VELOWIRE.COM ARTICLE ABOUT THE RUMOURS
I'm talking about Stage 4 and onwards, from July 8 to July 25. Because we already know the first three stages.
Basically, it seems that the shape of the route will be close to the 2012 one.
Fourth stage may start from Le Touquet, and might be a time trial. It's also pretty sure a stage will feature some cobbled sections à la Paris-Roubaix. Lille should also get a stage start.
The next stages should go east to commemorate the first World War, having started 100 years ago. Rumours talk about finishes and starts in Belgium (Ypres), in the plain of Bouvines, and also Verdun.
The end of the first week should take place in the Vosgian mountains with another MTF at La Planche des Belles Filles. There will be probably only one stage in the Vosges, and it could go through the Ballon d'Alsace before the stage finish at La Planche. The city of Arbois, expressed his interest for a stage start.
Also, it's pretty sure that the rest days will be on tuesdays, as July 14 is a monday and there wasn't a rest day on July 14 during many years. The race could go towards Saint-Étienne, as another Time Trial could take place.
Then there would come the Alps stages, and three MTFs are rumored (but I think only two will make it): Plateau des Glières, Chamrousse, and Risoul. Risoul is nearly 100% sure and it will be probably a stage starting from Grenoble. Another MTF rumored was La Rosière but it's highly unlikely considering its position. Then a transition stage between Tallard and Nîmes was also talked about. The route should go towards the area of Toulouse before the first stage in the Pyrénées.
The Pyrénées have four things that are nearly confirmed:
- Stage finish at Saint-Lary-Soulan or Pla d'Adet
- Comeback of Pau
- Tourmalet on the route
- No stage finish in Ariège (so no Ax-3-Domaines or Plateau de Beille)
Then a stage going to Bordeaux is rumored, the usual TT 24 hours before the finish in Paris. However, some people are believing there could be an ITT in Paris on the very last day, as it would mark the 25 years of the 1989 ITT that permitted LeMond to win the Tour for 8 seconds over Fignon.
So here's what we can have. There's not so much information on the route right now and we'll get more in the following weeks until the reveal on October 23rd. Some stages are purely guesses and are based on hotel bookings and candidate cities.
Saturday, July 5 - Stage 1: Leeds - Harrogate (flat stage)
Sunday, July 6 - Stage 2: York - Sheffield (very hilly stage)
Monday, July 7 - Stage 3: Cambridge - London (flat stage)
Tuesday, July 8 - Stage 4: Le Touquet - Lille (flat stage)
Wednesday, July 9 - Stage 5: Ypres - Wallers Arenberg Porte du Hainaut (cobbled stage)
Thursday, July 10 - Stage 6: Arras - Reims (flat stage)
Friday, July 11 - Stage 7: Epernay - Nancy (flat stage + hill at 5 km from finish)
Saturday, July 12 - Stage 8: Tomblaine - Gérardmer La Mauselaine (medium mountain stage + MTF)
Sunday, July 13 - Stage 9: Gérardmer - Mulhouse (hilly/medium mountain stage)
Monday, July 14 - Stage 10: Mulhouse - La Planche des Belles Filles (mountain stage + MTF)
Tuesday, July 15 - Rest day
Wednesday, July 16 - Stage 11: Besançon - Oyonnax (medium mountain stage)
Thursday, July 17 - Stage 12: Bourg-en-Bresse - Saint-Étienne (flat/hilly stage?)
Friday, July 18 - Stage 13: Saint-Étienne - Chamrousse (mountain stage + MTF)
Saturday, July 19 - Stage 14: Grenoble - Risoul (mountain stage + MTF)
Sunday, July 20 - Stage 15: Tallard - Nîmes (flat stage)
Monday, July 21 - Rest day
Tuesday, July 22 - Stage 16: Carcassonne - Bagnères-de-Luchon (mountain stage)
Wednesday, July 23 - Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens - Pla d'Adet (mountain stage + MTF)
Thursday, July 24 - Stage 18: Pau - Hautacam (mountain stage + MTF)
Friday, July 25 - Stage 19: Maubourguet - Bergerac (flat stage)
Saturday, July 26 - Stage 20: Bergerac - Périgueux (ITT)
Sunday, July 27 - Stage 21: Evry - Paris Champs-Élysées (flat stage)
I'm talking about Stage 4 and onwards, from July 8 to July 25. Because we already know the first three stages.
Basically, it seems that the shape of the route will be close to the 2012 one.
Fourth stage may start from Le Touquet, and might be a time trial. It's also pretty sure a stage will feature some cobbled sections à la Paris-Roubaix. Lille should also get a stage start.
The next stages should go east to commemorate the first World War, having started 100 years ago. Rumours talk about finishes and starts in Belgium (Ypres), in the plain of Bouvines, and also Verdun.
The end of the first week should take place in the Vosgian mountains with another MTF at La Planche des Belles Filles. There will be probably only one stage in the Vosges, and it could go through the Ballon d'Alsace before the stage finish at La Planche. The city of Arbois, expressed his interest for a stage start.
Also, it's pretty sure that the rest days will be on tuesdays, as July 14 is a monday and there wasn't a rest day on July 14 during many years. The race could go towards Saint-Étienne, as another Time Trial could take place.
Then there would come the Alps stages, and three MTFs are rumored (but I think only two will make it): Plateau des Glières, Chamrousse, and Risoul. Risoul is nearly 100% sure and it will be probably a stage starting from Grenoble. Another MTF rumored was La Rosière but it's highly unlikely considering its position. Then a transition stage between Tallard and Nîmes was also talked about. The route should go towards the area of Toulouse before the first stage in the Pyrénées.
The Pyrénées have four things that are nearly confirmed:
- Stage finish at Saint-Lary-Soulan or Pla d'Adet
- Comeback of Pau
- Tourmalet on the route
- No stage finish in Ariège (so no Ax-3-Domaines or Plateau de Beille)
Then a stage going to Bordeaux is rumored, the usual TT 24 hours before the finish in Paris. However, some people are believing there could be an ITT in Paris on the very last day, as it would mark the 25 years of the 1989 ITT that permitted LeMond to win the Tour for 8 seconds over Fignon.
So here's what we can have. There's not so much information on the route right now and we'll get more in the following weeks until the reveal on October 23rd. Some stages are purely guesses and are based on hotel bookings and candidate cities.
Saturday, July 5 - Stage 1: Leeds - Harrogate (flat stage)
Sunday, July 6 - Stage 2: York - Sheffield (very hilly stage)
Monday, July 7 - Stage 3: Cambridge - London (flat stage)
Tuesday, July 8 - Stage 4: Le Touquet - Lille (flat stage)
Wednesday, July 9 - Stage 5: Ypres - Wallers Arenberg Porte du Hainaut (cobbled stage)
Thursday, July 10 - Stage 6: Arras - Reims (flat stage)
Friday, July 11 - Stage 7: Epernay - Nancy (flat stage + hill at 5 km from finish)
Saturday, July 12 - Stage 8: Tomblaine - Gérardmer La Mauselaine (medium mountain stage + MTF)
Sunday, July 13 - Stage 9: Gérardmer - Mulhouse (hilly/medium mountain stage)
Monday, July 14 - Stage 10: Mulhouse - La Planche des Belles Filles (mountain stage + MTF)
Tuesday, July 15 - Rest day
Wednesday, July 16 - Stage 11: Besançon - Oyonnax (medium mountain stage)
Thursday, July 17 - Stage 12: Bourg-en-Bresse - Saint-Étienne (flat/hilly stage?)
Friday, July 18 - Stage 13: Saint-Étienne - Chamrousse (mountain stage + MTF)
Saturday, July 19 - Stage 14: Grenoble - Risoul (mountain stage + MTF)
Sunday, July 20 - Stage 15: Tallard - Nîmes (flat stage)
Monday, July 21 - Rest day
Tuesday, July 22 - Stage 16: Carcassonne - Bagnères-de-Luchon (mountain stage)
Wednesday, July 23 - Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens - Pla d'Adet (mountain stage + MTF)
Thursday, July 24 - Stage 18: Pau - Hautacam (mountain stage + MTF)
Friday, July 25 - Stage 19: Maubourguet - Bergerac (flat stage)
Saturday, July 26 - Stage 20: Bergerac - Périgueux (ITT)
Sunday, July 27 - Stage 21: Evry - Paris Champs-Élysées (flat stage)