Tour de France 2023, new route unveiled in Paris
Tour de France 2023: the new route
Mountainous profile and limited number of time trial kilometers for the 110th edition of the Tour de France (July 1-23, 2023).
The Basque Country will host the Grand Depart for the first time since 1992; stages around Bilbao and San Sebastian promise thrilling battles before the race heads into the Pyrenees, where it will tackle the Col de Soudet, Col de Marie Blanque, Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet in the span of just two days, the last of which will culminate with the Cauterets, the first of the race’s four summit finishes.
The sprinters will have some opportunities when the peloton heads into the Massif Central, where the iconic Puy de Dome (13.3 km, 7.7 percent), scene of an incredible and unforgettable duel between Raymond Poulidor and Jacques Anquetil in 1964, will return after a 35-year absence.
The Jura will bring the mighty Col du Grand Colombier on Bastille Day, while the Alps will host the summit finish in Saint-Gervais and the return of the brutal Col de la Loze (the highest point of the entire race – 2304 meters) after three years, but also the only individual time trial of the 110th Grande Boucle. At the start of the third week, the stage between Passy and Combleux will be only 22 kilometers long, representing the fewest time trial kilometers in a single edition since the discipline was introduced in 1934.
On the penultimate day, a stage in the Vosges perfect for an ambush awaits the peloton, which will face six classified climbs, including the Ballon d’Alsace, the Col du Petit Ballon and the Col du Platzerwasel. From there, the race will move on to Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, where the final stage of the Tour de France will kick off, with Paris offering the sprinters one of their few chances to put themselves on the map next July.
“It’s a very tough Tour de France, and you can see that right from the opening weekend, which will be very nervous with all those hard, steep climbs in the Basque Country. Then, as the race progresses, many big climbs will make their presence felt on this relentless course, making things tougher and more complicated. The fast men should have some stages to themselves, but the puncheurs will also have their fair share of chances, perhaps more than in recent years. Overall, this is a very challenging Tour de France,” commented Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl sports director Wilfried Peeters.
