The prospect of the 109th edition of Paris-Tours, which will take place on 11th October, is already on the minds of the best French sprinters, especially Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud Démare. However, on the “classic of the falling leaves”, surprises are often sprung on the big hitters!

This year, Chartres will be hosting the start. The administrative centre of the Eure-et-Loir department has already welcomed the pack for the 2009 edition of Paris-Tours; indeed the start has been hosted by several towns in the department. Nonetheless, the race’s general characteristics will remain similar, with a first part of the race mainly exposed to the wind that blows over the Beauceplains, a final section liable to inspire attacks and a finishing straight ideal for the sprinters’ teams seeking to take advantage of the width and length of Avenue deGrammont to deploy their lead-out trains.

Sometimes catalogued as the classic for sprinters, Paris-Tours most often actually smiles upon solid hunters of victory bouquets, similar in the style to the title holder Jelle Wallays, for example. A close examination of the race scenarios since the start of the 21st century even reveals that out of the last fifteen editions, only five have been won after bunch sprints, by John Degenkolb (in 2013), Oscar Freire (in 2010), Alessandro Petacchi (in 2007) and Erik Zabel (in 2003 and 2005).      

Paris-Tours 2015 - The programme

Paris-Tours Elite: 23 teams (a maximum of 184 riders), will set off at 11.30 from Chartres and cover 231 km (with the finish on Avenue de Grammont, an 800-metre finishing straight).

Paris-Tours Espoirs: 32 teams (a maximum of 192 riders), will set off at 11.35 from Bonneval and cover 182.5 km with the finish on Avenue de Grammont, an 800-metre finishing straight).

Le kilomètre de Paris-Tours: 21 teams made up of cadets and juniors selected by the 20 regional committees invited. Start at 14.45, on Avenue de Grammont.