The route for this year’s Tour de France, starting on Saturday 4 July, looks set to be a classic with a route that should see the race going undecided right up to the final stage.
Getting the race off to a glitz and glam start is the prologue around the twisting streets of Monaco. Other highlights of the race include the return of the team time trial, but most interesting has to be the decision to throw riders up the feared Mont Ventoux on the penultimate day of the race. Add in the Tourmalet and Grand St Bernard, and it should be a spectacular race.
Prologue – Saturday 4 July
A 15.5km individual time trial that threads around the streets of Monaco.
Stage 2 – Monaco > Brignoles – Sunday 5 July
A 187km lumpy stage that might favour a breakaway and might be tricky for the teams to setup up the sprint.
Stage 3 – Marseille > La Grande-Motte – Monday 6 July
A lengthy 196.5 km stage but despite the early rises and dips, which might see some brave souls seeking to stay away for the day, the last 80km are pan flat and it’s unlikely it’ll be anything but a bunch sprint. This could be the first stage for Mark Cavendish to make his mark.
Stage 4 – Montpellier > Montpellier – Tuesday 7 July
The team time trial is back, which well please some but not everyone will be happy to see its return. AT just 39km its short and has a couple of hills. The bigger stronger teams will dominate here. However, a rule change from the last time a TTT was held means that “the time recorded on the line will be taken into account without tables. Real time is still the absolute rule at the 2009 Tour.”
Stage 5 – Le Cap d’Agde > Perpignan – Wednesday 8 July
The second flat stage of the race, this 196.5km route will be a sprinters delight.
Stage 6 – Gérone > Barcelona – Thursday 9 July
Heading into capital of Catalonia, this 181.5km stage could look like one for the sprinters but a sharp uphill finish could shake matters up a bit, and could see an outside shot for somebody.
Stage 7 – Barcelona > Andorre Arcalis – Friday 10 July
From the flatness of the previous stages the route turns sharply into the hills culminating in the 2240m Andore Arcalis, on this long 224km stage. It’ll be a tough day in the saddle for sure.
Stage 8 – Andorre-la-Vieille > Saint-Girons – Saturday 11 July
A chance for the true climbers to shine on this 176.5km stage featuring three decent climbs. A 45km descent to the finish could bring the racers back together.
Stage 9 – Saint-Gaudens > Tarbes – Sunday 12 July
This could be an exciting stage, and one to make sure you don’t miss. Riders will climbing the 1490m Col d’Aspin quickly followed by the 2115m Col du Tormalet. Will the main contenders seek to put themselves out in the front and into the yellow jersey, or will it be too early for any big moves?
Stage 10 Limoges > Issoudun – Tuesday 14 July
Following Monday’s rest day, today’s 194.5km stage is a much flatter affair with a few lumps and bumps early on, but expect those sprinters who have survived the previous days of climbing to feature in the dash for the finish line.
Stage 11 – Vatan > Saint-Fargeau -Wednesday 15 July
This 192km is almost a carbon copy of yesterday’s stage, so expect a bunch gallop for the line.
Stage 12 – Tonnerre > Vittel – Thursday 16 July
At 211.5km, a long stage that represents the last chance for the pure sprinters before the stage race reaches Paris. A few sharp ascents throughout the stage could benefit a small breakaway group though, so the sprinter teams will need to be on full attention.
Stage 13 – Vittel > Colmar – Friday 17 July
After three flat stages it’s back into the mountains with this 200km stage featuring three passes.
Stage 14 – Colmar > Besançon – Saturday 18 July
Still long at 199km but the profile lacks any big climbs, and with the main contenders most likely saving themselves for the harder stages to come, expect some strong riders to make a dash for the line either solo or in a small group.
Stage 15 – Pontarlier > Verbier – Sunday 19 July
Into the Swiss Alps this 207.5km stage finishes with a tough ramp up to 1468m Verbier, which will unlikely cause a disruption in the overall positions. A rest day follows.
Stage 16 – Martigny > Bourg-Saint-Maurice – Tuesday 21 July
Now this is where the Tour de France gets interesting, and the action really starts hotting up. First on the route comes Martigny at 2473m, before Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 2188m. Expect to see many riders in trouble and by the time the second mountain top is reached, a small group of the foremost contenders should be duking it out.
Stage 17 – Bourg-Saint-Maurice > Le Grand-Bornand – Wednesday 22 July
Four 1st category climbs on this 169.5km slog, and with legs tired from stage 16’s action this could be a pivotal stage of the race.
Stage 18 – Annecy > Annecy – Thursday 23 July
A 40.5km individual time trial, with the shorter distance meaning less chance for any late rises up through the General Classification, so those hoping to win the Tour de France won’t want to head into this stage with too significant a time deficit.
Stage 19 – Bourgoin-Jallieu > Aubenas – Friday 24 July
The profile of this 178km stage makes for interesting viewing. There’s a good few dips and rises early on, but they’re followed by a very flat mid section, before the final ascent and fast downhill finish, and could work in the favour of a breakaway group.
Stage 20 – Montélimar > Mont Ventoux – Saturday 25 July
This is it. Today is the final chance for the hopeful winners to make their mark on the Tour. Will the eventual winner head into this race defending, or will a performance such as that of Carlos Sastre on Alpe d’Huez in 2008 seal the win. Whatever happens, it will undoubtedly be the most spectacular stage of the race and finish of one of the most potentially exciting races in recent years.
Stage 21 – Montereau-Fault-Yonne > Paris Champs-Élysées – Sunday 26 July
The winner of the 2009 Tour de France will have been decided by the time riders set off on this final stage, but far from being a procession, the race for the green jersey could well still be on. For the sprinters a win on the Champs-Élysées is a much prized win and will be hard fought over.
