Tour De France 2018 Route Revealed

17 October 2017 11:21

Key points:

·         Unveiled at the Palais de Congrès convention centre in Paris in front of nearly 4,000 spectators, the race route for the 105th edition of the Tour de France, which will be held from 7-29 July 2018, proposes different race formats and conditions. Boldness will be a prerequisite on every stage!

·         Among the highlights and new additions to the 2018 route, the pack will tackle the cobbles of Roubaix over a distance of 21.7km, climb up to the Plateau des Glièreson the Grand-Bornand stage, return to Alpe d’Huez and will set off into the Pyrenees on a very short 65 km mountain stage. The final face-off among the favourites will take place during the time trial, on the particularly steep roads of the Basque Country.

 

 

At barely more than 3,300 kilometres long, the 2018 Tour de France ranks among the shortest of the 21st Century. This unusual distance results primarily from a proposition made by Christian Prudhomme to the riders, who will have to build their success in these new territories. « We especially wanted to emphasize stage variety and the routes that may prove decisive, whilst combining legendary climbs with brand new ascensions or ultra-dynamic formats, to provide a vision of modern and inspired cycling ». In fact, the innovations planned for the 105th edition might inspire boldness among the most daring riders in the pack, which will be reduced to 176 riders at the start in the Vendée department and Pays de Loire region. The section of the race in Brittany will repeatedly sap the riders legs on the way to Quimper, before a double climb of the Mûr-de-Bretagne the following day, with additional spicing up thanks to the new bonuses points awarded on the stage finishes in the opening week. The route has been designed so that the favourites can do battle even before entering the mountains, especially on the 21.7 km of the Roubaix cobblestones. 

 

The stakes in the contest will rise again in the Alps. Whilst the riders may feel that they are far from unchartered territory around Grand-Bornand, it will be a different matter altogether on the Plateau des Glières, which the riders will reach after a steep climb and two kilometres on a non-tarmacked track. The next day, the pack will not only discover the Rosière ski resort, but also the Col du Pré pass on the way there, which could be conducive to glorious feats. The Alps will conclude with a classic mountain stage with the finish at Alpe d’Huez, which could be the opportunity for some revenge and plot twists. The hostilities will then continue on the climb to the Mende airstrip and even perhaps in Carcassonne, following the climb over Pic de Nore (1205 m). In the Pyrenees, the sprinters could certainly battle for the win at Pau, but the climbers could have the last word in a wealth of different registers: the combative riders will be the ones to watch in Luchon; the most explosive riders will surely take centre stage on the shortest road stage (65 km) to be ridden since the elimination of half-stages with an all-new finish on the Col de Portet pass (2215 m); the riders with the most stamina will shine on the 200 km separating Lourdes fromLaruns via the Col Aspin, Col du Tourmalet and Col d’Aubisquepasses; and finally the best all-rounders should come up trumps on the undulating time-trial in the relief of the Basque Country. The final top spots will still be up for grabs on this crucial stage 24 hours before the finish in Paris…


The route for the 2018 Tour De France has been revealed at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.

Riders, joined the media to hear the route revealed and it is a route which starts in the Vendee Region of France.

The race starts on July  7th with a 189km stage from Noirmouton-en-I'lie to Fontency-Le-Comye.

Sunday July 8 is a 183km stage from Mouilleron-Saint-Germain to La Roche Sur Yon.

Stage three is a 35km team time trial in Cholet with stage four from La Bruce to Sarczeau which is 192kms long.

Stage five is from Lorient to Quimper and 203kms long.

Stage six is from Brest to Mur de Bretagne Guerledan and is 181kms long with stage seven from Fourglares to Charges which is the long stage of the week at 231kms.

Stage eight is from Dreux to Amiens metropole for a stage which is 181kms long before Sunday July 15th's stage from Arias Citadelle to Roubaix which is 154kms long.

The rest day is in Annecy before racing starts again on July 17th with stage ten from Annecy to Le Grand Bornand which is over 159kms.

Albertville is the start for stage eleven to La Rosiere Espace San Bernardo - a 108km stage.

Stage twelve is from Bourg Saint Maurice Les Arcs to Alpe D'Huez, a stage of 175 kilometres.

Stage thirteen will be 169kms long and from Bourg d'Oisans to Valance with stage fourteen from Saint Paul Triois Chateaux to Mende and 187kms long.

Stage fifteen is a 181kms stage from Milan to Carcassonne which hosts the second rest day.

On July 24th, stage sixteen is from Carcassonne to Bagneres de Luchon and 218kms long with the next stage only 65kms also starting in Bagneres de Luchon and finishing in Saint Mary Soulan.

Stage 18 is from Trie Sur Baise to Pau, a regular Tour favourite and is 172kms long.

Lourdes is the setting for the start of stage nineteen to Laruns and is 100kms long with stage twenty, a 35km individual time trial from Saint Pee Sur Nivelle to Espelette.

On July 29th, those left in the race can make the 115km. procession from Houilles to Paris Champs Elysees




Kev Monks for Digital Sports Group 

Source: DSG