The route for the 3 519 km race, which runs from 2-24 July, was officially revealed in Paris on Tuesday 20 October, by the director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme.
The 103rd edition of the race is coming back in the Haute-Savoie, promising some interesting and unpredictable racing!
The race consists of a total of 21 stages and runs over 21 days: 9 flat stages, 1 medium mountain stage, 9 mountain stages and 4 mountain finishes (Andorre Arcalis, Mont Ventoux, Finhaut-Emosson and Saint-Gervaix Mont Blanc), 2 individual time-trial stages and 2 rest days.
The race begins at Normandy's iconic Mont Saint-Michel and finishes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Hundreds of riders gather together to compete for the victory.
Good news for the Haute-Savoie community, which will host the Tour de France during 4 days! 1 individual time-trial and 3 mountain stages will take place in the Alps, in the last 5 days of the Tour de France. Thus, Mont Blanc will offer a stunning backdrop to the final mountain stages to Megève, Saint-Gervais-Mont Blanc and Morzine.
The Alps Stages of the Tour de France 2016:
- 17th stage (July 20). This route begins from Berne and finishes at the edge of the Emosson dam (Martigny), situated next to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Straight out of the rest day, this stage provides a crucial test.
- 18th stage (July 21). For this stage the peloton has to face the 17km uphill time trial from Sallanches to Megève.
- 19th stage (July 22). Albertville to Saint-Gervais-Mont Blanc route, covers a 146km distance and seems to be perfect for a breakaway, as the final overall contenders save their last drops of energy for the final mountain stage to Morzine.
- 20th stage (July 22). The climbing-fest concludes with a 146km route Megeve - Morzine, before the final showdown on the Champs-Élyséesc in Paris. As the finish line approaches, the riders have to show their skills and keep a good position on this decisive stage.
The 2016 Tour de France winner will be celebrated in Paris on Sunday July 24 with the traditional road race stage, starting in Chantilly.
