Mountainous profile and limited amount of time trial kilometers for the 110th edition (1-23 July 2023).
The Basque Country will host the Grand Depart for the first time since 1992, the stages around Bilbao and San Sebastian promising some exciting 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 space of just two days, the last of these culminating with the Cauterets, the first of the race’s four summit finishes.
The sprinters will get some opportunities as the peloton makes the transition towards the Massif Central, where the iconic Puy de Dôme (13.3km, 7.7%), scene of an amazing and unforgettable duel between Raymond Poulidor and Jacques Anquetil in 1964, will be back after a 35-year absence.
The Jura brings the mighty Col du Grand Colombier on Bastille Day, while the Alps will host the Saint-Gervais mountain top finish 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 sole individual time trial of the 110th Grande Boucle. Featuring at the beginning of the third week, the stage between Passy and Combleux will be just 22 kilometers in length, making for the lowest amount of 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 bunch, who will take on five classified climbs, including the Ballon d’Alsace, Col du Petit Ballon and Col du Platzerwasel. From there, the race travels to Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, where the last stage of the Tour de France will get underway, with Paris set to give the sprinters one of their few chances to shine next July.
“It’s a very hard Tour de France, and you can see that from the opening weekend, which is going to be very nervous with all those hard and steep climbs in the Basque Country. Then, as the race progresses, many big climbs will make their presence felt on this relentless route, making things tougher and more complicated. The fast men should have some stages for themselves, but also the puncheurs will get their fair number of chances, maybe more than in recent years. Overall, it’s a very demanding Tour de France”, said Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl sports director Wilfried Peeters.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
