey – to an outsider. The last time the Tour finished in Cauterets in 2015, breakaway specialist Rafal Majka surged clear of his fellow escapers to win. Keep an eye on Ineos’s Tom Pidcock, who could use the long, fast descent from the Tourmalet summit to speed to the front, as he did before winning atop Alpe d’Huez last year.

• Pogacar responds to send message to Vingegaard

Stage 7: Mont de Marsan to Bordeaux, 170km

The first week of racing finishes in the Tour’s second most visited city, Bordeaux, and it’s a third flat day for the sprinters to contest. Much will depend on who has best preserved their legs through the high mountains when they come to this tight, technical finish on the banks of the Garonne river in the city centre.

• Philipsen pips Cavendish in thrilling finish to deny Brit all-time record

Stage 8: Libourne to Limoges, 201km

A long, hilly day will see the peloton head 201km east from Libourne outside Bordeaux to Limoges. The lumpy stage should suit a puncheur but it is not a particularly taxing set of climbs – only three are categorised and the toughest of those is just 2.8km at 5.2%. So could a determined team carry their sprinter to the finish and the stage win? Look out for Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, superstars with the all-round talent to conquer the climbs and still finish fast.

• Cavendish crashes out to end Tour de France record hopes

Stage 9: Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dome, 184km

The final stage before the relief of the first rest day is relatively flat and gentle – until a brutal finish atop the iconic Puy de Dome volcano, a 13.3km drag at a gruelling 7.7% average gradient that last appeared in the Tour in 1988. The summit finish will require a serious climber’s legs to clinch the stage win, and the general classification contenders may well let a breakaway get ahead and fight for that prize.

• Woods takes win as Pogacar hits back at Vingegaard

Rest day: Clermont-Ferrand, Monday 10 July.

Stage 10: Parc Vulcania to Issoire, 167km

The race resumes in the centre of France from Vulcania – a volcano-themed amusement park – where riders will embark on a hilly 167km route through the Volcans d’Auvergne regional park, finishing down in the small town of Issiore. With five categorised climbs, including the sizeable Col de Guery (7.8km at 5%) and the Croix Saint-Robert (6km at 6.3%), it will be a draining ride with virtually no sustained flat sections, and a long descent to the finish town. It looks like a good day to plot something in the breakaway, as the big GC contenders save their legs for bigger challenges to come.

• Bilbao dedicates emotional stage win to late Gino Mader

Stage 11: Clermont Ferrand to Moulins, 180km

The final flat stage before the hard Alpine climbs will present an opportunity for those fast men who managed to haul themselves through the Pyrenees to get here – although there is still some climbing to be done including three category-four leg-sappers along the 180km route. The day begins in the university city of Clermont-Ferrand before the riders wind north and then east to Moulins, a small town on the Allier river. Any breakaway is likely to be reeled by those teams with dedicated sprinters eyeing their only opportunity for a stage win between the two rest days.

• Philipsen continues flat-stage dominance even without van der Poel

Stage 12: Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, 169km

The race caravan will shift east to start stage 12 in Roanne in the Loire region, before taking a 169km route to Belleville, situated on the Saone river north of Lyon. This has been categorised as a hilly or medium mountain stage, but it might feel harder than that by the time the peloton reaches the foot of the fifth categorised climb of the day, the Col de la Croix Rosier (5.3km at 7.6%). That should be enough to put off the best puncheurs like Van der Poel and Van Aert, because the stage winner will need strong climbing legs. The GC riders will want to conserve energy, so expect a breakaway to stay clear and fight amongst themselves.

• Izagirre solos to victory

Stage 13: Chatillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier, 138km

The first of three brutal stages that could decide the destiny of this year’s yellow jersey is only relatively short – 138km – but will provide a stern enough test to reveal any weaknesses in the major contenders. The peloton will enjoy a relatively flat and gentle first 75km from Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne before entering the Jura Mountains. A short climb and fast descent precedes the big climax: all 17.4km (7.1%) of the Grand Colombier providing an epic summit finish. This could be another day for a breakaway away to get free, but the overall contenders like Pogacar and Vingegaard will also fancy stage glory and the chance to stamp their authority on the race.

• Kwiatkowski wins as Pogacar eats into Vingegaard’s lead

Stage 14: Annemasse to Morzine, 152km

Part two of this triple header of mountain stages sees the peloton ride into the Alps with a 152km route from Annemasse to Morzine ski resort. Three tough category one climbs line the road to the hors categorie Col de Joux Plane (11.6km at 8.5%), a brutally steep grind where bonuses await the first few over the top – and stage victory is the prize at the bottom. This is another potential spot for yellow jersey fireworks.

• Rodriguez wins first Tour stage as Pogacar thwarted by motorbike

Stage 15: Les Gets to Saint Gervais, 180km

The last ride before the final rest day will take the peloton further east into the Alps, towards the French border with Italy. The 179km route is almost constantly up and down, with a fast descent before the final two climbs, and the summit finish atop Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc will require strong climbing legs once more.

• Pogacar and Vingegaard in stalemate as Poels wins stage

Rest day: Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, Monday 17 July.

Stage 16: Individual time trial from Passy to Combloux, 22km

This year’s home stretch begins with the only time trial of the race: a short, relatively flat 22km from Passy to Combloux in the shadow of Mont Blanc. The route includes one categorised climb, the steep but short Cote de Domancy (2.5km at 9.4%). There is an opportunity here to make up crucial seconds for those that need them.

• Vingegaard takes control of yellow jersey

Stage 17: Saint Gervais to Courchevel, 166km

Put Wednesday 19 July in the diary: this will surely be the most brutal day of the entire Tour de France and it could be decisive. The 166km route features four big climbs, the last of which offers up this year’s Souvenir Henri Desgrange for the first rider over the highest point of the race. To get there the riders must endure a 28.1km slog averaging 6% gradient to the top of the Col de la Loze, towering in the clouds 2,304m above sea level. There are bonus seconds up here too, before a short descent down to the finish at Courchevel.

A breakaway will probably form, but can they last the distance? Whatever happens up the road, the fight for the yellow jersey will be fierce – only the strongest handful of riders will be able to stand the pace and this will likely be the day that the 2023 winner is effectively crowned.

• Vingegaard dominates to put seal on Tour de France

Stage 18: Moutiers to Bourg en Bresse, 186km

After a potentially explosive stage 17, stage 18 is classified as “hilly” but is really a relatively sedate 185km which the sprinters are likely to contest if their teams can haul in the inevitable breakaway. The big question is whether there will be many sprinters left in the peloton after such a demanding set of stages in the Alps. For those fast men still in the race, the descent into Bourg-en-Bresse precedes a technical finish, with roundabouts and a sharp corner before a swinging right-hand turn on to the home straight where the stage will be won and lost.

• Breakaway stays away as Asgreen takes win

Stage 19: Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny, 173km

Another flat day gives a further opportunity for those sprinters left in the field, as the peloton travels 173km from Moirans, near Grenoble, north to Poligny. The general classification contenders will be happy to rest their legs before one final push to Paris.

• Matej Mohoric takes photo finish to win stage 19

Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein, 133km

The final competitive stage of the Tour is a 133km ride from Belfort to Le Markstein ski resort in the Vosges mountains, and it offers just enough for one final attack to steal the yellow jersey, should the overall win still be on the line. The last two climbs of the day are both steep category one ascents: first the Petit Ballon (9.3km, 8.1%) followed by the Col du Platzerwasel (7.1km at 8.4%). Whoever is wearing yellow just needs to hang on to the wheel of their fiercest rival here, and that should be enough to see them home.

• Chapeau, Thibaut Pinot

Stage 21: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs-Elysees, 115km

As is tradition, the peloton will transfer to Paris and ride a truce to the Champs-Elysees. The stage will start at France’s national velodrome, home of cycling for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It will finish with one final sprint: Cavendish has won four times in Paris and it would be a fitting way to end the race that has defined his career if he were to repeat the feat one last time. And once the race is done, the winner of the 2023 Tour de France will be crowned.

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Tour de France 2023 stage-by-stage guide: Route maps and profiles for all 21 days

The 2023 Tour de France has all the ingredients of a classic: two leading protagonists ready to tear lumps out of each other in reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard and the deposed Tadej Pogacar; entertaining multi-talented stage hunters Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe and Tom Pidcock; the great Mark Cavendish chasing a historic 35th stage win; all facing a brutal route with 56,000m of climbing and four summit finishes.

The Tour begins in the Spanish Basque country on Saturday 1 July, and these hilly routes will throw open the yellow jersey to a wide range of contenders. The race crosses the French border for some flat stages and an early jaunt into the high Pyrenees, where the Col du Tourmalet awaits. The peloton takes on the Puy de Dome volcano on its journey across France towards the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and it is in the mountains that this Tour will ultimately be decided. It all ends on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday 23 July.

Here is a stage-by-stage guide to how the race will unfold.

Stage 1: Bilbao to Bilbao, 182km

The 2023 Tour de France starts outside Bilbao’s iconic Guggenheim Museum, and winds north to the Bay of Biscay coastline before returning to the city where the stage winner will take the yellow jersey. This 182km opening stage is a hilly route with 3,000m of climbing featuring five categorised ascents, of which the final two are sharp and testing: they are tough enough to shake off the dedicated sprinters and open up early glory for the best puncheurs – those riders with the legs to get over short climbs and the power to surge away on the other side.

The profile of this stage is a great choice by organisers as it could suit just about anyone, from the speed of Wout van Aert to the climbing strength Tom Pidcock or Simon Yates – even two-time champion Tadej Pogacar.

Stage 2: Vitoria Gastiez to Saint Sebastian, 209km

The peloton will head east from Bilbao, touching more picturesque Basque coastline before arriving at the finish in San Sebastian. At more than 200km this is the longest stage of the 2023 Tour and, with the sizeable Jaizkibel climb (8.1km, 5.3% average gradient) shortly before the finish, this is even more tough on the legs than the first day. Another puncheur with the climbing strength to get over the steeper hills can capitalise, like two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe.

Stage 3: Amorebieta to Bayonne, 187km

Stage three starts in Spain and ends in France, and the finale in Bayonne is ripe for a bunch sprint. Mark Cavendish will get his first shot of this race at trying to win a historic 35th Tour de France stage, but he will be up against a stacked field including former QuickStep teammate Fabio Jakobsen and the awesome speed of Wout van Aert. It will be fascinating to get a first glimpse of how the power riders stack up.

Stage 4: Dax to Nogaro, 182km

Another flat day and an even faster finish in store on the Circuit Paul Armagnac, a race track in Nogaro. The 800m home straight will almost certainly tee up a showdown between the Tour’s serious fast men.

Stage 5: Pau to Laruns, 163km

The first major mountains of the Tour come a little earlier than usual, as the peloton heads up into the high Pyrenees on day five. The Col de Soudet (15km, 7.2%) is one of the toughest climbs of the race and rears up halfway through this 163km route from Pau to Laruns. The category one Col de Marie Blanque (7.7km, 8.6%) guards the finish 20km out, and holds bonus seconds for those first over the top to incentivise the major contenders to come to the fore and fight it out.

Stage 6: Tarbes to Cauterets, 145km

This has the potential to be a thrilling day: the 145km route takes on the double trouble of the category one Col d’Aspin (12km, 6.5%) followed by the monstrous hors categorie Tourmalet (17.1km, 7.3%), before a fast ascent and a final climb to the summit finish at Cauterets (16km, 5.4%).

It is a day with several possible outcomes. If the yellow jersey is on the shoulders of a fast puncheur at the start then it may well be transferred to one of the general classification contenders by the end, should they decide to fight for the stage win. Then again, a breakaway could be allowed to escape which would open up victory – and perhaps the yellow jersey – to an outsider. The last time the Tour finished in Cauterets in 2015, breakaway specialist Rafal Majka surged clear of his fellow escapers to win. Keep an eye on Ineos’s Tom Pidcock, who could use the long, fast descent from the Tourmalet summit to speed to the front, as he did before winning atop Alpe d’Huez last year.

Stage 7: Mont de Marsan to Bordeaux, 170km

The first week of racing finishes in the Tour’s second most visited city, Bordeaux, and it’s a third flat day for the sprinters to contest. Much will depend on who has best preserved their legs through the high mountains when they come to this tight, technical finish on the banks of the Garonne river in the city centre.

Stage 8: Libourne to Limoges, 201km

A long, hilly day will see the peloton head 201km east from Libourne outside Bordeaux to Limoges. The lumpy stage should suit a puncheur but it is not a particularly taxing set of climbs – only three are categorised and the toughest of those is just 2.8km at 5.2%. So could a determined team carry their sprinter to the finish and the stage win? Look out for Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, superstars with the all-round talent to conquer the climbs and still finish fast.

Stage 9: Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dome, 184km

The final stage before the relief of the first rest day is relatively flat and gentle – until a brutal finish atop the iconic Puy de Dome volcano, a 13.3km drag at a gruelling 7.7% average gradient that last appeared in the Tour in 1988. The summit finish will require a serious climber’s legs to clinch the stage win, and the general classification contenders may well let a breakaway get ahead and fight for that prize.

Rest day: Clermont-Ferrand, Monday 10 July.

Stage 10: Parc Vulcania to Issoire, 167km

The race resumes in the centre of France from Vulcania – a volcano-themed amusement park – where riders will embark on a hilly 167km route through the Volcans d’Auvergne regional park, finishing down in the small town of Issiore. With five categorised climbs, including the sizeable Col de Guery (7.8km at 5%) and the Croix Saint-Robert (6km at 6.3%), it will be a draining ride with virtually no sustained flat sections, and a long descent to the finish town. It looks like a good day to plot something in the breakaway, as the big GC contenders save their legs for bigger challenges to come.

Stage 11: Clermont Ferrand to Moulins, 180km

The final flat stage before the hard Alpine climbs will present an opportunity for those fast men who managed to haul themselves through the Pyrenees to get here – although there is still some climbing to be done including three category-four leg-sappers along the 180km route. The day begins in the university city of Clermont-Ferrand before the riders wind north and then east to Moulins, a small town on the Allier river. Any breakaway is likely to be reeled by those teams with dedicated sprinters eyeing their only opportunity for a stage win between the two rest days.

Stage 12: Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, 169km

The race caravan will shift east to start stage 12 in Roanne in the Loire region, before taking a 169km route to Belleville, situated on the Saone river north of Lyon. This has been categorised as a hilly or medium mountain stage, but it might feel harder than that by the time the peloton reaches the foot of the fifth categorised climb of the day, the Col de la Croix Rosier (5.3km at 7.6%). That should be enough to put off the best puncheurs like Van der Poel and Van Aert, because the stage winner will need strong climbing legs. The GC riders will want to conserve energy, so expect a breakaway to stay clear and fight amongst themselves.

Stage 13: Chatillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier, 138km

The first of three brutal stages that could decide the destiny of this year’s yellow jersey is only relatively short – 138km – but will provide a stern enough test to reveal any weaknesses in the major contenders. The peloton will enjoy a relatively flat and gentle first 75km from Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne before entering the Jura Mountains. A short climb and fast descent precedes the big climax: all 17.4km (7.1%) of the Grand Colombier providing an epic summit finish. This could be another day for a breakaway away to get free, but the overall contenders like Pogacar and Vingegaard will also fancy stage glory and the chance to stamp their authority on the race.

Stage 14: Annemasse to Morzine, 152km

Part two of this triple header of mountain stages sees the peloton ride into the Alps with a 152km route from Annemasse to Morzine ski resort. Three tough category one climbs line the road to the hors categorie Col de Joux Plane (11.6km at 8.5%), a brutally steep grind where bonus seconds await the first few over the top – and stage victory is the prize at the bottom. This is another potential spot for yellow jersey fireworks.

Stage 15: Les Gets to Saint Gervais, 180km

The last ride before the final rest day will take the peloton further east into the Alps, towards the French border with Italy . The 179km day is almost constantly up and down, with a fast descent before the final two climbs, and the summit finish atop Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc will require strong climbing legs once more.

Rest day: Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, Monday 17 July.

Stage 16: Individual time trial from Passy to Combloux, 22km

This year’s home stretch begins with the only time trial of the race: a short, relatively flat 22km from Passy to Combloux in the shadow of Mont Blanc. The route includes one categorised climb, the steep but short Cote de Domancy (2.5km at 9.4%). This stage is unlikely to decide the yellow jersey or podium spots, but there is an opportunity here to make up crucial seconds for those that need them.

Stage 17: Saint Gervais to Courchevel, 166km

Put Wednesday 19 July in the diary: this will surely be the most brutal day of the entire Tour de France and it could be decisive. The 166km route features four big climbs, the last of which offers up this year’s Souvenir Henri Desgrange for the first rider over the highest point of the race. To get there the riders must endure a 28.1km slog averaging 6% gradient to the top of the Col de la Loze, towering in the clouds 2,304m above sea level. There are bonus points seconds up here too, before a short descent down to the finish at Courchevel.

A breakaway will probably form, but can they last the distance? Whatever happens up the road, the fight for the yellow jersey will be fierce – only the strongest handful of riders will be able to stand the pace and this will likely be the day that the 2023 winner is effectively crowned.

Stage 18: Moutiers to Bourg en Bresse, 186km

After a potentially explosive stage 17, stage 18 is classified as “hilly” but is really a relatively sedate 185km which the sprinters are likely to contest if their teams can haul in the inevitable breakaway. The big question is whether there will be many sprinters left in the peloton after such a demanding set of stages in the Alps. For those fast men still in the race, the descent into Bourg-en-Bresse precedes a technical finish, with roundabouts and a sharp corner before a swinging right-hand turn on to the home straight where the stage will be won and lost.

Stage 19: Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny, 173km

Another flat day gives a further opportunity for those sprinters left in the field, as the peloton travels 173km from Moirans, near Grenoble, north to Poligny. The general classification contenders will be happy to rest their legs before one final push to Paris.

Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein, 133km

The final competitive stage of the Tour is a 133km ride from Belfort to Le Markstein ski resort in the Vosges mountains, and it offers just enough for one final attack to steal the yellow jersey, should the overall win still be on the line. The last two climbs of the day are both steep category one ascents: first the Petit Ballon (9.3km, 8.1%) followed by the Col du Platzerwasel (7.1km at 8.4%). Whoever is wearing yellow just needs to hang on to the wheel of their fiercest rival here, and that should be enough to see them home.

Stage 21: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs-Elysees, 115km

As is tradition, the peloton will transfer to Paris and ride a truce to the Champs-Elysees. The stage will start at France’s national velodrome, home of cycling for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It will finish with one final sprint: Cavendish has won four times in Paris and it would be a fitting way to end the race that has defined his career if he were to repeat the feat one last time. And once the race is done, the winner of the 2023 Tour de France will be crowned.

2023 Tour de France route

From the Basque Country to Paris and all the stages in between

The 2023 Tour de France got underway on July 1st in Bilbao, Spain with another demanding route that includes only a single 22km hilly time trial in the Alps and mountain stages in all five of France’s mountain ranges. From the Grand Départ in the Basque Country to the finish in Paris, Cyclingnews has all the route details.

The very limited amount of time trialling and preponderance of mountains no doubt suits French riders  Thibaut Pinot , David Gaudu and Romain Bardet. As a result, Remco Evenepoel, Primoz Roglič and Geraint Thomas targeted the Giro d’Italia, which had three times the amount of time trialling and fewer mountains.

Official information from race organiser ASO claimed the 3,404km route includes eight flat stages for the sprinters, four hilly stages suited to breakaways and eight mountain stages. Four of these include summit finishes: in the Pyrenees at Cauterets-Cambasque, on the legendary Puy de Dôme volcano in the Massif Central, on the Grand Colombier in the Jura and at Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc in the Alps.

Tour de France 2023 route revealed Tour de France stage-by-stage previews 2023 Tour de France to start in the Basque Country 2023 Tour de France set to return to Puy de Dome mountain finish

The other mountain stages are also extremely difficult, even if some are short and extra intense.

Stage 14 to Morzine includes 4,200m of climbing, alongside the mighty Col de Joux Plane and its testing descent to the finish. Stage 15 ends with the 11% ‘wall’ of Côte des Amerands and then the 7km 7.7% climb up to Saint-Gervais in view of Mont-Blanc.       

Stage 17 to Courchevel is arguably the queen stage, climbing the 2,304m-high Col de la Loze and then descends to finish on the altiport runway. Stage 20 is a final brutal multi-mountain stage in the Vosges between Belfort and Le Markstein ski resort.

The only time trial is on stage 16 in the Arve Valley near Sallanches after the second rest day, but the 22km route between Passy and Combloux will test riders' bike handling skills and climbing as much as their time trialling. The stage includes the Côte de Domancy, where Bernard Hinault forged his 1980 Worlds victory, and which also featured as part of the final week time trial in the 2016 Tour.

2022 Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard was arguably the best climber of the last two editions of the Tour and he appears to have plenty of opportunities to go on the attack on the steep ascents in 2023.

Two-time winner  Tadej Pogačar  will no doubt relish the route on offer for next July’s challenge against Vingegaard, Jumbo-Visma, Ineos Grenadiers and anyone else.

For an in-depth analysis of this year's major contenders, check our regularly updated guide to the favourites of the 2023 Tour de France .

For a detailed description of each stage, click on the link in the table below.

Stage 1: Bilbao-Bilbao, 182 km - Hilly

Stage 2: vitoria-gasteiz to san sebastián, 208.9km - hilly, stage 3: amorebieta-etxano to bayonne, 193.5km - flat, stage 4: dax to nogaro, 181.8km - flat, stage 5: pau to laruns, 162.7km - mountain, stage 6: tarbes to cauterets-cambasque, 144.9km - mountain, stage 7: mont-de-marsan to bordeaux, 169.9km - flat, stage 8: libourne to limoges, 200.7km - hilly, stage 9: saint-léonard- de-noblat to puy de dôme, 182.4km - mountain, stage 10: vulcania to issoire, 167.2km - hilly, stage 11: clermont-ferrand to moulins, 179.8km - flat, stage 12: roanne to belleville-en-beaujolais, 168.8km - hilly, stage 13: châtillon-sur-chalaronne to grand colombier, 137.8km - mountain, stage 14: annemasse to morzine les portes du soleil, 151.8km - mountain, stage 15: les gets les portes du soleil to saint-gervais mont blanc, 179km - mountain, stage 16: passy to combloux, 22.4km - itt, stage 17: saint-gervais mont blanc à courchevel, 184.9km - mountain, stage 18: moûtiers to bourg-en-bresse, 184.9km - hilly, stage 19: moirans-en-montagne to poligny, 172.8km - flat, stage 20: belfort to le markstein fellering, 133.5km - mountain, stage 21: saint-quentin-en-yvelines to paris champs-élysées, 115.1km - flat.

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Ride the Tour de France route: Q&A with Le Loop

Have you ever found yourself riding along or pouring over a copy of the TdF magazine, lazily daydreaming about riding the Tour de France route?

Well, if you’re ready to turn your daydream into a reality, Le Loop will help you do just that.

Their annual event follows the entire Tour de France route, one week ahead of the pros. You can choose to do anywhere between two and all twenty-one stages of the tour, fully supported by mechanics, medics and massage therapists. At the same time, you’ll be raising funds for the William Wates Memorial Trust, supporting some of the most disadvantaged young people in the UK.

We spoke to Kate, one of the organisers of the event, about what it involves and just how much training you need to do to cycle the Tour de France route!

Please note that the information in this article is based on the 2019 event. As the Tour de France route and prices changes each year, some of the information in this article will not be accurate in future years. 

If you’re looking for a Tour de France cycling holiday without a charity element (or one that’s spectator only), read this article about what to look for in a  Tour de France cycling tour .

Part 1: The event

1. tell us about your event – what, where and why.

Le Loop follows the exact route of the entire Tour de France, one week ahead of the pros.

This usually means the very end of June through July. In 2019, we ride from Saturday 29th June to Sunday 22nd July. Riders sign up for one of our ‘Loops’: anything from two to all twenty-one stages of the Tour de France route. Either join us for the Pyrenees, or the Alps, the Grand Depart or anything in between. Just find the stages and the dates that work best for you.

Tour de France route 2019 (credit: letour.fr)

2. Why do people enter your event?

People ride Le Loop because they’re looking for a cycling challenge. Maybe they’ve been life-long fans of Le Tour and would love to cycle in the footsteps of their cycling heroes … maybe they’ve cycled a 100 miler and want to find out if they could get up and do the same again … and again!

Or maybe they’ve never done anything on this scale before and this is the challenge of a lifetime.

There’s a loop to suit everyone.

Some ride because they want their bucket list tick to mean more than just their own personal achievement. Le Loop was created by the William Wates Memorial Trust as their main fundraising event. Each year we raise, on average, £390,000 that is given by the Trust in grants to charities that work with some of the most disadvantaged young people in the UK, helping them to keep away from a life of crime and violence.

Our riders get the chance to meet some of the young people we’re helping and that inspires them to climb that next col and even make it all the way to Paris.

We also have a huge number of riders returning year after year. Why do they come back? Well the route is different every year of course – whatever A.S.O (the official TDF organisers) have designed for the pros, we ride – so they come to experience riding different parts of France. They also return for the legendary camaraderie on tour and the pleasure of a cycling trip where everything (apart from the pedalling) is done for you; from four fantastic and varied feedstops each day, to medical and massage support, and our cheery team of mechanics to fix any bike troubles.

3. What do people love about taking part in your event?

Time and again the same word comes up: camaraderie.

Yes, the route is incredible and watching the pros ride it one week later allows huge bragging rights and yes, the support on tour from our team is fantastic, but it’s the teamwork and friendships built out on the road that turn this into something so much more than just a sportive.

Every rider will have their good days and their bad days on tour. On a bad day there is always someone to offer you their wheel to hang onto and on a good day, there’s the opportunity to pay them back. We get through stages of the Tour de France route just as the pros do – by supporting each other through thick and thin. The fact that this correlates perfectly with what the young people are going through who we are supporting through the William Wates Memorial Trust is the icing on the cake.

4. What are the highlights of the route?

Every year of course is different, but for 2019 we’re looking forward to the extra extension to the Planche des Belles Filles (whether it will still be gravel, or have some tarmac on it in time for the Tour).

The Mur d’Aurec sur Loire on Stage 9 brought on slightly hysterical laughter from our lead cyclist Emily Chappell when she recced it last week. ‘It’s a beast’ according to Emily.

Stage 14 takes us up the Tourmalet which is a big tick for many riders. It’s a beauty of a climb. Stage 18 takes us over the highest paved road in Europe on the Col de l’Iseran, dropping down into Val d’Isere and back up to Tignes – it’s always quite good fun to ride roads where in the winter you may have skied. But this will be a beautiful, Alpine stage with stunning scenery in every direction we look.

But it’s not all about the climbs. Stage 5 in the Vosges may not be flat, but it’s nothing like the Pyrenees or Alps either. This region has a real Germanic feel with lovely architecture, leafy sweeping roads glorious smooth descents.

And of course the Grand Depart in Brussels will have beer, frites and waffles – what’s not to love?

5. What’s the hardest thing about taking part in your event?

For the riders who take on the whole route from the Grand Depart to Paris, I honestly think the hardest part can be coming home! We live in a bubble for 3 weeks and the transition back to ‘normal’ life can be bewildering.

But of course before all that, to take on multiple stages of the Tour de France there needs to be a serious commitment to training through the winter which can be tough when the weather is grim. With busy lives, finding the time to put the hours in is also a challenge and it needs friends and family to be on board and supportive.

On the ride itself … getting enough rest is the challenge. Some years ASO give us a route that requires more early morning transfers to the next stage start than others. These all eat into critical sleep time, but our riders soon master the art of sleeping on coaches at the drop of a hat!

6. How fit do you have to be to take part in your event?

By the time you arrive on tour you need to not be phased by taking on 100 miles in a day. I don’t mean that should feel like a breeze … 100 miles is never a breeze … but it shouldn’t freak you out. You’re then going to have to get up and do that again the next day after all.

The speed of the group varies enormously and on a big mountain day we could be spread out 3 or 4 hours apart.

To help this along we ‘neutralise’ the first 40km to the first feed stop. This gives everyone the chance to take it easy at the start of the day, ride with folk you’ll maybe not see for the rest of the day and just warm the legs up.

Once everyone’s arrived at that first feed stop all riders are free to ride at their own pace. Quickly people find others going a similar speed and work together often in small pelotons. If a rider gets dropped, they just relax and wait for the next little group to come past and hop on the back with them. We have a back van but we won’t actually pull anyone off the course unless they are becoming a danger to themselves. Our team stays out there with the riders on a big mountain day until the last rider is in – which will probably be in the dark. They’re guaranteed a hero’s welcome when they come in to dinner!

It’s well worth getting some practice in during the winter at riding in a peloton so that you can take advantage of this on some of the flatter, faster sections of the tour. We run a couple of training weekends (free) in the Spring that are a great opportunity to gain those skills. Our lead cyclist Emily writes a monthly training blog for all our riders to help them build up mileage and endurance (physical and mental) through the winter and spring so that they’re in great nick for the start of the tour.

7. What are your top tips for anyone thinking of taking part?

Embrace the winter training – buy the kit you need to make that as comfortable as possible and for every mile in the cold and wet you can visualise the sunny roads of France in the knowledge that the miles you’re putting in now will pay off in spades on tour.

Come on the training weekends in the Spring – they will fill you with confidence and you’ll go home even more excited than you already were.

Embrace the fundraising aspect of taking part in Le Loop just as much as the training – don’t put it off – just throw yourself into it with enthusiasm and you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll hit your minimum sponsorship requirement AND how rewarding the experience will be.

Part 2: Your charity

8. why do you organise this event.

Le Loop was created by the William Wates Memorial Trust as their principal fundraiser and as a way to remember William (who was killed during his gap year in Honduras in 1996 in a bungled street robbery).

Le Loop was first run in 2006 and 2010 for William’s friends and family, it was opened up to the general public in 2012 and hasn’t looked back. It’s operated every year since and is going from strength to strength.

Each year our riders raise on average £390,000.

They pay the full cost of their ‘holiday’ to Le Loop, then have a minimum fundraising requirement that goes directly to the William Wates Memorial Trust.

On average, 28% of funds raised cover the Trust’s overheads for running Le Loop. Our goal is to get our fundraising to cost ratio down to below 10% and we’re working hard to achieve that through corporate sponsorship.

Funds raised are given in grants to charities that work with some of the UK’s most disadvantaged young people, helping to keep them away from a life of crime and violence. They use sport, music, mentoring, the arts and education to engage with young people.

For a full list of the charities we are currently supporting visit www.wwmt.org  and download their  Annual Report .

We give all our riders opportunities to visit the charities we’re supporting so they can see the work for themselves. This never fails to inspire them and redouble their fundraising efforts.

We also invite two young people from the projects to join us on tour – either to ride a stage (or as much of it as they can) or work with our support team. They and their support worker tell their story to the riders in the evening, giving our riders a chance to really understand what life is like for these young people. It is humbling and massively inspiring in equal measure: we all appreciate just how lucky we are to be doing something we love and that we have opportunities that we should never take for granted. Many of our riders tell us that meeting these young people is a highlight of their tour.

9. How much does it cost to enter?

The cost and fundraising depend on how many stages you will be riding. It ranges from £495 to ride two stages, with £800 fundraising, to £4,060 to ride all 21 stages of the tour with £3,000 fundraising. The majority of our riders are somewhere in between with a minimum fundraising requirement of £1,200.

What’s included?

• Accommodation – mostly twin share. Single supplements are available to buy in January. Unlike the pros, we usually sleep at the place the stage ends, and that sometimes means our accommodation options are limited. One night we’ll be in a major town and might be treated to a 5* hotel, but other times we might be in the only hotel on a mountain col and it’ll be much more basic. The norm is somewhere in the middle. Occasionally we’re in exactly the same hotels that the pros use (for example, four pro teams are staying the same hotel as us in Brussels this year – just one week later!). The extreme variety becomes one of the more fun parts of the tour!
• All food – 3 meals and the best feedstops you’ve ever seen
• Fully signed route – the stuff of legend!
•  Mechanical, medical and moral support
• Luggage Transfers
• Coach transfers to the next stage start when the stages aren’t contiguous

What’s not included?

• Travel to and from France (but we’ll give you advice on the best travel routes)
• Bike Transport (£30 each way if you want us to drive your bike there and back)
• Evening massage (£10 or €10 per massage if you’d like one – highly recommended)
• Beer/wine/dinner drinks

10. Where can people find out more?

Website: www.rideleloop.org Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RideLeLoop/ Instagram:  @rideleloop Twitter:  @RideLeLoop Linkedin:  ride le loop

A big thank you to Kate for sharing these insights on the event. We think it sounds fantastic fun – and a brilliant charity to be raising money for. 

Have you done Le Loop before? Or planning to do it this year? Drop us a comment below to let us know!

Want more event ideas?

If you’re seeking inspiration for your next cycling challenge, but Le Loop isn’t quite what you’re after, check out our events hub page , which has guides to tons of cycling events including

Col de la Loze sportive

Best sportives in Europe

Ultimate cycling challenges

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If you want someone to help you plan and book your cycling holiday, fill out this form. We aren’t a tour operator/agent but we work with lots of people who are and will do our best to put you in touch with someone that can help (within 24 hours wherever possible)!

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Kate Norris is one of the organisers of Le Loop, the charity event that allows cyclists to cycle the Tour de France one week before the pros.

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Tour de France

The mapmakers: creating the tour de france route, the three-week-long, 3,500km, 198-rider, millions-of-roadside-spectators beast that is the tour route just two people create the entire thing each year..

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

The lights dim inside the 4,000-seat Palais des Congrès in Paris, and Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme takes center stage. It’s late October, and in one of cycling’s seasonal customs, Prudhomme is unveiling next year’s Tour de France route with the pomp that cycling’s greatest stage race demands.

As he takes the audience through each stage, Thierry Gouvenou sits a few rows back, hidden from the spotlight but glowing like a proud father. A former pro who ranks behind only Prudhomme in the Tour’s organizational hierarchy, Gouvenou is Prudhomme’s sole partner in the creation of the Tour de France route. The presentation marks the end of three years of hard work for the pair — which means that even as Prudhomme is on stage, he and Gouvenou are already deep into the planning of the 2017 and 2018 routes.

“It is curious to see the reactions to the route presentation,” says Gouvenou, who ascended to his current role in 2014. “Designing the route each year is a big challenge, and when we see the riders commenting that it looks hard, then we know we did a good job.”

The Tour de France is a sprawling beast, involving roughly 3,500 kilometers, 21 stages, three weeks, and, oftentimes, international border crossings. It is also by far cycling’s most important event. Given the scope and prestige, it seems odd that only two men should be responsible for planning each and every route. Yet that’s the reality. There is no official input from the UCI, the teams, or even ASO colleagues. What Prudhomme and Gouvenou decide is what the peloton gets.

Given the evolving intrigue and experimentation that have marked recent editions of the Tour, the pairing works just fine, in part because the two men have such different but complementary personalities.

Prudhomme, 55, is a former TV journalist and suave Parisian, comfortable in the spotlight and no stranger to controversy. He took over as Tour director in 2007, after serving for three years as assistant director under Jean-Marie Leblanc. He has the connections, experience, vision, and force of personality to help modernize the Tour.

He is the point man who secures the high-profile deals to bring the Tour to lucrative new mar- kets. He was instrumental to bringing the race to Yorkshire, England, in 2014, for what some view as the most successful Grand Départ ever.

“The fans and the broadcasters do not like predictability, and we strive to add to adventure,” Prudhomme says. “Something every day must be interesting. That is the challenge we face.” In contrast to his boss’s visionary style, the 46-year-old Gouvenou is a former journeyman pro who never won a race and is content to work in the trenches, helping to give life and texture to Prudhomme’s overarching vision. The director determines the major host cities along the route, then leaves it to Gouvenou to find the roads that connect those dots.

“We work in tandem,” Gouvenou explains. “Christian paints the big picture. He has the context and vision to be able to step back. Once the general vision is laid out, then he passes it to me with carte blanche.”

Keeping an historic sport relevant in a modern media landscape for an audience with an ever-shorter attention span is no easy feat. When Prudhomme came on board, the Tour was stuck in an increasingly predictable rut, punctuated more by doping scandals than surprising routes. He quickly moved to strengthen anti-doping efforts, then turned his attention to the route itself. He wanted to change what a stage race looked like.

“We always strive for innovation, to keep things interesting,” Prudhomme says. “Why should the Tour be predictable? I think it should be the opposite.”

The Tour’s traditional routes through the Alps and Pyrenees obviously had to stay. So where Prudhomme knew he could make the biggest difference was in the transition stages. For years the Tour would take brief forays into the mountains, connected by days and days of predictably flat sprinters’ stages. Prudhomme began adding spice to the transitions with punchy uphill finales, varied terrain, and even pavé. Sprinters were having a hard time winning stages. One trademark addition was the Mur de Bretagne, introduced in 2011. The finishing climb transformed that year’s stage 4 from a routine sprint stage to one that saw GC riders marking each other while classics specialists looked to grab a bit of Tour glory. There’s a reason the Mur was back for the 2015 Tour: It was thrilling stuff.

Once Prudhomme provides the general framework, it’s up to Gouvenou to decide on the roads, pick the climbs, designate where the sprints will be — basically, to take care of all the details that determine the race.

“I’ve always liked maps and geography, so to design the Tour is a fun endeavor,” Gouvenou says. “Many of the roads are from memory, from racing and training, but we use new technology as much as we can.” That includes not just predictable tools like GPS and Google Earth but even Strava, which Gouvenou has used to dis- cover new roads and climbs.

Of course, at some point he has to get out on the roads themselves. He spends numerous weeks traveling each year and, by September, has driven the following year’s finalized route in its entirety.

While Prudhomme and Gouvenou are the sole architects of the route itself, they do need approval from a third person, Stéphane Boury, to make the route a reality. As ASO’s coordinator of each day’s finish line, Boury has to make sure the routes are practical. With an entourage topping 5,000 people, plus hundreds of vehicles, millions of fans, and all the attendant infrastructure, the Tour is a logistical beast that is exponentially more difficult than, say, hosting a soccer match in a stadium.

“We start working one or two years ahead of time,” Boury explains. “I have to go to every candidate city or finish line for an inspection. The imprint of the Tour is very big, and every stage must meet certain criteria.” Among the requirements is that each finish needs about 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres) of space.

“There are 120 trucks that travel with the Tour,” Boury says. “We have 400 to 500 technicians on each stage, and we have to lay 10 to 20 kilometers of fiber optic cable each day for the TV, for the press rooms. It’s like a military operation.”

The space required to accommodate the finish-line apparatus rules out a lot of villages and mountain summits, though sometimes Boury can find creative solutions. In 2011, stage 18 finished atop the Col du Galibier, at 8,650 feet — the highest finish in Tour history. The podium area was squeezed onto a tiny patch of flat ground, while the remainder of the daily entourage was directed to a spot nearly 2,000 feet below.

“We had to lay 12 kilometers of fiber optic line by helicopter, but it was worth it,” Boury says. “It was spectacular!”

The first Tour de France consisted of six stages over three weeks, but each route averaged more than 400 kilometers. Tour founder Henri Desgrange made things up as he went along, adding the first mountains in 1910 and pushing further into the Pyrenees and Alps over the next few years. By the 1920s, the Tour was starting to look like what we now think of as a three-week grand tour — shorter stages, but more of them, held daily for three weeks.

In the 1970s, in an effort to make more money from cities — who pay to host starts and finishes — the Tour began running double stages, with racing in the morning and afternoon. This allowed the organization to double its fees. But it was also an obvious burden on the riders, who put a stop to the practice in 1978, when Bernard Hinault lead a now-famous strike in Valence.

By the 1990s, the UCI had codified the modern outline of grand tours. They had to run from 15 to 23 days, with two rest days, no half stages, no stages longer than 240 kilometers, and a maximum total distance of 3,500 kilometers.

But if the framework was helpful in protecting riders and providing some stability, it also became slightly suffocating. The Tour — as well as the Giro and Vuelta — became predictable and even boring, with five or six exciting days of racing surrounded by unimaginative flat stages ending in bunch sprints. The nadir came in 2003, when Alessandro Petacchi won 15 stages across all three grand tours — putting a quantity and a face to the lack of variety.

It was the Giro and Vuelta that started to rattle the cage. Looking to differentiate their races as the Tour began to overshadow everything else in cycling, the Giro added things like gravel roads and 25-percent gradients to summits like Monte Zoncolan — challenges unlike anything the Tour could offer. The Vuelta’s solution was to drastically reduce the length of its stages, to an average of just 120 kilometers each. The results were stunning. Riders attacked in the neutral starts, and the action was non-stop.

The Tour got the message. Over the past five years, the race has become decidedly more challenging and less predictable, especially in the first week. “We cannot follow a script, even if it’s a new script,” Gouvenou says. “There won’t be pavé every year, there won’t be hills every day, but there will be something new.”

Some say things have gone too far, highlighted, perhaps, by the brutally mountainous 2015 route. “The 2015 Tour was relentless,” Prudhomme told French TV at the finish line in Paris last year. “We must innovate, we must bring the sport close to the people. We must take to the roads, to the hidden corners, to the new discoveries.”

But ultimately, Prudhomme says, it’s the riders, not the course, that make the race hard: “Even if we have flat roads, they are going full-gas. They race 50kph when it’s flat, so they make it hard,” he argues. “We simply try to give the riders and the public an interesting backdrop.”

Still, for 2016, he and Gouvenou have eased off the gas, at least a bit. Sprinters will find more opportunities this year, and the reintroduction of time bonuses will enliven the fight for the yellow jersey, especially in the first week.

As always, the race will visit the mountains, but even there Gouvenou says he has some surprises. “We have 10 new climbs for 2016,” he says. “That will make the race interesting. What we aim to do is to keep spicing things up. We want to have the suspense in the race until the final moment. The rider who wins in 2016 will have to be strong for the entire three weeks.”

And only weeks after the announcement gala in Paris, Gouvenou was in Germany, the host country for the 2017 Grand Départ. “There are more than 200 cities who are wanting to be part of the Tour,” he says. “We are already looking at 2018 and 2019.”

The Tour waits for no one.

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Does the Tour de France route change every year?

By zach bigalke | jul 7, 2018.

The geography of France remains the same, but the Tour de France shifts its route annually. How has the Tour route changed over time?

There are more than 200,000 square miles that comprise French territory. Across the largest national territory in Europe, roads span more than 600,000 miles throughout the landmass. Even before considering the myriad starts and detours to foreign soil, there are countless opportunities to develop new courses annually for the Tour de France.

The inaugural race in 1903 covered a loop between six of France’s major cities. The run between each city constituted a single stage, as riders remained on the road through the night and into the next day. Several days of rest were built in between each long stage. After covering six stages once again in 1904, more stages and more cities started to be incorporated into the route.

Over time, hosting a start or finish of a Tour stage became an honor.

These days, cities would bid years in advance. The standard of 21 stages was established when the race resumed in 1947 after World War II. However, certain years continued to deviate from that standard. Prior to that, each race varied in terms of the number of stages from year to year. Only since 1999 has 21 stages remained a constant.

Certain sections of road are used more frequently than others, especially over the legendary cols of the Pyrenees and Alps. The route along the Champs-Elysees has been included as the location for the final sprint every year since 1975. Prior to that, the Parc des Princes and the Velodrome des Vincennes served as the regular site of the finish line for the final stage.

Next: What every jersey color means at the Tour de France

While certain sections of road show up again and again in the race routes over the years, each year’s Tour de France is a unique trip through the country. Every year offers a new chance to see distinct parts of a diverse territory. The race organizers do their part, introducing a new set of 21 stages each fall.

For more from The Tour de France , make sure to follow FanSided and stay tuned to our cycling hub for all the latest news and results.

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TOTAL: 3492 km

This will be the first Grand Départ in Italy and the 26th that’s taken place abroad  First finale in Nice. Due to the Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in Paris, the race will not finish in the French capital for the first time.

Two time trials. 25 + 34 = 59km in total, the second of them taking place on the final Monaco>Nice stage. This will be the first time the race has seen a finale of this type for 35 years, the last occasion being the famous Fignon - LeMond duel in 1989.

Apennines (Italy), the Italian and French Alps, Massif Central and Pyrenees will be the mountain ranges on the 2024 Tour route.

The number of countries visited in 2024: Italy, San Marino, Monaco and France. Within France, the race will pass through 7 Regions and 30 departments.

The number of bonus points 8, 5 and 2 bonus seconds go to the first three classified riders, featuring at strategic points along the route (subject to approval by the International Cycling Union)these will have no effect on the points classification. Bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds will be awarded to the first three classified riders at road stage finishes.

Out of a total of 39, the locations or stage towns that are appearing on the Tour map for the first time . In order of appearance: Florence, Rimini, Cesenatico, Bologna, Piacenza, Saint-Vulbas, Gevrey-Chambertin, Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, Évaux-les-Bains, Gruissan, Superdévoluy, Col de la Couillole.

The number of sectors on white roads during stage nine, amounting to 32km in total .

The number of stages: 8 flat, 4 hilly, 7 mountain (with 4 summit finishes at Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet, Plateau de Beille, Isola 2000, Col de la Couillole), 2 time trials and 2 rest days.

The number of riders who will line up at the start of the Tour, divided into 22 teams of 8 riders each.

The height of the summit of the Bonette pass in the Alps, the highest tarmac road in France, which will be the “roof” of the 2024 Tour.

The total vertical gain during the 2024 Tour de France.

PRIZE MONEY

A total of 2,3 million euros will be awarded to the teams and riders including € 500,000 to the final winner of the overall individual classification .

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