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Tour de France 2023: Route and stages

Read about the entire route of the 2023 Tour de France.

Please click on the links in underneath scheme for in-depth information on the individual stages.

Tour de France 2023 stages

Tour de france 2023: route, profiles, more.

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More about the Tour de France

Tour de france 2023: the route, tour de france 2023 route stage 1: bilbao - bilbao.

Tour de France 2023 Route stage 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz - San Sebastián

Tour de France 2023 Route stage 3: Amorebieta-Etxano - Bayonne

Tour de France 2023 Route stage 4: Dax - Nogaro

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Tour de France 2023: From Bilbao to Paris, our stage-by-stage guide to cycling’s biggest race

First Published Jun 10, 2023

Opening paras changed to reflect recent events since first publishing date.

It’s nearly time for Bilbao to host the start of the 2023 Tour de France on 1 July, marking the second time that Spain’s Basque Region has staged the Grand Départ of the race after it began in San Sebastian in 1992. From the word go there will be some tough racing in prospect as Jonas Vingegaard – who was in imperious form at the Dauphiné – seeks to retain his title. Here’s our stage-by-stage guide to what promises to be three weeks of gripping racing.

Taking in all of France’s mountain ranges, the race kicks off with what is widely seen as the toughest opening week in its history in terms of climbing, with the Grand Départ followed by a pair of flat stages after the race heads into France, then two stages in the High Pyrenees and a summit finish at the Puy de Dôme in the Massif Central ahead of what will be a very welcome first rest day.

The second week sees a pair of hilly stages flank the third one of the race tagged as flat before three days in the mountains from Friday to Sunday, two of those stages ending in a summit finish, the first on the Grand Colombier.

There are three days in the Alps at the start of the final week, the first of those the only individual time trial of the race, and a short one at that, ahead of two transitional stages taking us via the Jura mountains to the penultimate day` and a first-time stage finish at Le Markstein in the Vosges, followed by the traditional final day in Paris.

Along the way, there will be crashes, injuries and illnesses as well as dramatic moments that may shape the eventual destination of the yellow jersey, and which will live long in the memory. Here is the fly through video of the route, together with an overview map of the Grand Départ, followed by all of the 21 stages in detail.

Stage 1 Saturday 1 July Bilbao – Bilbao (182km, hilly)

The 110th edition of the Tour de France gets under way on the race’s 120th birthday with what looks like a cracker of a stage starting and finishing in the largest city in the Basque Country, Bilbao, but also passing twice through its historical capital, Guernika, and with 3,300 metres of climbing today it’s a tough opener to a race in which nerves are typically fraught in the opening days.

Today’s stage, which like tomorrow will be played out in front of huge crowds, is bound to see Basque riders try and get into the early break, and with five categorised climbs and several others that do not count towards the mountains classification, it’s a day for the puncheurs, with the last ascent, the Pike, crested just 9.6km from the finish in back in Bilbao.

Stage 2 Sunday 2 July Vitoria-Gastiez – Saint Sebastien (209km, hilly)

A few weeks after the Giro d’Italia boasted a stage into Bergamo that was in effect a mini-Tour of Lombardy, and a year since the Grand Boucle thundered over the Paris-Roubaix cobbles, Spain’s biggest one-day race gets similar treatment with today’s final featuring the Jaizkibel climb, so often decisive in the Clásica de San Sebastián, typically held the week after the Tour de France ends.

That race, plus the annual Tour of the Basque country, means that the roads featuring in the opening two days will be familiar to many of the riders, and that late 6.4 per cent climb, which has its summit 16.5km from the line, will almost certainly be the springboard for attacks from stage-hunters – you can bet that several local riders will have ringed this one in red as soon as it was announced.

Stage 3 Monday 3 July Amorebieta-Etxano – Bayonne (185km, flat)

Today’s stage sees the race depart Spain, but we are still in the Basque Country on the French side of the border with a finish in the region’s capital, Bayonne. Much of the stage hugs the coast – the last sight of the sea in this year’s race – and if the wind is up, the GC teams will be jostling for position at the front of the bunch in case echelons form, meaning any break may be kept on a tight leash.

There are four categorised climbs on today’s parcours, but the last of those comes just after the halfway point as the race heads towards Saint Sebastien and beyond that, the border towns of Irun and Hendaye. Consequently, this looks very much like the first chance for the sprinters to open their account in this year’s race, with a fast finish in prospect in Bayonne.

Stage 4 Tuesday 4 July Dax – Nogaro (182km, flat)

This sprinter-friendly stage has just one categorised climb, the Category 4 Côte de Dému, which tops out at just 218 metres above sea level with 27.4km remaining to the finish at France’s first purpose-built motor racing venue, the Circuit Paul Armagnac, with the intermediate sprint at 83.8km taking place outside the Notre Dame des Cyclistes church in Labastide-d’Armagnac.

The start in Dax honours one of the peloton’s all-time great fast men, André Derrigade, who was born in nearby Narrosse. Now aged 94, he won 22 stages of the Tour de France, a record for sprint stages that stood until it was eclipsed by Mark Cavendish, who took his 23rd victory at the race on the Champs-Elysées in 2012 and is now seeking a 35th win that would put him ahead of Eddy Merckx.

Stage 5 Wednesday 5 July Pau – Laruns (165km, mountain)

Halfway through the opening week, and we’re already in the Pyrenees for the first mountain test of this year’s race, one that starts in Pau which welcomes the race for the 74th time – more than anywhere else, other than Paris or Bordeaux.

After a flattish opening 70km or so, the riders tackle the hors-categorie Col de Soudet, which has an average gradient of 7.2 per cent over 15.2km, though attacks, if any, are likely to wait until the Col de Marie Blanque, crested 18.5km out from Laruns, which hosts a stage for the fourth time – the last two winners there being Primož Roglič in 2018, and Tadej Pogačar three years ago.

Stage 6 Thursday 6 July Tarbes – Cauterets-Cambasque (145km, mountain)

The second of two days in the Pyrenees sees the first summit finish of the race at Cauterets-Cambasque, though first there is the small matter of two of this area’s most fabled climbs to tackle, the Col d’Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet, the summit of the latter coming with 47km left followed by a long, sweeping descent of 30km or so ahead of the final ascent.

While the race has visited Cauterets four times, only once has the finish line been on the Plateau du Cambasque, where it is today – that was back in 1989, the stage won by a young Miguel Indurain, the first Tour de France stage win for the eventual five-time champion. Today’s final climb, 16km long with an average gradient of 5.4 per cent, could well end with a change in the yellow jersey.

Stage 7 Friday 7 July Mont-de-Marsan – Bordeaux (170km, flat)          

The flattest stage of this year’s race heads north away from the Pyrenees to Bordeaux, which hosts the race for the 81st time – though this is the first time a stage has finished here since 2010, when Mark Cavendish took his fourth victory at that year’s race just two days before adding his fifth as the race ended in Paris.

There’s less than 1,000 metres of climbing today, and the sole categorised climb, the Category 4 Côte de Béguey, stands just 82 metres above sea level. In recent years, we’ve often seen the peloton misjudge catching the break, making for some thrilling will-they-or-won’t-they finishes – though a 2km straight ahead of the line on the vast Place des Quinconces minimises the chances of that today.

Stage 8 Saturday 8 July Libourne – Limoges (201km, hilly)

There’s another bunch finish in prospect today, but the characteristics of the stage are very different to the two that have preceded it as the race heads to Limoges, centre of France’s porcelain industry, which last hosted a stage finish in 2016, the German sprinter Marcel Kittel edging out Frenchman Bryan Coquard for what would prove to be his only win in that year’s race.

The final of today’s stage is much tougher than that one seven years ago, however, with two Category 4 climbs to be tackled inside the closing 18 kilometres, and a 5 per cent uphill drag to the line in the closing 700 metres. If it’s a sprint, it is likely to be a very select one featuring the stronger finishers, but it could also be a day for the break to stay clear or even a late solo attack to prevail.

Stage 9 Sunday 9 July Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat – Puy de Dôme (184km, mountain)

The first week of the race ends with a visit to the Massif Centrale, starting in the adopted hometown of three-time runner-up Raymond Poulidor, who never wore the yellow jersey, his grandson Mathieu van der Poel becoming the first member of the family to do so after winning the second stage of the 2021 edition in Brittany.

Poulidor’s stage-winning battle with eventual overall champion Jacques Anquetil in 1964 is just one of the past visits that has sealed the Puy de Dôme’s place in Tour history, but today is the first summit finish there for 35 years. The climb covers 13.3km at an average gradient of 7.7 per cent – but the real test comes in the final 4.5km, which averages a leg-sapping 12 per cent. There could be some big winners and losers on GC today.

Rest Day Monday 10 July Clermont-Ferrand

Stage 10 Tuesday 11 July Vulcania – Issoire (167km, hilly)

Racing resumes after the rest day with one of two stages this week that pretty much have ‘win from the break’ written all over them, so we’d expect a frantic start as riders try and get off the front of the peloton after leaving the volcano-themed Vulcania amusement park, an intermediate sprint just under 60km in meaning the break could also feature some with designs on the green points jersey.

There are 3,100 metres of climbing today and five categorised climbs the last of those crested with 28.6km still to go and a mainly downhill run to what will be only the second-ever stage finish in Issoire, the last coming 40 years ago. Attacks from the break look likely on that final climb, the Côte de la Chapelle Marcousella, with a select group fighting it out for the win, or even a solo triumph.

Stage 11 Wednesday 12 July Clermont-Ferrand – Moulins (180km, flat)

After four days in the Auvergne, the race heads north-west from Michelin’s home city then east towards Moulins, hosting its first stage finish. Shortly before halfway it goes through Montluçon, home of two-time world champion and former Tour de France yellow jersey Julian Alaphilippe, who is bound to receive a warm welcome from family and friends as the race passes by.

With no significant climbs, on paper it’s a day for the sprinters with a flat, 900-metre run to the finish, but the complexion of the race could change if there is a strong wind blowing from the south-east which would be at the back of the riders for the first 115km before turning into a crosswind, raising the prospect of echelons forming and the frantic racing that invariably ensues.

Stage 12 Thursday 13 July Roanne – Belleville-en-Beaujolais (169km, flat)

Officially, this is a flat stage, but it’s not one that looks likely to end in a bunch sprint, with some tough climbs to be tackled, three of those coming in the final 60km or so, the lats of them the Col de la Croix Rosier which averages 7.6 per cent over its 5.3km, making it a day that looks suited for the break.

A hilly start to the afternoon’s racing means that we’re likely once again to see a big battle to get into the break, and no doubt some of the specialist escape artists will have marked today out as one on which they can go for a stage win, the overall contenders likely to keep their powder dry ahead of some tough days in the Jura mountains followed by the Alps.

Stage 13 Friday 14 July Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne – Grand Colombier (138km, mountain)

With Bastille Day falling on a Friday, the roadsides will be lined with revellers kicking off their long weekend in party mode and hoping to see a home win on the Fête Nationale for the first time since Warren Barguil triumphed in Foix in 2017 – and certainly, there will be no shortage of French riders trying to get into the break during a long, flat opening to the stage which ends in the Jura mountains.

The intermediate sprint comes during a long but uncategorised climb, followed by a descent before the road flattens out ahead of the final ascent, which begins with 17.4km left and averages 7.1 per cent. The Tour first tackled the Grand Colombier in 2012, with the first summit finish in 2020 when Tadej Pogačar prevailed – although today’s tough ascent will be from a different direction.

Stage 14 Saturday 15 July Annemasse – Morzine les Portes du Soleil (152km, mountain)

A weekend in the Alps kicks off with a fairly short but very tough stage in the mountains south of Lake Geneva, the Swiss city that gives the lake its name sitting just across the border from today’s start, with the five categorised climbs in total providing 4,100 metres of vertical ascent during the afternoon.

Those climbs get progressively harder as the stage unfolds, with some steep ramps on the Col de la Ramaz potentially seeing a thinning-out of the GC group ahead of the Hors-Categorie Col du Joux Plane, covering 11.6km at 8.5 per cent. That’s crested with just 12km to go, with a tricky, very fast descent into Morzine likely to prove attractive to some of the peloton’s more fearless descenders.

Stage 15 Sunday 16 July Les Gets les Portes du Soleil – Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc Le Bettex (179km, mountains)

Today’s parcours is a near-loop through the mountains of Haute-Savoie, with racing starting after an unusually long neutralised section that gives the riders 15 minutes to get their legs warmed up. With a rest day tomorrow several, including those with their sights set on the mountains competition, will be tucked in behind the race director’s car, itching to attack the moment the flag drops.

The GC action will come on the day’s final two climbs, which in effect are one long climb with the briefest of descents between them. The first of those, the Côte des Amerands, is only designated Category 2 but averages 10.9 per cent and hits a maximum of 17 per cent, providing a potential launch pad for attacks ahead of the final ascent to Le Bettex, where Romain Bardet won in 2016.

Rest Day Monday 17 July Saint-Gervais – Mont Blanc

Stage 16 Tuesday 18 July Passy – Combloux (22km, individual time trial)

There’s a sharp contrast with the Giro d’Italia this year, which featured 73.2km of riding against the clock split between three stages, including that penultimate day’s thriller in which Primož Roglič snatched the maglia rosa from Geraint Thomas to set up his overall victory. Tour organisers ASO have instead gone for a minimalist approach, with today’s short time trial the only such stage of the race.

On that memorable day in Italy, riders switched from time trial to road bikes ahead of the last climb, but here, the benefits of changing bikes is less cut and dried. There’s a short, punchy climb early on, but most of the stage is on flattish, rolling roads. The Côte de Domancy though hits 15 per cent – could the risk of losing time to change bikes be offset by the potential reward of gaining precious seconds?

Stage 17 Wednesday 19 July Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc – Courchevel (166km, mountain)

A potential cracker of a stage in the Alps, including the Col de la Loze which at 2,304 metres will be the highest point the Tour reaches this year, on a day that begins with the familiar combination of the Col des Saisies and Cormet de Roseland and which will no doubt see a lot of fighting to get into the break, particularly from riders or teams that have had a disappointing race to date.

After the descent from Nôtre-Dame-du-Pré, the road heads upwards again, with the climb to the Col de la Loze covering 28.1km at an average gradient of 6 per cent but hitting a brutal 24 per cent at times. The summit comes with 6.6km to go, followed by a fast descent ahead of a final 18 per cent ramp to the finish. It’s very much a day that could see a big reshuffling of the top 10 on GC.

Stage 18 Thursday 20 July Moûtiers – Bourg-en-Bresse (186km, hilly)

This is one of those intriguing stages that is often thrown into the last week of the Tour, and is consequently a difficult one to call. With rolling terrain and no categorised climbs, it should be one for the sprinters, but the exertions of the past few days in the mountains, plus the reduction of teams to eight riders a few years ago, means sprint trains don’t now dominate as they once did.

Add to that the fact that with the race fast approaching its end, chances to make an impression are running out, which means many riders – including some still looking for a new contract for next year – will try and get in the break and take it all the way to the line. It could very well be one of those days when the bunch tries to reel in the escapees at the death, with a close finish in prospect.

Stage 19 Friday 21 July Moirans-en-Montagne – Poligny (173km, flat)

Another one that should, in theory, end in a bunch finish, but subject to the same caveats that applied yesterday. We’re back in the Jura today, but the two categorised climbs, the second of which has its summit 29.1km from the finish town, shouldn’t prove too taxing for the legs of the fastest men in the peloton.

A finishing straight that is around 8km in length also plays into the hands of the chasers – psychologically, it’s easier to chase down a break when it is within line of sight, and the absence of twists and turns late on, more easily negotiated by individual riders or a small group rather than the peloton, also favours the sprinters who today have their last chance of success before Paris.

Stage 20 Saturday 22 July Belfort – Le Markstein Fellering (133km, mountain)

The final mountain stage is also the shortest road stage of the race, but it is one that certainly packs a punch with six categorised climbs in wait ahead of a first-time finish at Le Markstein Fellering in the Vosges mountains. Quite how the day pans out will depend a lot on the gaps at the top of the GC – if they are small, this will be an explosive stage, and we’d expect a big break to get away eventually.

That could take some time as teams that missed the move counter attack. We should also see GC teams try and get riders up the road to fall back and help their leaders later on. The penultimate climb, the Petit Ballon, averages 8.1 per cent over 9.3km, followed by the Col du Platzerwasel, 7.1km at 8.4 per cent ahead of the finish when we’ll know who is poised to win the 110th Tour de France tomorrow.

Stage 21 Sunday 23 July 2023 Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines – Paris Champs-Elysées (115km, flat)

The traditional procession into Paris will be missing next year, the 2024 Tour concluding with an individual time trial in Nice as the French capital gears up to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are acknowledged by today’s stage starting outside the velodrome that will host the track cycling events a little more than 12 months from now.

It is of course a well-worn script, with the peloton in end-of-term mood as it heads into the heart of Paris, the jersey wearers posing for photographs, before a break that will almost certainly be doomed going clear on the iconic Champs-Elysées circuit ahead of a bunch sprint that is widely acknowledged as the unofficial sprinters’ world championship.

If Mark Cavendish, winner in May of the final stage of the Giro d’Italia in Rome,  makes it to Paris, this will be the 224th and final Tour de France stage (including Prologues) of his career. From 2009-12, he was unbeatable on the Champs-Elysées, his four straight stage wins here coming when he was at his peak, the last of those in the rainbow jersey of world champion on the same day as Sky team-mate Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider to win the yellow jersey.

By tradition, it is the team of the winner in waiting that leads the peloton across the line for the start of the first lap of the closing circuit, but the honour is sometimes given to a rider taking part in the race for the final time – although if Cavendish is here, it will be with the goal of clinching what has proved to be an elusive fifth win on cycling’s most famous finish line, and one which, if he has not yet clinched his 35th stage victory, would be the one that would finally see him pull clear of Eddy Merckx as the rider with the most stage wins in the history of the race.

Whatever happens, for the riders who have made it through the three weeks, reunions with friends and family plus celebrations with team-mates and staff beckon in the evening after the race ends for another year, the baton passing to the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence, with the city next year hosting what will be Italy’s first ever Grand Départ of its neighbouring country’s Grand Tour.

Arrivederci Paris, ed all’anno prossimo in Toscana – Goodbye Paris, and until next year in Tuscany.

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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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Re stage 9, finishing up the Puy de Dôme, you say "Poulidor’s stage-winning battle with eventual overall champion Jacques Anquetil in 1964 is just one of the past visits that has sealed the Puy de Dôme’s place in Tour history." Poulidor dropped Anquetil on the Puy de Dôme, but he didn't win the stage. They were behind the Spanish climbers Bahamontes and Jiménez, with Jiménez being the stage winner.

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A bit pedantic, but your opening paragraph is wrong...it's only three days to go until the 2023 Tour....not three weeks until the 2024 Tour!!

There's more detail here , including a lot about the areas, towns and villages the race passes through on each stage.

Quote: The start in Dax honours one of the peloton’s all-time great fast men, André Derrigade, who was born in nearby Narrosse. Now aged 94, he won 22 stages of the Tour de France, a record that stood until it was eclipsed by Mark Cavendish, who took his 23rd victory at the race on the Champs-Elysées in 2012 

Wasn't it eclipsed earlier by Eddy Merckx?

I think they meant to say sprint stages. Wheras Eddie won a mix of sprint and mountainous stages on his way to winning pretty much anything you can on a bike. 

And so the excitement builds.

Rest day on my birthday, boo.

But I will have that whole week off anyway.

I hope ITV still have the live rights, or I will be riding a lot that week , and trying to be back for 7. DMAX has been alright, apart from the weird cancelled days, and ITV4s Dauphine is good, but I need a bit of live Tour.

ktache wrote: And so the excitement builds. Rest day on my birthday, boo. But I will have that whole week off anyway. I hope ITV still have the live rights, or I will be riding a lot that week , and trying to be back for 7.

ITV only go from 2 pm, about two hours into the stage. However, Discovery+ have flag to flag coverage and there is a seven day free trial available, which would fit nicely into your birthday week!

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Tour de France 2023: stage-by-stage guide to this year’s race

The Grand Départ will be in the Basque Country this year before crossing the Pyrenees and then heading across the Massif Central

Stage 1, Saturday 1 July: Bilbao-Bilbao, 182km

The Tour starts in Spain’s foremost cycling heartland, with a stage through the Basque Country hills which will give many the jitters. Four stiff ascents in the final 80km with the Côte de Pike less than 10km from the line means an initial sort-out of the field; at least one favourite could lose the race here. The finish is made for Julian Alaphilippe, so France will expect a win and yellow jersey.

Stage 2, Sunday 2 July: Vitoria Gasteiz-San Sebastián, 209km

More straightforward but still hillier than most early Tour stages, with the Alto de Jaizkibel 16km from the finish; this 8km drag is well known to cycling fans as the key point in the San Sebastián Classic. It will shred the field, so a select group should contest the finish, suiting all rounders such as Wout van Aert or Magnus Cort. For the favourites, it’s about limiting any time loss.

Stage 3, Monday 3 July: Amorebieta-Bayonne, 187.4km

Finally, something resembling a normal stage for the Tour’s opening week. There are several nasty little Basque Country climbs but they come early in the stage and the run-out is downhill. So it’s bunch sprint time, which means British eyes will be on Mark Cavendish, although the chances are it will be last year’s sprint star, Fabio Jakobsen, in the spotlight.

Stage 4, Tuesday 4 July: Dax-Nogaro, 181.8km

Even flatter than Monday, so another bunch sprint day; for the overall contenders it’s again about staying upright. A north wind may liven things up, but it’s more likely to be a slog through the heat before Cavendish, Jakobsen, Caleb Ewan, Dylan Groenewegen and company fight it out. Big question: will Jumbo-Visma let Van Aert join in, or will he save his strength to support Jonas Vingegaard when the race enters the Pyrenees?

Stage 5, Wednesday July 5: Pau-Laruns, 163km

Two super-steep and gratingly long climbs in the Pyrenees will give a real idea of who is in for the win. It’s 44 years since the Tour has had ascents this severe this early in the race, and there could be as few as a dozen riders in the hunt at the finish. A fast-finishing climber who can descend fast will win this stage, someone of the calibre of Matej Mohoric.

Stage 6, Thursday 6 July: Tarbes-Cauterets, 145km

Day two in the Pyrenees with the Col du Tourmalet on the menu before a long, draggy uphill finish. The chances are the contenders who made the grade yesterday will watch each other and probe for any signs of weakness, while a break settles the stage, with pure climbers targeting the win and the King of the Mountains jersey: Giulio Ciccone perhaps, or Neilson Powless.

Stage 7, Friday 7 July: Mont de Marsan-Bordeaux, 170km

A complete contrast: pancake flat and probably grimly hot. Bordeaux used to be a classic sprinter’s finish when the race made regular visits, and this will be a throwback to those days. So it’s the same cast as in Nogaro, minus anyone who’s fallen foul of the mountains. This could be Cavendish’s third chance to eclipse Eddy Merckx’s stage win record and by now it will be clear just how tough an ask this will be.

Stage 8, Saturday 8 July: Libourne-Limoges, 201km

A second bunch sprint on paper, but there’s a twist: this is a long stage, and the final 70km offer little respite, being constantly up and down. It will be a tough one to control, so teams without sprinters will fancy their chances in a break. The tough finale favours a strongman such as Mathieu van der Poel or his Alpecin–Deceuninck teammate Søren Kragh Andersen.

Stage 9, Sunday 9 July: St Léonard de Noblat-Le Puy de Dôme, 182.5km

A stage devoted to the memory of France’s favourite racer, the late Raymond Poulidor, starting in his home town and finishing on the extinct volcano that was the site of his greatest exploit. The finish climb is back after 35 years’ absence and its insanely steep final 4km will force Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar to show precisely how strong they are. Expect a major reshuffle in the standings.

Stage 10, Tuesday 11 July: Vulcania-Issoire, 167km

After a rest day in Clermont-Ferrand, this is a day for the break to contest a stage through sumptuous scenery. The battle on the climb at the start will be intense and a downhill finish means the final four-mile ascent could see drama aplenty, while there is barely a flat stretch of road in between. This stage will be a target for Alaphilippe, Cort or other stage hunters such as Richard Carapaz or Daniel Martínez .

Stage 11, Wednesday 12 July: Clermont Ferrand-Moulins, 180km

A bunch sprint for sure, simply because with so few opportunities the sprinters won’t want to let this one get away. A break will go with riders looking for television time, but they won’t stand a chance. The question here is: which sprinters have survived the Massif Central, and which teams have any firepower left? One thing is certain: we won’t see another mass finish for at least eight days.

Stage 12, Thursday 13 July: Roanne-Belleville en Beaujolais, 169km

This is the sort of stage the Tour organiser, Christian Prudhomme, loves, peppered with medium-difficulty climbs where anything can happen. Stage hunters such as Alaphilippe, Cort and company will love it, and overall contenders who have flopped thus far will see a chance for redemption. But for a team trying to control the race, it will be a nightmare in the Beaujolais vineyards. For fans, it could be grand cru .

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Stage 13, Friday 14 July: Châtillon sur Chalaronne-Grand Colombier, 138km

A very simple stage, with a big (non-classified) climb mid-stage to whittle the field down, and a brutal climb to the finish for Pogacar, Vingegaard and any remaining rivals such as – perhaps – Tom Pidcock to do battle. The finish is a 17km ascent.

Stage 14, Saturday 15 July: Annemasse-Morzine, 152km

The stage 14 battleground, the Col de Joux Plane, is long, and steep, with the final 6km all about 10%; it’s followed by one of the Tour’s trickiest descents to the finish. With climbing right from the start, the break will go early and may well contest the finish. A good chance for riders such as Mikel Landa, but the final descent has Pidcock written all over it.

Stage 15, Sunday 16 July: Les Gets-Saint Gervais Mont Blanc, 179km

Again there is climbing all day; four classified climbs and several unclassified ones, before an uphill finish where France’s Romain Bardet won in 2016, and where most of the damage will be done on the initial kilometres to Les Amerands, where the gradient reaches 18%. David Gaudu is the rider French fans will expect to emulate Bardet, but if the overall contenders get involved that will be a big ask.

Stage 16, Tuesday 18 July: Passy-Combloux, 22.4km ITT

After the second rest day, a time trial! Once a Tour staple, now a relative rarity. This one is short enough that it won’t upset the applecart, but there’s a twist in its flattish route: a short, sharp pull up the Côte de Domancy, or Route Bernard Hinault, where “the Badger” won the 1980 world title. Another reminder that Hinault remains the last French Tour winner, back in 1985. That’s unlikely to change this year.

Stage 17, Wednesday 19 July: Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc-Courchevel, 166km

The final Alpine stage ends over the longest climb of the week, the 28km Col de la Loze, with an unremitting final 6km topping out at 24%, and after the descent into Courchevel there’s a short, stiff pull to the finish line. If an early break gains ground watch out for pure climbers such as Pello Bilbao, otherwise it’s all about Vingegaard and Pogacar, who between them won four mountain stages last year.

Stage 18, Thursday 20 July: Moûtiers-Bourg-en-Bresse, 185km

A long flat run out of the Alps offers respite after the mountains. On paper this is a bunch sprint, but that depends on which sprinters have survived and what state their teammates are in. Last year the Belgian Jasper Philipsen was the pick of the sprinters in the second half of the Tour; if he and his teammate Van der Poel are in form, look no further.

Stage 19, Friday 21 July: Moirans-en-Montagne-Poligny, 173km

Another flat stage, this time out of the Jura and into the Doubs. This should be another bunch sprint, but there’s a stiff little climb 26km out, which could well put the riders who are left in the sprinters’ teams seriously off their stride. So perhaps a reduced bunch sprint for a seasoned warhorse such as Mads Pedersen.

Stage 20, Saturday 22 July: Belfort-Le Markstein Fellering, 133.5km

A final mountain stage where the organisers will hope for a conclusive showdown between, ideally, Pogacar and Vingegaard. Given this isn’t a million miles from the home of the French chouchou Thibaut Pinot, the home fans and media will be dreaming up a perfect exit for the three-time stage winner in his final Tour over six of the best passes the Vosges can offer.

Stage 21, Sunday 23 July: Saint Quentin en Yvelines-Paris Champs Élysées, 115km

A hint of the Paris 2024 Games with a start at the national velodrome before the run-in to the finish on the Champs Élysées, where the sprinters can strut their stuff. This is the last time we will see the Tour here for a couple of years, as next year’s Olympics mean the finish moves to Nice and a final time trial, the first time the Tour has finished outside the capital since 1905.

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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.

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Tour de France 2023: our selection of the most beautiful mountain stages

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Reading time: 0 min Published on 4 December 2023, updated on 15 April 2024

The most famous cycle race in the world, the Tour de France will be taking to the skies once again this year, as the 3,404km and 21 stages will take in all 5 of France's mountain ranges! The Pyrenees, the Auvergne volcanoes, the Jura mountains, the Alps and the Vosges massif... The peloton has plenty of pedalling to do and plenty of climbing to do. The grandiose landscapes, the high altitude finishes and the dizzying descents promise to be emotional highs. To experience the highs (and lows) of the Grand Loop, saddle up with our selection of the most beautiful mountain stages.

From Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque, the Pyrenees take centre stage

After 3 stages on the Spanish side, welcome to the French Pyrenees! First there's Bayonne and the Basque country, Dax and its thermal baths, Pau and its beautiful castle where King Henry IV was born. And then there's Tarbes, with its breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, its palm-lined streets (yes, yes!) and its gourmet markets. The riders of the 2023 Tour de France will need a lot of courage to tear themselves away from this gentle way of life and tackle the climbs of the Aspin and terrible Tourmalet cols . The reward for all this climbing is a finish on the Cambasque plateau, overlooking the charming resort of Cauterets, in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, where the Pic du Midi is enthroned. Want to cool off? Try the hike to the peaceful Lac d'Ilhéou . In a green setting with magnificent views and waterfalls, picnics and swimming...

The Puy de Dôme, a feast for the eyes in Auvergne

The ascent of Puy de Dôme, the undisputed star of the Auvergne, will be one of the highlights of the 2023 Tour de France! The youngest and highest volcano in the Puys chain has not featured on the itinerary for 35 years. Taking on this fearsome and majestic peak and finishing with a 360° view over the gentle rolling hills of the Parc naturel régional des Volcans d'Auvergne is sure to motivate many a rider! But did you know that you can also climb this peaceful giant by mule track or on board the Panoramique des Dômes, a picturesque little cogwheel train? In just 15 minutes, you'll be transported to an altitude of 1,465 m, with the 80 volcanoes of the Puy range and the Limagne fault (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site at your feet. To complete a stage that's full of fireworks, the Vulcania Park is not far away! Who can beat that?

Breathtaking escapes in the Jura

Expect to fall under the spell of Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne! Just 1 hour from Lyon and the Monts du Beaujolais, this small town in the Ain département, from which the Tour de France 2023 peloton will set off on 14 July, is a delightful medieval town. With its pink stone houses, flower-bedecked bridges and old market hall housing one of France's most popular traditional markets, it is also the gateway to the Dombes region, a paradise for fish farmers and birdwatchers with its landscapes of water and ponds. Take advantage of this area on foot, by boat or, ideally, by bike (it's flat!), before taking to the heights of the Montagnes du Jura , just a stone's throw away. The Pyramide du Bugey, from the top of which you can see Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, is a must-see. The Tour de France riders attack it via the Col du Grand Colombier. At top speed. Take your time, the panorama is well worth it!

In the Alps, between lakes and legendary passes

It's doubtful that the riders will enjoy the view of Lake Geneva as they take their first pedal to the metal in the Alps at Annemasse on stage 14 of the Tour de France 2023. We recommend this one, though, as well as the view of Lake Annecy and its turquoise waters. Then it's time for a series of twists and turns and climbs to the legendary passes of the Alps, including the famous Col du Feu, an unprecedented climb for the peloton. At an altitude of 1,000 metres, in the heart of the Portes du Soleil ski area, the stage finish in Morzine won't dampen the spirits of those who love nature. In summer, the little village resort in the Alps is an ideal playground for lovers of outdoor activities : a stroll along the Dérêches river, swimming in Lake Montriond, canyoning or via ferrata... the hardest thing will be to choose.

From Gets to Saint-Gervais, Mont Blanc in your sights

For the first time since its creation, the Tour de France will start from Les Gets. Well-known to mountain bikers (the World Championships were held there in 2022), the pretty Alpine resort will kick off a 15th stage during which you'll need to have plenty of breath. The Col de la Forclaz-Montmin is on the programme. So allow yourself a break at its belvedere for a bird's-eye view of Lake Annecy before setting off again for Saint-Gervais, at the foot of Mont-Blanc. If you want to reach the highest peak in the Alps, this village resort, with its well-preserved heritage and traditions, is the ideal place to stop. And its thermal baths, renowned for the many benefits of their waters, set the well-being at the summit in a magnificent green setting.

Courchevel, star of the Alps

The regulars call it Courch' and they come and go summer and winter as connoisseurs, just like the Tour de France caravan which is visiting the Savoyard resort for the 4th time. Welcome to the pinnacle of top-of-the-range skiing in the Alps, at the heart of the Three Valleys ski area. Courchevel tops the list not only for the size of its ski area (Méribel and Val Thorens are its famous neighbours) but also for its range of hotels (no fewer than 5 mountain palaces , from the Apogée to the Cheval Blanc, not forgetting the K2 Palace, Airelles and the Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges) and restaurants. So, with its 6 hamlets and the surrounding area, the resort has a lot to offer. Take a selfie at the top of La Saulire, take a stroll down to Lac de la Rosière, cycle down the Bike Park, spend the night in the Lacs Merlet refuge or hike through the heart of the Vallée des Avals... You're going to love it!

Full steam ahead in the Vosges

Between the Lorraine plateau and the Alsace plain, the Vosges massif lives up to its reputation: a perfect blend of nature, wide open spaces, traditions and local produce, crafts and fine cheeses. Between the Grand Ballon d'Alsace and the Petit Ballon, via the famous Col de la Schlucht, the Tour de France 2023 will be taking a break from the normality of the mountains, with a new finish on the slopes of the Markstein, in the welcoming family resort of Marlstein Fellering. In the heart of the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park , you can enjoy bucolic hikes, tobogganing in the mountain pastures, paragliding with a view, and mountain biking (or mountain bikes) in a landscape of absolute serenity. And for those with a sweet tooth, July is the peak of blueberry season (and the season for tarts in the farm inns).

And (finally) Paris.... and the Olympics!

Will the riders be in Olympic form for the triumphant finish on the Champs-Elysées on 23 July 2023? Just one year ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris , the route will certainly provide a magnificent prologue to the sporting event. Starting in Saint-Quentin en Yvelines, all the future Olympic venues in the Yvelines département will be on the peloton's final route. A gigantic loop will join the Colline d'Elancourt (where the mountain bike events will take place), the Golf National in Guyancourt and the Château de Versailles , which will host the equestrian events and part of the modern pentathlon competitions. A prestigious line-up of finishers for a Tour de France 2023 that's sure to be at the top of its game!

Find out more:

More information on the route of the Tour de France 2023 and nearby tourist attractions

5 minutes to find out all about the Tour de France 9 mountain skills to discover

By Redaction France.fr

The magazine of the destination unravels an unexpected France that revisits tradition and cultivates creativity. A France far beyond what you can imagine…

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Tour de France 2023: Parcours en etappes

Lees over het volledige parcours van de Ronde van Frankrijk 2023.

Via de links in onderstaand schema komt u bij gedetailleerde informatie over de losse etappes.

Tour de France 2023 etappes

Tour de france 2023: routes, profielen en meer.

Klik op de afbeeldingen om te vergroten

Tour de France artikelen

Tour de france 2023: het complete parcours, tour de france 2023 parcours etappe 1: bilbao - bilbao.

Tour de France 2023 Parcours etappe 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz - San Sebastián

Tour de France 2023 Parcours etappe 3: Amorebieta-Etxano - Bayonne

Tour de France 2023 Parcours etappe 4: Dax - Nogaro

L'Étape by Tour de France coming to Las Vegas in 2023

Sportive will run through Sin City and scenic Red Rock Canyon

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Las Vegas will become the second U.S. destination to host a L’Étape by Tour de France event in spring of 2023. 

Held in 21 countries across the world,  L'Étape by Tour de France is a Gran Fondo series organized by the Tour de France brand aimed at offering “amateur cyclists the ability to ride or race a stage of the Tour de France in their own backyard.” 

Gran Fondos, also known as Sportives, are mass participation cycling events that, much like a running marathon, are a race for some and a fun, personal challenge for others.  

The L'Étape by Tour de France routes are designed by Tour de France experts and held on closed courses. For the full Tour de France racing experience, there are official podium ceremonies held at the end of each event, complete with authentic Tour de France jerseys . The jerseys will be yellow for the race winner, white-and-red polka dots for the winner of the best climber classification, and green for those fastest through the timed sprint sections on the course. There’s even a ‘fan fest’ designed after the Village Départ. 

San Antonio, Texas, became the first U.S. city to host an official Tour de France Sportive for the first time just last month. More than two thousand cyclists attended the inaugural event, and were joined by two-time Tour de France winner and official Tour de France ambassador, Alberto Contador . 

A local news channel reports Las Vegas event will be held across two days, May 13-14, 2023, and will take riders from the Las Vegas Ballpark into the scenic Red Rock Canyon. There will be three routes on offer: a 25-mile beginner-friendly route, a 50-miler and a 75-mile challenge.  

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Cycling Weekly 's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.

Originally from The Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years. 

The ultra-distance benchmark that pits riders against a 4,000km self-supported Europe-wide trek reaches double figures

By James Shrubsall Published 27 April 24

Charming, simple, and always a great workout, this is the perfect town bike

By Joe Baker Published 27 April 24

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Sprint | Lanne-en-Barétous (48.8 km)

Points at finish, kom sprint (hc) col de soudet (87.5 km), kom sprint (3) col d'ichère (124.8 km), kom sprint (1) col de marie blanque (144.2 km), youth day classification, team day classification, race information.

• Date: 05 July 2023
• Start time: 13:25
• Avg. speed winner: 41.17 km/h
• Race category: ME - Men Elite
• Distance: 162.7 km
• Points scale: GT.A.Stage
• UCI scale: UCI.WR.GT.A.Stage
• Parcours type:
• ProfileScore: 239
• Vert. meters: 3652
• Departure: Pau
• Arrival: Laruns
• Race ranking: 1
• Startlist quality score: 1584
• Won how: 20.2 km solo
• Avg. temperature: 22 °C

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Tour de France 2025 start met drie nagenoeg vlakke etappes

Eerste etappe: sprinters. Tweede etappe: punchers. Derde etappe: sprinters.

De ASO heeft gisteren de eerste 3 etappes van de Tour de France 2025 onthuld met het Grand Départ in de Noord-Franse stad Lille. Voor het eerst sinds 2021 zal de Ronde van Frankrijk weer starten op Frans grondgebied. Hoewel de eerste drie etappes in de buurt van de Hel van het Noorden komen, lijken er geen kasseien in het parcours te liggen.

Etappe 1: Lille Métropole - Lille Métropole (185 km)

De eerste etappe lijkt een echte etappe voor de sprinters, die dus kunnen gaan strijden voor de eerste Gele Trui. Met een lengte van 185 kilometer is het een relatief makkelijke start van de Tour.

Etappe 2: Lauwin-Planqua - Boulogne-Sur-Mer (209 km)

Hoewel de tweede etappe ook zo goed als vlak is, lijkt deze etappe gemaakt voor de punchers. De laatste 30 kilometer zijn serieus lastig, met korte steile klimmetjes. De Côte du Haut Pichot (1 km aan 10%) opent de finale, maar het is vooral de combinatie van de Côte de Saint-Étienne-au-Mont (900 meter aan 11%) en de Côte d’Outreau (800 meter aan 8,8%) die voor verschillen gaat zorgen. De top van die laatste ligt op iets meer dan vijf kilometer van de finish.

Etappe 3: Valenciennes - Duinkerken (172 km)

De derde etappe lijkt weer een echte sprintersrit te worden. Vlak, niet al te lang en als het rustig zomerweer is niet al te lastig. Maar áls er een beetje wind staat, dan kunnen er misschien nog waaiers gevormd worden en het alsnog een hectische dag worden.

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Preview of the 2024 Vuelta Femenina | No Van Vleuten, but spring nemesis for Vollering

A fter a turbulent spring classics season, where a strong returning Marianne Vos, a regal Lotte Kopecky, and a soaring Elisa Longo Borghini swept most of the victories away from the other top riders, it's time for the first major women's tour: the Vuelta! Demi Vollering, still seeking her first victory, is participating and will be especially determined to avenge her near-win in 2023. Who are the other favorites for the red jersey? And what course will the women face? IDLProCycling.com tells you everything you need to know!

Last year, the Vuelta Femenina was highly controversial. The fight for the red jersey was thrilling but was ultimately decided by a mistake from Vollering. Or was it due to unsportsmanlike riding by Annemiek van Vleuten? After a bathroom break at SD Worx, the leader of the general classification failed to catch up, and Van Vleuten took over the lead. She held it through a nail-biting battle of seconds on the legendary climb to Lagos de Covadonga and never relinquished it again. Vollering gained a lot of time back but fell just nine seconds short of clinching the red jersey.

Thus, Van Vleuten – as it now turns out – won her last grand tour. It was also her third overall victory in the women’s Tour of Spain. The race received a significant update in 2023, growing from five to seven stages, and this year it will expand to include an eighth stage. From 2015 to 2017, the Vuelta was a one-day race, known as the Madrid Challenge. It expanded to a two-day event in 2018 and 2019, before a third day was added in 2020. In 2021, there were four stages, and the following year, five.

Practical information Vuelta Femenina 2024

• Sunday, April 28 - Sunday, May 5, 2024
• Participants
• Classification: 2.WWT

In this article:

• Recent winners
• Route, climbs and times
• Favorites for the stage wins

Recent winners of the Vuelta Femenina 

2023: Annemiek van Vleuten

2022: Annemiek van Vleuten

2021: Annemiek van Vleuten

2020: Lisa Brennauer

2019: Lisa Brennauer

2018: Ellen van Dijk

2017: Jolien D'Hoore *

2016: Jolien D'Hoore *

2015: Shelley Olds *

* In these editions it was still a one-day race .

Vuelta Femenina 2024: Route, times and favorites for the stages

Stage 1, sunday, april 28, 2024: valencia - valencia (team time trial, 16 km).

The first stage of the Vuelta is a perfectly flat team time trial. Around Valencia, teams will cover sixteen kilometers without any significant obstacles. In addition to being flat, this challenge is also not very demanding in terms of corners: halfway through, the riders make a U-turn and head back towards the beautiful center of Valencia. An ideal day for the strong teams and well-oiled machines in the peloton!

First team starts 3:56 PM

Last team finishes approximately 5:15 PM

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SD Worx-Protime

Stage 2, Monday, April 29, 2024: Bunyol - Moncofa (118.3 km)

Stage two falls into the category of 'Spanish flat.' The riders start in Bunyol at an elevation of almost four hundred meters. A rolling course takes them to the finish line in Moncofa, facing only the Puerto de L'Oronet as a notable climb along the way. This climb is positioned far enough from the finish that the sprinters' teams are unlikely to want to lose the battle there. Thus, we are gearing up for a likely bunch sprint on day two, although some of the faster women might find themselves dropped...

79.9 km: Puerto de L'Oronet (5.9 km at 4.0%)

Start: 2:22 PM

Finish: approximately 5:15 PM

Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL)Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco)

Stage 3, Tuesday, April 30, 2024: Lucena - Teruel (130.2 km)

Stage three could go several ways. The route is tougher than the second stage, with more elevation gain. The only official climb of the day is mid-race, but the vertical challenges don’t stop there. The course continues to undulate and roll towards the finish line in Teruel. Here, the sprinters who can handle a climb may battle it out. Alternatively, this could be a good day for breakaway riders, as the stage will be difficult to control. Multiple scenarios are possible!

68 km: Alto Fuente de Rubielos (6.0 km at 6.0%)

Start: 1:45 PM

Finish: approximately 5:16 PM

Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

Emma Henderson (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Stage 4, Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Molina de Aragón - Zaragoza (142.3 km)

A stage that is almost entirely downhill is not something we often see! Yet, in the fourth stage, the riders descend nearly a thousand meters, with a few small bumps along the way. With no serious climbs to contend with, this stage is an ideal opportunity for the fast riders in the peloton. There's a good chance we'll see another battle between Marianne Vos and Charlotte Kool!

Start: 1:57 PM

Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 5, Thursday, May 2, 2024: Huesca - Jaca (113.9 km)

And here it is, the first mountain-top finish! We've had to wait four days for it in the women's race, but it immediately presents a significant mountain stage. The route includes two second-category climbs. Particularly, the final climb will make a difference. The ascent to Alto del Fuerte in Jaca is not long, but it is steep and will definitely create a divide in the GC. A first real opportunity for Demi Vollering? It certainly looks like it!

After 86 km: Alto del Monasterio de San Juan de la Pena (18.4 km at 3.0%)

After 113 km: Alto del Fuerte (3.0 km at 8.0%)

Start: 2:16 PM

Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)

Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing)

Stage 6, Friday, May 3, 2024: Tarazona - La Laguna Negra (132.1 km)

The day after the first uphill finish, there's another one right away. This one is much longer, though slightly less steep. We expect to see the same women leading the pack, as an average gradient of 6.7 percent can definitely create gaps.

132.1 km: La Laguna Negra (6.5 km at 6.7%)

Start: 1:41 PM

Stage 7, Saturday, May 4, 2024: San Esteban de Gormaz - Sigüenza (138.6 km)

One last chance for the fast women, though we may be thinking more of the punchers here. After a hilly day, the last few hundred meters run dirty. Timing is important to be able to compete for the day's victory here!

Start: 12:57 p.m.

Finish: approximately 4:15 p.m.

Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime)

Liane Lippert (Movistar)

Stage 8, Sunday, May 5, 2024: Distrito Telefónica - Valdesquí (89.0 km)

We wrap up the women's Vuelta with an ultra-short 89-kilometer stage, but it includes two significant climbs. The general classification could be completely overturned here. And who will take the stage win? Someone who has already lost some time? Or perhaps the most dominant rider in the pack?

33.2 km: Puerto de la Morcuera (9.1 km at 6.8%)

89.0 km: Valdesquí (12.8 km at 4.8%)

Start: 11:01 AM

Finish: approximately 1:30 PM

Favorites for the General Classification of the Vuelta Femenina 2024

In contrast to the men’s races, the dynamics in women's grand tours often point more clearly towards certain contenders. The gap in performance levels is still too significant to come up with a list of ten names that can win the Vuelta. However, let's attempt to identify some. The top favorite: Demi Vollering ! Despite a spring season without victories, she consistently showed she has the strength to compete for the win. With the climbs becoming longer and tougher, Vollering is expected to excel even more. She also benefits from the strong support of her team at SD Worx-Protime.

This holds true for Elisa Longo Borghini at Lidl-Trek, who was Vollering’s nemesis this spring. The Italian champion was stronger than Vollering at events like the Brabantse Pijl, and also demonstrated in races like Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège that she can match the Dutch rider on such terrains. How will she fare on longer climbs and as the tough days stack up?

Kasia Niewiadoma might be a key rival for Vollering. The Polish rider from Canyon/SRAM clinched her first victory since 2019 at the Flèche Wallonne, which must have given her a huge confidence boost heading into the grand tour season. Niewiadoma is undoubtedly one of the best climbers in the peloton. Can she compete with Vollering and Longo Borghini in the team time trial, in terms of the team?

Behind these three top names, there is a solid group of outsiders and long shots. Women who haven't yet proven they can win, but who may have the potential. Consider the young Ricarda Bauernfeind , a teammate of Niewiadoma and last year's stage winner at the Tour de France Femmes. Juliette Labous is steadily progressing at dsm-Firmenich PostNL, having achieved a second place in the 2023 Giro, for example. The French rider is definitely one to watch. Also noted are the always dangerous veteran Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) and the American climber Kristen Faulkner (EF).

Favorites for the General Classification of the Vuelta Femenina 2024, according to IDLProCycling.com

Top favorite : Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)

Outsiders: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM)

Long Shots : Juliette Labous (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance - Soudal Team), Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Cannondale) and Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon/SRAM)

2024 Vuelta Femenina TV Coverage

The Women's Tour of Spain will be broadcast live daily on Eurosport ! Note that the last two days will finish earlier.