THE 2014 TOUR de France gets under way on July 5. Ahead of the world-famous race we look at a stage-by-stage guide to the route.
Stage One (Leeds – Harrogate: 190.5 kilometres)
For the second year in a row, the Tour de France will begin with a road stage rather than a prologue (a short individual time trial). With Le Tour returning to Great Britain for the first time since 2007, and just the fourth time ever, expect Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) to feature in a likely sprint finish in his mother’s home town, while Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) will also challenge.
Stage Two (York – Sheffield: 201km)
Yorkshire’s hilly topography will test all riders over the first two days with stage two likely to resemble a Belgian classic with plenty of attacking opportunities and chances for mistakes or crashes to hurt general classification (GC) candidates. With nine category climbs but only one tougher than a category three, cyclists like Peter Sagan (Cannondale), Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) and John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) could thrive.
Stage Three (Cambridge - London: 155km)
With a finish opposite Buckingham Palace, this stage seems tailor made for proud Briton Cavendish. The 29-year-old has won in front of the royal residence before in the 2011 London-Surrey Classic, while Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr) enjoyed success at the same location in the inaugural RideLondon Classic two years later. This will be the last stage before the peloton heads to France and riders will have to be wary of the roundabouts as they enter London to avoid any early injuries.
Stage Four (Le Touquet-Paris-Plage - Lille: 163.5km)
Lille will host a stage finish for the 15th time, although it will be the first time in 20 years. With just two category four climbs in the north of France, expect the sprint-focused teams to again dominate the peloton, with the likes of Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) and Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) likely to fight it out with Cavendish and Kittel. It will be important for GC candidates to stay as high as possible on the standings, as that will determine where their team car is placed for stage five.
Stage Five (Ypres - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut: 155.5km)
Team car placements will be vital on the fifth stage, which is arguably the most-anticipated of this year’s Tour. The stage, which will start in Belgium, will feature nine sections of cobblestones for a total of 15.4km. The last time cobbles were included on Le Tour in 2010, it ended Frank Schleck’s race, so GC candidates will have to be careful. 2014 Paris-Roubaix winner Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) is an obvious contender for line honours, as is Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory).
Stage Six (Arras – Reims: 194km)
After the torture of the cobbles, the lumpy second half of this stage and twisty roads could suit a breakaway group. Cavendish, Kittel and Greipel will again urge their team-mates to control the stage, as Reims is traditionally a good place for sprinters. In 2010, Alessandro Petacchi (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) won in the north-eastern French city and the Italian could be leading out Cavendish this time around.
Stage Seven (Epernay – Nancy: 234.5km)
This will be a dangerous day for teams that are hurting in the first week of the Tour de France. There are two climbs in the last 20km, including the Cote de Boufflers that includes a section of eight per cent gradient. With bigger mountains due on stage eight, the sprinters will again hope for a bunched finish, although do not be surprised if someone like Gerrans or Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) salutes in Nancy after a late breakaway.
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Stage Eight (Tomblaine – Gerardmer La Mauselaine: 161km)
A 130km trek before three categorised climbs suits a breakaway. The latter two climbs could see either a decisive attack to claim a stage victory or a move from a yellow-jersey aspirant to gain some time. The category-two Col de Grosse Pierre has sections of over 15 per cent gradient and is followed by the ascent to the finish on the category-three La Mauselaine, which has a stint of 1.8km at 10.3 per cent.
Stage Nine (Gerardmer – Mulhouse: 170km)
Long climbs rather than steep ascents dominate this stage, which features no less than six categorised peaks. All are at least category three, while the penultimate climb is the category-one Le Markstein. If the sprint-focused teams can hold it together, there is 36.5km from the final descent to the finish to potentially claim line honours near the French-Swiss border.
Sid's Cafe made famous by the television series Last of the Summer Wine is decorated as part of the route on stage 2 of the Tour de France. PA Wire / Press Association Images
PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Stage 10 (Mulhouse – La Planche des Belles Filles: 161.5km)
This will be the last stage before the first rest day of the 2014 Tour and the main GC rivals are likely to fire the majority of shots in the Vosges Mountains of Alsace. But it will also be Bastille Day, so bank on Frenchmen attacking at any opportunity. Chris Froome (Team Sky) claimed his maiden stage win at La Planche des Belles Filles in 2012 and the reigning champion will be expected to challenge again on stage 10 this year. The final climb to the finish line has 20 per cent gradient.
Stage 11 (Besancon – Oyonnax: 187.5km)
After a day off to rest aching legs, the peloton will resume from the city of Besancon in the Franche-Comte region. A lumpy stage with four categorised climbs towards the end will be their test and it seems perfectly suited for Slovakian phenomenon Sagan. Expect the yellow-jersey contenders to call a truce after a tough test in the Vosges.
Le Tour will return to Saint-Etienne, the old capital of the French bicycle industry, for the first time since 2008 and the 23rd time in the race’s history. With four category climbs, this stage could offer some joy to a breakaway group, while a flat finish will have the sprinters interested if their teams can bring the peloton together at the end.
Stage 13 (Saint-Etienne – Chamrousse: 197.5km)
This stage will start fairly comfortably for the peloton, although the category-three Col de la Croix de Montvieux after just 10.5km may inspire some attacks. But all the action is likely to occur in the final third of the Alpine stage. The category-one Col de Palaquit will precede the ‘Hors categorie’ (HC – beyond categorisation) climb to Chamrousse – 18.2km with an average gradient of 7.3 per cent. GC contenders beware.
Stage 14 (Grenoble – Risoul: 177km)
If anyone is hurting after stage 13, stage 14 will give no respite. Two category-one peaks will be split by one HC climb up to the top of the 2,360-metre Col d’Izoard. With over a week remaining, it may be difficult for the leading players in the GC standings to make big moves, so do not be surprised if a genuine climber, who is out of yellow jersey contention, claims victory, such as Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), who is targeting the Vuelta a Espana, or Pierre Rolland (Europcar).
Stage 15 (Tallard – Nimes: 222km)
This will be the last day before a rest day, so breakaways are likely to form, as most riders will see this flat stage as a chance to go all out for a win. After descending from the foothills of the Alps, the flat finish in Nimes will offer plenty for the likes of Cavendish, Kittel and Greipel – if they have survived the mountains of stages 13 and 14. A word of warning to the sprint-focused teams, however, the strong winds near the Mediterranean coast could thwart a long chase.
The longest stage follows the last rest day of the Tour de France with cyclists likely to spend over six hours in the saddle, as they climb into the Pyrenees. In 2010, Alberto Contador took advantage of Andy Schleck’s mechanical problems to claim the yellow jersey at Bagneres-de-Luchon. Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) could be inspired here, while Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) won the 2010 stage and he could again be a possible victor this time around, especially in a breakaway.
Never let it be said that Tour organisers lack a sense of humour. The longest stage will followed by the shortest…and possibly the hardest. Three category-one mountains – Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and Col de Val Louron Azet – followed by a HC climb up to ski resort Saint-Lary. If any yellow-jersey aspirant made a move on stage 16, they had better have enough in the tank here to hold onto any gains. This stage looks set to define Le Tour in 2014.
The pack with Bradley Wiggins of Britain, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey climbs Tourmalet pass after starting in Pau in 2012. Christophe Ena
Christophe Ena
Stage 18 (Pau – Hautacam: 145.5km)
The famous Col du Tourmalet will feature on stage 18. It was here in 2000 that Lance Armstrong blitzed Jan Ullrich on the way to his second title. Denmark’s Bjarne Riis won in Hautacam to stretch his lead before claiming the yellow jersey in 1996. This will be the final mountain stage of 2014, so the likes of Contador, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) will see this as the last chance to gain time on Froome before stage 20′s individual time trial.
Stage 19 (Maubourguet Pays du Val d’Adour – Bergerac: 208.5km)
While this predominantly flat stage will entice the sprinters, the long stretch in the mountains may mean this will suit someone on a breakaway with a bit left in the tank. Think Thor Hushovd on stage 13 of 2011, while Michael Rogers (Tinkoff-Saxo) showed similar initiative to claim line honours on two stages of this year’s Giro d’Italia. A one-day classic specialist, such as Terpstra or Sagan, would thrive in the right breakaway group.
Stage 20 (Bergerac – Perigueux: 54km)
The only individual time trial (ITT) of this year’s Tour is expected to be Froome’s day. If the Kenyan-born Brit is still in GC contention, everyone will be watching him as he attempts to win back-to-back yellow jerseys. With enough hills in the Dordogne to challenge pure ITT riders like Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Cancellara or Vasili Kiryienka (Sky), Froome could win both the stage and the Tour in Perigueux.
Stage 21 (Evry – Paris Champs-Elysees: 137.5km)
The coronation of the 101st Tour de France champion will occur on the Champs-Elysees in Paris – the traditional finale to the world’s most famous cycling race. While this stage will be focused on exalting the new king, the green sprinters’ jersey may actually be decided in the French capital. Kittel won here last year but Cavendish has four victories on the Champs-Elysees. Sagan, winner of the green jersey in 2012 and 2013, cannot be discounted either, with the big stage suiting the Slovakian.
Tour de France: The route facing the peloton on the road to Paris this year
THE 2014 TOUR de France gets under way on July 5. Ahead of the world-famous race we look at a stage-by-stage guide to the route.
Stage One (Leeds – Harrogate: 190.5 kilometres)
For the second year in a row, the Tour de France will begin with a road stage rather than a prologue (a short individual time trial). With Le Tour returning to Great Britain for the first time since 2007, and just the fourth time ever, expect Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) to feature in a likely sprint finish in his mother’s home town, while Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) will also challenge.
Stage Two (York – Sheffield: 201km)
Yorkshire’s hilly topography will test all riders over the first two days with stage two likely to resemble a Belgian classic with plenty of attacking opportunities and chances for mistakes or crashes to hurt general classification (GC) candidates. With nine category climbs but only one tougher than a category three, cyclists like Peter Sagan (Cannondale), Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) and John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) could thrive.
Stage Three (Cambridge - London: 155km)
With a finish opposite Buckingham Palace, this stage seems tailor made for proud Briton Cavendish. The 29-year-old has won in front of the royal residence before in the 2011 London-Surrey Classic, while Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr) enjoyed success at the same location in the inaugural RideLondon Classic two years later. This will be the last stage before the peloton heads to France and riders will have to be wary of the roundabouts as they enter London to avoid any early injuries.
Stage Four (Le Touquet-Paris-Plage - Lille: 163.5km)
Lille will host a stage finish for the 15th time, although it will be the first time in 20 years. With just two category four climbs in the north of France, expect the sprint-focused teams to again dominate the peloton, with the likes of Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) and Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) likely to fight it out with Cavendish and Kittel. It will be important for GC candidates to stay as high as possible on the standings, as that will determine where their team car is placed for stage five.
Stage Five (Ypres - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut: 155.5km)
Team car placements will be vital on the fifth stage, which is arguably the most-anticipated of this year’s Tour. The stage, which will start in Belgium, will feature nine sections of cobblestones for a total of 15.4km. The last time cobbles were included on Le Tour in 2010, it ended Frank Schleck’s race, so GC candidates will have to be careful. 2014 Paris-Roubaix winner Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) is an obvious contender for line honours, as is Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory).
Stage Six (Arras – Reims: 194km)
After the torture of the cobbles, the lumpy second half of this stage and twisty roads could suit a breakaway group. Cavendish, Kittel and Greipel will again urge their team-mates to control the stage, as Reims is traditionally a good place for sprinters. In 2010, Alessandro Petacchi (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) won in the north-eastern French city and the Italian could be leading out Cavendish this time around.
Stage Seven (Epernay – Nancy: 234.5km)
This will be a dangerous day for teams that are hurting in the first week of the Tour de France. There are two climbs in the last 20km, including the Cote de Boufflers that includes a section of eight per cent gradient. With bigger mountains due on stage eight, the sprinters will again hope for a bunched finish, although do not be surprised if someone like Gerrans or Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) salutes in Nancy after a late breakaway.
Stage Eight (Tomblaine – Gerardmer La Mauselaine: 161km)
A 130km trek before three categorised climbs suits a breakaway. The latter two climbs could see either a decisive attack to claim a stage victory or a move from a yellow-jersey aspirant to gain some time. The category-two Col de Grosse Pierre has sections of over 15 per cent gradient and is followed by the ascent to the finish on the category-three La Mauselaine, which has a stint of 1.8km at 10.3 per cent.
Stage Nine (Gerardmer – Mulhouse: 170km)
Long climbs rather than steep ascents dominate this stage, which features no less than six categorised peaks. All are at least category three, while the penultimate climb is the category-one Le Markstein. If the sprint-focused teams can hold it together, there is 36.5km from the final descent to the finish to potentially claim line honours near the French-Swiss border.
Stage 10 (Mulhouse – La Planche des Belles Filles: 161.5km)
This will be the last stage before the first rest day of the 2014 Tour and the main GC rivals are likely to fire the majority of shots in the Vosges Mountains of Alsace. But it will also be Bastille Day, so bank on Frenchmen attacking at any opportunity. Chris Froome (Team Sky) claimed his maiden stage win at La Planche des Belles Filles in 2012 and the reigning champion will be expected to challenge again on stage 10 this year. The final climb to the finish line has 20 per cent gradient.
Stage 11 (Besancon – Oyonnax: 187.5km)
After a day off to rest aching legs, the peloton will resume from the city of Besancon in the Franche-Comte region. A lumpy stage with four categorised climbs towards the end will be their test and it seems perfectly suited for Slovakian phenomenon Sagan. Expect the yellow-jersey contenders to call a truce after a tough test in the Vosges.
Stage 12 (Bourg-en-Bresse – Saint-Etienne: 185.5km)
Le Tour will return to Saint-Etienne, the old capital of the French bicycle industry, for the first time since 2008 and the 23rd time in the race’s history. With four category climbs, this stage could offer some joy to a breakaway group, while a flat finish will have the sprinters interested if their teams can bring the peloton together at the end.
Stage 13 (Saint-Etienne – Chamrousse: 197.5km)
This stage will start fairly comfortably for the peloton, although the category-three Col de la Croix de Montvieux after just 10.5km may inspire some attacks. But all the action is likely to occur in the final third of the Alpine stage. The category-one Col de Palaquit will precede the ‘Hors categorie’ (HC – beyond categorisation) climb to Chamrousse – 18.2km with an average gradient of 7.3 per cent. GC contenders beware.
Stage 14 (Grenoble – Risoul: 177km)
If anyone is hurting after stage 13, stage 14 will give no respite. Two category-one peaks will be split by one HC climb up to the top of the 2,360-metre Col d’Izoard. With over a week remaining, it may be difficult for the leading players in the GC standings to make big moves, so do not be surprised if a genuine climber, who is out of yellow jersey contention, claims victory, such as Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), who is targeting the Vuelta a Espana, or Pierre Rolland (Europcar).
Stage 15 (Tallard – Nimes: 222km)
This will be the last day before a rest day, so breakaways are likely to form, as most riders will see this flat stage as a chance to go all out for a win. After descending from the foothills of the Alps, the flat finish in Nimes will offer plenty for the likes of Cavendish, Kittel and Greipel – if they have survived the mountains of stages 13 and 14. A word of warning to the sprint-focused teams, however, the strong winds near the Mediterranean coast could thwart a long chase.
Stage 16 (Carcassonne – Bagneres-de-Luchon: 237.5km)
The longest stage follows the last rest day of the Tour de France with cyclists likely to spend over six hours in the saddle, as they climb into the Pyrenees. In 2010, Alberto Contador took advantage of Andy Schleck’s mechanical problems to claim the yellow jersey at Bagneres-de-Luchon. Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) could be inspired here, while Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) won the 2010 stage and he could again be a possible victor this time around, especially in a breakaway.
Stage 17 (Saint-Gaudens – Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet: 124.5km)
Never let it be said that Tour organisers lack a sense of humour. The longest stage will followed by the shortest…and possibly the hardest. Three category-one mountains – Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and Col de Val Louron Azet – followed by a HC climb up to ski resort Saint-Lary. If any yellow-jersey aspirant made a move on stage 16, they had better have enough in the tank here to hold onto any gains. This stage looks set to define Le Tour in 2014.
Stage 18 (Pau – Hautacam: 145.5km)
The famous Col du Tourmalet will feature on stage 18. It was here in 2000 that Lance Armstrong blitzed Jan Ullrich on the way to his second title. Denmark’s Bjarne Riis won in Hautacam to stretch his lead before claiming the yellow jersey in 1996. This will be the final mountain stage of 2014, so the likes of Contador, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) will see this as the last chance to gain time on Froome before stage 20′s individual time trial.
Stage 19 (Maubourguet Pays du Val d’Adour – Bergerac: 208.5km)
While this predominantly flat stage will entice the sprinters, the long stretch in the mountains may mean this will suit someone on a breakaway with a bit left in the tank. Think Thor Hushovd on stage 13 of 2011, while Michael Rogers (Tinkoff-Saxo) showed similar initiative to claim line honours on two stages of this year’s Giro d’Italia. A one-day classic specialist, such as Terpstra or Sagan, would thrive in the right breakaway group.
Stage 20 (Bergerac – Perigueux: 54km)
The only individual time trial (ITT) of this year’s Tour is expected to be Froome’s day. If the Kenyan-born Brit is still in GC contention, everyone will be watching him as he attempts to win back-to-back yellow jerseys. With enough hills in the Dordogne to challenge pure ITT riders like Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Cancellara or Vasili Kiryienka (Sky), Froome could win both the stage and the Tour in Perigueux.
Stage 21 (Evry – Paris Champs-Elysees: 137.5km)
The coronation of the 101st Tour de France champion will occur on the Champs-Elysees in Paris – the traditional finale to the world’s most famous cycling race. While this stage will be focused on exalting the new king, the green sprinters’ jersey may actually be decided in the French capital. Kittel won here last year but Cavendish has four victories on the Champs-Elysees. Sagan, winner of the green jersey in 2012 and 2013, cannot be discounted either, with the big stage suiting the Slovakian.
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