The arrival of the WorldTour’s best riders on British shores means riders such as Alberto Contador and Chris Froome tackling some very familiar training routes.
Featuring the Yorkshire Dales and the Pennines, before the stage from Cambridge to London, there are plenty of ascents and popular Strava segments en route.
Stage two in particular features plenty of big climbs, all of which could decide the stage and cause some early splits among the GC contenders.
The re-named Cote de Holme Moss, for example, has already caught the imagination of three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond.
Currently led by British pro Russell Downing on Strava, the 7.3-kilometre climb, which features an average gradient of five per cent, could well see the GC contenders looking to put the hurt on.
The short, sharp leg-sapping ascent of Jenkin Road, meanwhile, which comes just before the finish line in Sheffield, promises to be a decisive climb as riders look to shrug off the attentions of the bunch with a likely yellow jersey up for grabs.
David Lopez holds the Strava King of the Mountains’ title, after Team Sky’s recce of the route in May, so if a place in Team Sky’s next Tour squad is your career goal it is definitely the climb to tackle.
Tour de France stage one
Tour de France stage two
Tour de France stage three
