The 2010 Tour de France bike race that rolls out July 3-25 will be a 2,232-mile counterclockwise loop around France that sees four mountain stages in the Pyrenees and an individual time trial in the final week.
In fact, the organizers found the climb up the Col du Tourmalet so nice that they've scheduled it twice, once on the way to Pau in Stage 16 and then as the finish on Stage 17.
The grand tour begins with a 5-mile prologue in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The remaining 20 stages are comprised of six mountain stages (three finish on summits), four medium mountain stages, nine flat stages and one individual time trial, a 36.6-mile race against the clock on the next to last day.
Adding a different twist, Stage 3 will include about 8 miles of cobblestones.
Here's the route; reactions below:
Reactions
Announced in Paris on Wednesday, the immediate reaction was a mixed bag. Defending champion Alberto Contador liked it better than the 2009 route, but was worried about the cobblestones in Belgium. Green jersey winner Thor Hushovd told CyclingNews it looked more difficult than 2009.
Lance Armstrong, who finshed 3rd in his comeback Tour de France this year, had mixed feelings:
“No TTT (team time trial) which is a bummer for Team RadioShack. I suspect the strength of our team will be a benefit in the 1st week tho.”
British sprinter Mark Cavendish, who won 6 Tour stages in 2009, told VeloNews that he thought it would be difficult to repeat that feat in 2010. Also, crossing the Pyrenees in the final week will be a challenge if he wants to win the green jersey.
Garmin-Slipstream chief Jonathan Vaughters said the route, especially the third week, looked more difficult than 2009, which should favor bike racer Christian Vande Velde.
Climb every mountain
That final week does look like a doozy. The four mountain stages followed by an individual time trial on the penultimate stage seems suited for someone to come out of the peloton and steal the race from whoever is leading going into the Pyrenees.
For those who like the climbs, and who doesn't, here's a rundown of the highlights:
Stage 8 visits Col de la Ramaz before finishing atop Morzine-Avoriaz in the Alps;
Stage 9 follows a rest day, and visits Col de la Colombiere, Col des Aravis, Col des Saisies and Col de la Madeleine;
Stage 14 introduces the Pyrenees and Port de Pailheres and mountain finish Ax-3 Domaines;
Stage 15 features Col du Portet d'Aspet, Col des Ares, and Port de Bales;
Stage 16 is more of the same with Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet and Col d'Aubisque;
Stage 17 follows a rest day and starts with Col de Marie-Blanque and Col du Soulor before returning to Col de Tourmalet for a mountaintop finish.
Stages
July 3 – Prologue – Rotterdam to Rotterdam
July 4 – Plain — Rotterdam to Brussels
July 5 – Hilly — Brussels to Spa
July 6 – Plain — Wanze to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut
July 7 – Plain — Cambrai to Reims
July 8 – Plain — Epernay to Montargis
July 9 – Plain — Montargis to Gueugnon
July 10 – Medium mountains — Tournus to Station des Rousses
July 11 – High mountains (Alps) — Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz
July 12 – Rest day
July 13 – High mountains (Alps) — Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint Jean de Maurenne
July 14 – Medium mountains — Chambery to Gap
July 15 – Plain — Sisteron to Bourg les Valence
July 16 – Hilly — Bourg de Peage to Mende
July 17 – Plain — Rodez to Revel
July 18 – High mountains (Pyrenees) — Revel to Ax-3 Domaines
July 19 – High mountains (Pyrenees) — Pamiers to Bagneres de Luchon
July 20 – High mountains (Pyrenees) — Bagneres de Luchon to Pau
July 21 – Rest day
July 22 – High mountains (Pyrenees) — Pau to Col du Tourmalet
July 23 – Plain — Salies de Bearn to Bordeaux
July 24 – Individual time trial — Bordeaux to Pauillac
July 25 – Longjumeau to Paris Champs Elysees
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