In the past, the Tour de France course often featured lots of time trialling that gave the climbers the upper hand over the climbers. Since Christian Prudhomme took over the role of race director, the balance has tipped and the amount of individual racing has been significantly scaled back. With only 54km of racing against the clock and no less than 6 summit finishes and an additional big mountain stage in the Pyrenees, this year’s Tour de France definitely favours the climbers but to get to the major ascents they have to survive three tricky stages in England and the feared Paris-Roubaix cobbles on a course than is much more diverse than usual. CyclingQuotes.com takes a look at each of the 21 stages that will make for a huge three-week celebration of cycling.

 

During Jean-Marie Leblanc’s tenure as race director, the Tour de France courses were usually loaded with time trials. It was not unusual for the race to include a prologue, two long, mostly flat individual TTs of more than 50km and a team time trial. In those years, the climbers struggled against the complete riders and it was very hard to conquer the world’s biggest race without possessing solid TT skills.

 

When he took over the reins, Christian Prudhomme started to gradually transform the event by scaling back the amount of time trialling. Already in 2008, one of the individual time trials had been shortened significantly and the prologue had been skipped. In 2009, there was only one long time trial of 40km after the race had kicked off with a short, hilly TT in Monaco and included a short technical team time trial. The 2010 and 2011 editions both had only one longer time trial and last year one of the time trials was one for climbers and not specialists. Only the 2012 edition bucked the trend as that race featured two long TTs and a limited amount of climbing.

 

This development has made the race more suited to climbers but for the 2014 edition, the trend has been taken a further step. For the first time ever, ASO have designed a course where the riders will only make use of their TT bikes once. On the penultimate stage, the riders will tackle a 54km pretty hilly course in Southwestern France but that will be the only chance for the TT specialists to benefit from their skills.

 

In addition to cutting down the amount of time trialling, ASO have included more summit finishes than they have had in recent history. The race will not only pass through the Alps and Pyrenees as it always does but also make a return to the Vosges for the first time since 2009. With two summit finishes in each of those three mountain ranges and an additional big mountain stage in the Pyrenees, this year’s course is definitely more suited to climbers than it has been for a long time.

 

The race usually alternates between giving the Pyrenees and the Alps the role as race decider and after last year’s big climax in the latter mountain range, the final battle will now take place in the mountains on the French-Spanish border. Two very steep summit finishes in the Vosges will give a first indication of the hierarchy while the two mountaintop finishes in the Alps are not hard enough to create massive time differences. It will all come down to the three stages in the Pyrenees that are mostly very short, pretty intense and loaded with big climbs. The final decision will be made in the final time trial where Chris Froome will finally be able to benefit from his strength in the individual discipline.

 

However, it will not be all about the climbs and the TTs. The first week contains no major climbs but has a lot of pitfalls that could provide a setback for a few race favourites. Keeping with the tradition of starting abroad every year, the race will kick off with three stages in England whose narrow roads and difficult weather conditions will guarantee a very stressful beginning and no one should underestimate the very tricky second stage that is almost like an Ardennes classic.

 

The first big test, however, comes in stage 5 when the riders will tackle the Paris-Roubaix cobbles for the first time since 2010. While the race is unlikely to be won in Northern France, crashes and mechanicals can definitely ruin the race for a few overall contenders and every GC rider has put a lot of energy into the preparation of this single stage which took most of the attention at the course presentation in October. Riders have been selected for the roster with the single purpose of escorting their leaders on this specific day and Alejandro Valverde has even done a few Flemish classics to get ready for the carnage.

 

In general, the race is much more diverse than it has been in recent years. While the Giro and Vuelta often include a lot of hilly stages that are neither for the climbers, time triallists or sprinters, the French geography has often made the Tour a race dominated by big mountain stages, bunch sprints and time trials. This year the organizers have come up with a course that includes a lot more rolling stages that suit the attackers and the Peter Sagan-type of sprinters. Several bunch sprints are still expected but the pure sprinters have to make the most of the first week as they will have limited opportunities in the second half of the race.

 

Below we give an analysis of each of the race's 21 stages to find out where the race can be won or lost, where the pitfalls are hidden and where the sprinters and escapees may have a chance to shine.

 

Stage 1, Saturday July 5: Leeds – Harrogate, 190.5km

While Jean-Marie Leblanc was still in charge of the Tour de France, the race usually a lot more time trialling than it has done in recent years, and the event always kicked off with a time trial. When Christian Prudhomme took over the responsibility, he not only reduced the number of TT kilometres, he also deviated from the pattern of hosting a race against the clock on the opening day.

 

In 2008 the race opened with a traditional road stage for the first time in several years, with Alejandro Valverde winning an uphill sprint in Plumelec. In 2011, the time trillists again missed the chance to go for glory on the opening day when another uphill sprint on the Mont des Alouettes saw Philippe Gilbert take the first yellow jersey of the race.

 

Since the bonus seconds were skipped in 2008, the sprinters have had no chance to overcome their early deficits to ride into yellow, and until last year the last bunch kick expert to wear the coveted leader's jersey was Tom Boonen in 2006 (if you omit Thor Hushovd's stint in yellow in 2011 which was not due to his ability as a sprinter). In 2013, Prudhomme not only kicked off the race with a road stage. As it was completely flat, he gave the sprinters what at the time seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take yellow on the opening day of the race. Marcel Kittel made the most of it when he won a very confusing opening sprint that saw riders like Mark Cavendish, André Greipel and Peter Sagan being held up by crashes.

 

The sprinters get another opportunity to take yellow much earlier than expected as the 2014 edition of the race kicks off with another mostly flat stage. For some time, the race has started outside its home country every two years and the organizers continue to follow that formula. After the 2012 start in Liege, Yorkshire won the battle for the Grand Depart and for the second time in the race’s history – the 2007 edition started in London – the riders will take off on British soil.

 

The city of Leeds will host the Grand Depart and from there the riders will tackle a 190.5km loop that sends them into the hills on the northwestern outskirts of the city before they return to a finish in Harrogate close to the starting city. After a flat start, things get a lot more undulating in the middle section as the riders go up the Cote de Gray (category 4, 1.6km, 7.1%), Cote de Buttertubs (category 3, 4.5km, 6.8%) and Cote de Griton Moor (category 3, 3km, 6.6%) whose tops are located at the 68km, 103.5km and 129.5km marks respectively. The intermediate sprint comes at the 77km mark just after the first of those ascents and will be contested on flat road.

 

The final 61km of the stage are almost completely flat though as the riders travel back to Harrogate. The finale is uncomplicated as the riders follow a long straight road for several kilometres and the riders won’t face any technical challenges in the finale. The only obstacles are a few roundabouts but the final one comes 2km from the line. The roads are slightly ascending though. When the riders pass the 2km to go banner, it’s uphill all the way to the 800m to go mark where a short descent leads to the final 600m that are again uphill. The final kilometre has an average gradient of 2% but with a descent along the way, it’s a bit steeper most of the time.

 

The climbs will make things a bit harder than last year’s opening stage which offered very little climbing but as the final 61km are almost completely flat, they will mainly serve the purpose of determining the first holder of the KOM jersey. The final two climbs are pretty long and a few teams could try to ride tempo to tire out the pure sprinters but with a lot of sprinters having this stage as their biggest target of the entire race, a bunch sprint is unavoidable. The stage finishes close of the house of Mark Cavendish’s mother and he will be extremely motivated to take his first ever yellow jersey in front of his family and friends. Unfortunately, recent history shows that the increased importance of the Tour often turns the first stages into crash fests as sprinters, GC riders and their domestiques all want to stay near the front and there is a big risk that some of the key contenders for the overall or the stage win will see their hopes getting destroyed due to bad luck. It would be no surprise to see a repeat of last year’s carnage but one thing is certain: the first yellow jersey will be taken by one of the fastest riders in the bunch.

 

 

 

 

Stage 2, Sunday July 6: York – Sheffield, 201km

Last year the pure sprinters only got one chance to go for yellow as the second stage already offered some significant climbing. This year the race follows a similar formula and even though the second stage doesn’t have the long climbs of last year’s second day in Corsica, the many short, steep climbs in the finale will make sure that this is certainly not a day for the fast finishers. Instead, the classics specialists with lick their lips in anticipation and as most riders are expected to be equal on time, the yellow jersey will still be up for grabs for most of them.

 

The stage brings the riders over 201km from a start in York to a finish in Sheffield. The first part is pretty easy as the riders travel along flat roads in a westerly direction, passing Harrogate along the way. The only obstacle is the Cote de Blubberhouses (category 4, 1.8km, 6.1%) but when the riders turn south  and contest the flat, non-technical intermediate sprint at the 68.5km mark, the nature of the race changes.

 

In the hilly terrain on the western outskirts of Sheffield, the riders face no less than 8 categorized climbs and in between there a lot of non-categorized ascents, meaning that there are virtually no flat roads in the final 130km of the stage. The Cote d’Oxenhope Moor (category 3, 3.1km, 6.4%), Cote de Ripponden (category 3, 1.3km, 8.6%), Cote de Ripponden (category 3, 1.3km, 8.6%), Cote de Greetland (category 3, 1.6km 6.7%) and the Cote de Holme Moss (category 2, 4.7km, 7%) serve as a wam-up for the hectic finale that sees the riders tackle four categorized climbs in quick succession inside the final 40km of the stage.

 

The Cote de Middlehouses (category 3, 2.5km, 6.1%), Cote de Bradfield (category 4, 1km, 7.4%), Cote de Oughtibridge (category 3, 1.5km, 9.1%) and Cote de Jenkin Road (category 4, 800m, 10.8%) are not very long but they are all pretty steep and there is little room for recovery in between. The penultimate climb comes 19km from the finish and from there the terrain is predominantly flat but the steep final climb will spice things up just 5km from the line. Furthermore, the finale is pretty technical as the roads are twisting inside the final 5km and see the riders pass under a tunnel and over a bridge around the 3km to go mark. The final 3km offer two sweeping 180-degree turns before the riders get onto the completely flat finishing straight that is a little more than 1km long.

 

Earlier this year, Team Giant-Shimano checked out this stage and they described it as a kind of mini Liege-Bastogne-Liege. It may not be as long as the Belgian classics and the climbs may not be quite as tough but the many successive ascents make this stage look like an Ardennes classic. The stage offers a chance for a rider to virtually secure himself the mountains jersey for several days but as the race is very hard to control in this kind of terrain, a lot of riders will be keen to go on the attack. At this early part of the race, however, riders are still fresh and the race usually pretty controlled, meaning that the early break is unlikely to make it. However, we can expect lots of attacks in the finale and it will take a strong team to bring it back together for a reduced bunch sprint. At the same time, the GC riders will have to be on their guards and as the battle for position will be fierce, crashes are bound to happen. If Cannondale can control the stage, Peter Sagan is the big favourite to win the stage and take his first ever yellow jersey on a countback (as he will probably have finished in the top 10 in the first stage). Last year, however, he had a similar opportunity and back then Jan Bakelants escaped in the finale and denied him what seemed a guaranteed stage win.

 

 

 

 

Stage 3, Monday July 7: Cambridge – London 155km

After a day of suffering, the sprinters will be back in the spotlight on the third day which should offer a very prestigious bunch sprint in the center of London. At just 155km and with no categorized climbs, the 155km stage from Cambridge to the English capital is one of the easiest stages of the entire race but due to its grandiose surroundings, it will be a perfect way to bring the British adventure to a conclusion.

 

The stage consists of a predominantly southerly run from the city with the famous university to London, with the riders making a few deviations from the direct route to accumulate racing kilometres. There is virtually no elevation gain along the way and only the wind could potentially create some kind of challenge in the early part of the stage. The only highlight comes 47km from the finish when the riders contest the intermediate sprint in Epping-Forest which is a flat, straight affair that suits the real sprinters.

 

The final 25km all take place in the city of London and its suburbs, meaning that the wind is unlikely to play a role in the final part. The riders travel to the airport in the eastern part of the city. The final 15km follow a mostly straight, flat road along the Thames in a westerly direction to the city centre where all is set for a great finale in front of the Buckingham Palace. The riders take a sharp right-hand turn to leave the river just after the 2km to go mark and then a straight road leads to the final two corners inside the final kilometre. It all comes to an end on an almost completely flat, 460m finishing straight on the Mall.

 

With Lotto Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Giant-Shimano all lining up dedicated sprint trains, it is virtually impossible for this stage not to end in a big bunch kick in the centre of London. For Mark Cavendish, it will be extremely important to win a stage before the race leaves Great Britain and he will be eager to make amends for his Olympic disappointment two years ago. While the sprinters battle for the honour of succeeding Fabian Cancellara as stage winner in the British capital – the Swiss won the opening time trial in 2007 – the GC riders will again have to be on their toes as crashes are likely to happen in a race that has not seen any real separation yet.

 

 

 

 

Stage 4, Tuesday July 8: Le Touquet-Paris-Plage – Lille Métropole 163.5km

The race is now back in France after having crossed the English Channel overnight and will spend a few days in the flat terrain in Northern France, partly as part of the commemorations for the centenary of the First World War. This gives the sprinters a few more options to go add to their account in the first week of the race and the first one comes on the first day in the home country of the race.

 

The riders will travel 163.5km from the coastal city of Le Toucquet-Paris-Plage to Villeneuve-D’Ascq Lille Metropole just south of the French-Belgian border and a big part of the stage will take place on Belgian soil. The first part follows mainly flat roads in a northeasterly direction, with the Cote de Campagnette (category 4, 1km, 6.5%) being the only obstacle at the 34km mark. Having crossed the border just before the feed zone, the riders will contest a very interesting intermediate sprint up the famous Mount Cassel that is known from Gent-Wevelgem. With the final 3km being all uphill and pretty technical, it is certainly not one for the pure sprinters.

 

Then it’s back into flat terrain as the riders head in a southwesterly direction towards Lille, with the Mont Noir (category 4, 1.3km, 5.7%) being the only slight challenge. The final 46km are almost completely flat and the riders will get back onto French soil near the end. The finale in Lille is a bit technical as there are a number of turns inside the final 5km. From a little more than 3km out, however, the road is mostly straight, with a sharp left-hand turn coming 1.3km from the finish. The road bends slightly to the left just before the line, leading the riders onto the 300m finishing straight. The final kilometre is slightly uphill with an average gradient of 1-2% until the 300m to go mark from where it is slightly descending to the finish.

 

The sprinters don’t have many opportunities in the final half of the race and can’t afford to miss any opportunities in the first part of the race and this is one of those easy stages that should be pretty straightforward to control. Everybody knows this and most will be keen to save energy for the coming stage on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles, meaning that is should be a traditional affair where the sprinters where the sprinters will battle for the honour of becoming the first winner in Lille for more than a decade.

 

 

 

 

Stage 5, Wednesday July 9: Ypres – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, 155.5km

When the Tour de France course was announced in October, the attention was not taken by the mountains or the time trial. Instead, almost all focus was on an almost completely flat stage in Northern France that can potentially have a bigger impact on the outcome of the race than any of the big mountain stages in the Pyrenees in the final week of the race.

 

With the race set to commemorate the centenary of the First World War and so had to spend a few days in Northern France, it was always tempting for the organizers to return to the Paris-Roubaix cobbles for the first time since 2010. No other race has a history so heavily connected to the World Wars as the Queen of the Classics and so the rumours of a cobbled stage soon started to surface.

 

The organizers confirmed them when they announced the route and a lot of GC riders immediately expressed their concern. With so much at stake, the nervousness and battle for position will be fierce and as most of the riders have very little experience in this kind of racing, crashes are bound to happen. Due to this stage, a lot of riders go into the race without making too many long-term plans as they first need to see how they get through the battle on the cobbles. The GC contenders have all spent time doing recon rides in a part of France they rarely visit and Alejandro Valverde even did a few cobbled classics to get ready for this particular stage.

 

The roads may be known from Paris-Roubaix but the distance will be a completely different affair as it is a pretty short stage over just 155.5km from Ypres to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut. The race starts in Belgium and starts with a small, completely flat loop in the cycling-mad country before taking on the southerly journey back to the home country of the race.

 

The riders cross the border just before reaching Roubaix after 64.5km of racing and then continue along flat roads for another 25km before the hostilities begin. The final half of the stage consists of a southeasterly run with no less than 9 pavé sectors along the way, with some of the most feared among them.

 

The first one is the dreaded Carrefour de l’Arbre (1100m) that is usually the decision maker in Paris-Roubaix and it comes 68.5km from the finish. A flat non-technical intermediate sprint disrupts the battle for a little while but from there, there is little room for recovery. Pont-Thibault (1400m, 52km from the finish), the famous Mons-en-Pevele (1000m, 45.5km from the finish), Bersee (1400m, 41km from the finish), Beuvry-la-Foret (1400m, 30km from the finish), Tilloy-les-Marchiennes (2400m, 24.5km from the finish), Warlaing (1400m, 20.5km from the finish, Hornaing (3700m, 15.5km from the finish) and Wallers (1600m, 6.5km from the finish) are mostly  well-known challenges from Paris-Roubaix and even though some of them have been shortened a bit compared to Paris-Roubaix, they are likely to split the race to pieces.

 

Having exited the final sector, the riders follow almost completely flat roads for the final 6.5km. Between the 3km and 2km to go marks, there are a few turns but then it’s onto a straight road that leads to the final sharp turn with 900m to go. A sweeping turn brings the riders onto the flat 640m finishing straight that is well-known by the classics specialists as the race ends just at the entrance of the Arenberg pave, just as the stage did back in 2010.

 

Even though the roads are the same as in Paris-Roubaix, the racing will be a lot different as we will see two races in one. The classics contenders have set their sights on a stage win while the GC riders will battle for time. Some of them will go into the stage hoping to limit their losses while riders like Bauke Mollema and Michal Kwiatkowski whose teams have a lot of experience in this kind of racing hope to gain time on their rivals. As the stage is a lot shorter than Paris-Roubaix, it will not be as selective as the big classic and it will be hard for the real specialists to make a big difference. At the same time, crashes are bound to happen and the separation could easily be made by those more than by the cobbles. Furthermore, mechanicals could see GC contenders lose precious time. The most likely outcome is that a small group with GC riders and classics specialists will sprint for the win, meaning that riders like Peter Sagan, John Degenkolb and Alexander Kristoff who are all fast and excel on cobbles are among the favourites to win the stage.

 

The cobbles were last used in 2010 when the exact same finish was used. Back then, however, there were fewer kilometres of pave and the final section was farther from the finish. Nonetheless, the selection was pretty big but it was mostly caused by a big crash that took Frank Schleck out of the race on one of the first sectors. Thor Hushovd won the sprint from a 6-rider group that contained GC contenders Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck while a small group with Jurgen Van Den Broeck and Bradley Wiggins arrived 53 seconds later. Alberto Contador was also in that group but a late mechanical saw him lose another 20 seconds while Lance Armstrong had a lot of bad luck and finished with the first big group. In 2004, the cobbles were also on the course and back then it spelled the end for Iban Mayo’s podium aspirations on a day when Jean-Patrick Nazon won a bunch sprint.

 

 

 

 

Stage 6, Thursday July 10: Arras – Reims, 194km

After the unusual battle for the GC riders in the previous stage, there are two more days of survival for the GC riders before the climbing actions kicks off in earnest. The riders face a long journey from the Northern part of France to the Vosges that will host the next chapter in the battle for the overall win and it is divided into two stages that are expected to suit the sprinters.

 

The first of them brings the riders over 194km in a southeasterly direction from Arras to Reims in one of the flattest parts of France and there is very little elevation gain in what should be a pretty straightforward day in the saddle. The riders will be challenged by two categorized climbs, Cote de Couchy-le-Chateau-Auffrique (category 4, 900m, 6.2%) and Cote de Roucy (category 4, 1.5km, 6.2%), and the fact that they count for the mountains classification says a lot about the flat terrain on offer. The latter comes 37km from the finish and from there the roads are almost completely flat. The intermediate sprint comes at the 119km mark and is located on a long straight road, with the final kilometre being slightly uphill.

 

In the finale, the riders will go straight through no less than 6 roundabouts between the 6km and 2km to go marks. A right-hand turn leads to a left-hand turn in a roundabout 1100m from the line and from there, it’s a long, straight, completely flat, 8m wide road to the finish.

 

A late climb in stage 7 means that the sprinters may be a bit uncertain about their chances in that stage and with the climbing hostilities starting in the weekend, they cannot afford themselves to miss this opportunity. It should be a straightforward, tightly controlled sprint stage that should offer another big battle between the likes of Marcel Kittel, Mark Cavendish and André Greipel, with the power sprint suiting the former down to the ground. For the GC riders, the wind is the potential danger but as the GC is still likely to be close, we are at a point in the race where crashes have very often taken contenders out of the battle for the overall win and the race.

 

Reims last hosted a stage in 2010 and back then it was another power sprinter, Alessandro Petacchi, who beat Julian Dean and Edvald Boasson Hagen to take his second stage win on his way to the overall win in the points competition. In 2002, Robbie McEwen beat Erik Zabel in another bunch sprint to show that the fast finishers usually rule in Reims.

 

 

 

Stage 7, Friday July 11: Epernay – Nancy, 234.5km

Before getting into the mountains, the riders continue their long southeasterly journey towards the Vosges with one of the longest stages of the entire race that brings them over 234.5km from Epernay to Nancy. While the distance will be a challenge, the terrain is very easy but after a long, flat day in the saddle the organizers have included a nasty sting in the tail.

 

From the start, the riders travel in a northeasterly direction until they reach Verdun, one of the famous battlegrounds of the First World War. From there, they continue in a southeasterly direction towards Nancy and contest a very straightforward flat intermediate sprint after 148km of racing.

 

Instead of continuing along the direct route to Nancy, however, the riders approach the city from a westerly direction to include two late category 4 climbs that will test the sprinters after a day that has otherwise been completely flat. The Cote de Maron (3.2km, 5%) comes just 17km from the finish while the Cote de Boufflers (1.3km, 7.9%) is located just 5.5km from the line. From there it is a gradual descent until the flamme rouge while the final kilometre is slightly uphill with an average gradient of 1%. After the final climb, there are a number of turns as the riders do five 90-degree corners inside the final 3km. The final one comes 900m from the line and then a very slight bend leads onto the 400m finishing straight in Nancy.

 

The late climbs mean that some of the stronger sprinters like Peter Sagan, Alexander Kristoff, Sacha Modolo and John Degenkolb fancy their chances and even though it takes a lot to control such a long stage, their teams cannot afford to let this opportunity slip away and the easy terrain should make things more manageable. They are likely to try to put riders like Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel under pressure in the finale but it is unlikely that the ascents are hard enough to send them out the back door. However, it may take the sting out of their legs and put them in a poor position for the sprint, meaning that we should see a much more open sprint in Nancy that we are likely to have seen in the first part of the race.

 

Nancy last hosted a stage finish in 2005 where a very rainy day saw a big crash happen in the final turn after Alexandre Vinokourov had made a late attack. Lorenzo Bernucci escaped the carnage and won the stage ahead of the Kazakh while Robert Förster claimed third in the sprint. In 2009, Nancy hosted the prologue of the Dauphiné where Cadel Evans got an important confidence boost by beating Alberto Contador.

 

 

 

 

Stage 8, Saturday July 12: Tomblaine – Gerardmer La Mauselaine 161km

Finally the waiting time is over for the climbers who can look forward to three consecutive days in the Vosges. Even though they do not offer major mountains, the first climbs of the race usually provide a pretty good idea about who’s up for the challenge of winning the race overall and we should get the first real indication already in stage 8.

 

The stage is pretty short as it brings the riders over 161km from Tomblaine to Gerardmer in the heart of the Vosges. The first part brings the long journey to the mountains to a close and so the first 132.5km are almost completely flat as the riders travel in first an easterly and then a southerly direction without going into the mountains. The highlight comes at the 100km mark when the riders contest the intermediate srint which is pretty straightforward but slightly uphill in the final kilometres.

 

The riders turn left to head into the Vosges and the hostilities start in Vagney at the 132.5km mark. The final 28.5km contain no flat at all and offer three testing climbs. The first one is the Cote de la Croix des Moinats (category 2, 7.6km, 6.2%) which is a pretty regular affair that becomes easier near the top. A descent leads to the Col de Grosse Pierre (category 2, 3km, 7.5%) whose average gradient is deceptive as the first kilometre is very easy while the second one is very tough. It has an average gradient of 11.3% and inside the final kilometre there is a 16% section before it flattens out for the final 500m.

 

At the top, there are 11km to the finish and they mostly consist of a long descent to Gerardmer. It’s a non-technical affair and ends 2km from the finish. Instead of finishing in the city centre, the riders turn right to go up the category 3 climb to the finish at La Mauselaine, following an almost completely straight road. It’s 1.8km long and has a brutal average gradient of 10.3%. The first kilometre has an average of 9.9% while the final 800m include a 16% section and averages 10.8%, with the final 300m being slightly easier. The road is pretty narrow and bends gradually to the left and ends with a 140m finishing straight.

 

This is not a stage in the high mountains and won’t create major time differences but the final climb is definitely hard enough to create some gaps between the favourites. Even though it’s not a big mountain stage, the first stage with an uphill finish is usually pretty controlled and as the yellow jersey is likely to be up for grabs, it is unlikely to be any different in this stage. With three climbs in quick succession, the finale will be pretty intense and we should see several riders try to attack in the finale. The most likely outcome, however, is that it will come down to an uphill sprint that could suit both the GC riders and the puncheurs. On paper, Joaquim Rodriguez would be a major favourite but as he is unlikely to be at his best, the stage probably comes too early for him to make his mark. As the final climb is pretty steep, the stage is likely to be won by a GC riders but don’t count out Peter Sagan in this kind of terrain. The climb may be a bit too tough for him but there is no doubt that he will try to hang onto the best and he could deal his rivals for the green jersey a heavy blow by winning a stage in a terrain that is way too tough for his rivals.

 

Gerardmer last hosted a stage in 2005 when Pieter Weening beat Andreas Klöden in a very famous photo finish, one of the closest sprints ever in a professional bike race. 27 seconds later the race favourites reached the finish after a dramatic day that had seen Lance Armstrong become isolated on the final climb, the Col de la Schlucht. Back then, the stage finished in the city and didn’t include the climb to La Mauselaine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 9, Sunday July 13: Gerardmer – Mulhouse 170km

After the first climbing battle between the GC riders, the race continues with a classic stage that is typical for the Vosges. It’s up or down almost all day in stage 9 and the stage contains the first longer climbs even though none of them are really big mountains. The stage includes climbs like Col de la Schlucht and Grand Ballon that are some of the most well-known ascents in this small mountain range.

 

The stage brings the riders over 170km from Gerardmer to Mulhoues, two of the major cities in the area, and has a very tough beginning. Right from the start of the stage, the riders go up the category 2 Col de la Schlucht (8.6km, 4.5%), albeit from the other side than they did in 2005 when Lance Armstrong was famously isolated on its slopes. A plateau and a long descent leads to the bottom of Col du Wettstein (category 3, 7.7km, 4.1%) which is followed by another long descent.

 

The Cote des Cinq Chateaux (category 3, 4.5km, 6.1%) and Cote de Gueberschwihr (category 2, 4.1km, 7.9% now follow in quick succession before the riders contest a slightly uphill intermediate sprint and take on the major challenge of the day, Le Markstein (10.8km, 5.4%) which is the first category 1 climb of the race. BeforeA very short descent brings the riders to the final small 1.4 section that brings them to the top of the famous Grand Ballon whose average gradient of 8.6% has put it in the third category.

 

From the top 43km still remain and now the hostilities are over. The long descent is only interrupted by a very small hill and the final 21km consist of a flat run to the finish in Mulhouse. The finale is not too technical as the riders go through 4 roundabouts inside the final 6km and take a sharp left-hand turn just after the 2km mark. Then the road bends gradually to the right, with the final slight curve leading onto the 500m flat finishing straight.

 

With some very hard terrain and a completely flat finish, this stage has breakaway written all over it. The climbs are too far from the line for the GC riders to attack each other and the sprinters have no chance in this kind of terrain. At this point, however, the GC is likely to be pretty close and the riders that can escape in a stage with a very tough start are likely to still be within shouting distance of the leader’s jersey. If one of the major teams have the lead, they may be pleased to give away the responsibility for a few days but if one of the non-GC teams (like Cannondale) find themselves with the jersey, they will do their utmost to defend it. As the favourites cannot allow a rider to get too much advantage, they may be willing to control the race more than they would have done in a similar stage later in the race. Peter Sagan has the skills to survive this kind of climbing and if the break is not too far ahead after the final climb and he still has a few teammates at his side, we may see a sprint finish from a reduced bunch. The most likely outcome, however, is that this is a day for a breakaway and we could see one of the smaller riders get a few days in the jersey after this stage.

 

The Tour de France last visited Mulhouse in 2005 when a very similar stage was won from a long-distance breakaway by Michael Rasmussen while Jens Voigt rode himself into yellow. Back then, it was the famous Ballon d’Alsace that was the final climb before flat run to Mulhouse.

 

 

 

 

Stage 10, Monday July 14: Mulhouse – La Planche des Belles Filles 161.5.km

The riders are going into their tenth straight day of racing and are now looking forward to their first rest day. To get a chance to recover, however, they first have to overcome the final of the three stages in the Vosges which offers the first major summit finish of the race. After a two-absence, the climb to La Planche des Belles Filles will make a welcome return. It made a successful debut in 2012 and as it did back then, it will offer the first firm indications of potential winners of the race.

 

The stage is just 161.5km long and brings the riders from Mulhouse to the top of the relatively new climb which has already taken a prominent spot in the heart of many cycling fans. The first 20km are completely flat but they make up the only level section of the race. From now on the riders take on seven climbs in quick succession and there is virtually no flat in between.

 

First up is the Col du Firstplan (category 2, 8.3km, 5.4%) whose descent leads to the intermediate sprint which is slightly uphill but pretty straightforward. Then it’s time for the Petit Ballon (category 1, 9.3km, 8.1%) and the Col du Platzerwasel (category 1, 7.1km, 8.4%) that are both pretty tough. The next section is easier as it is made up of the three descents and the climbs Col d’Oderen (category 2, 6.7km, 6.1%) and Col des Croix (category 3, 3.2km, 6.5%).

 

The finale start with 21.5km to go when the riders hit the bottom of Col des Chevrieres (category 1, 3.5km, 9.5%) which is a nasty little affair. The third kilometre has an average gradient of a massive 14.9% and a steep 18% section while the final 500m are a lot easier at a 3% gradient. Its top comes 18km from the line and they are made up of a descent, a short flat valley section and the 5.9km category 1 climb to the finish. It has an average gradient of 8.5%, with the first 5km being pretty regular at a gradient of 8-9% with a few 11-13% sections along the way. 500m from the top, there is 100m of flat roads before the riders turn onto the short 250m, 20% ramp to the finish.

 

When the climb debuted two years ago, it came at the end of a much easier stage. This time there is a lot more climbing in the first part, meaning that the riders are likely to be more fatigued and the time gaps likely to be bigger. At the same time, it makes the terrain much harder to control and a breakaway definitely has a chance to make it. On the other hand, the GC riders are all looking forward to this first major test and all believe they can win the stage. The big teams usually control the first summit finishes and so it is most likely that it will all come down to a first big battle between the race favourites on the final climb.

 

In 2012, a select group consisting of Chris Froome, Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali and Rein Taaramae arrived at the bottom of the final ramp after Sky had blown the race to pieces on the steep slopes. Having already done a lot of work earlier on, Froome proved his class when he won the uphill sprint, putting two seconds into Evans and Wiggins while Nibali and Taaramae both lost a bit more. Froome will be eager to make it two in a row but a certain French climber also has his eyes on this one. The stage is held in Thibaut Pinot’s home region and he will do his utmost to win in front of his family and friends.

 

 

 

Rest day, Tuesday July 15: Besancon

 

Stage 11, Wednesday July 16: Besancon – Oyonnax 187.5km

After a well-deserved rest day, the riders start their journey from the Vosges to the Alps with a 187.5km stage from Besancon to Oyonnax. The hard days in the mountains are behind the riders for now and we are back into flatter terrain. A tricky finale, however, means that this is definitely not a stage for the pure sprinters.

 

The stage consists of a long southerly along mostly flat roads but the roads gradually get a bit more undulating. After the easy start, there are a couple of gradual, non-categorized ascents at the midpoint but they will have little impact on the racing. The intermediate sprint comes at the 89km mark, has a tricky corner less than 1km from the line and is slightly uphill.

 

Oyonnax is located on the outskirts of the Alps and so the terrain is pretty hilly near the finish. Instead of following the direct road to the line, the riders will take on a small circuit that includes 4 smaller categorized climbs inside the final 56km of the race. First up is the Cote de Rogna (category 3, 7.6km, 4.9%) which is followed by Cote de Choux (category 4, 1.7km, 6.5%) and Cote de Desertin (category 3, 3.1km, 5.2%) in quick succession. The next part is mostly downhill before the riders hit the bottom of the Cote d’Echallon (category 3, 3km, 6.6%), summiting 19.5km from the finish. There’s only a very small climb in the final part that are mostly downhill with only the final 4 kilometres being relatively flat. The finale is not very technical as the riders go straight through two roundabouts around the 2km to go mark and then it’s a straight 1700m almost completely flat road to the finish.

 

This stage is a tricky one that has a lot of different outcomes. The final climbs should be two hard for the pure sprinters like Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel but it is definitely manageable for riders like Peter Sagan, John Degenkolb, Alexander Kristoff, Sacha Modolo and Arnaud Demare. However, a lot of riders have marked this out as a good breakaway opportunity as the finale will be hard for the sprint teams to control. Hence, it will probably be a true war before the break takes off and it will probably depend on the composition of the escape whether the teams with the strongest sprinters try to bring it back together for a sprint finish. For the GC riders, it is all about survival as they prepare themselves for the first battles in the high mountains later in the week.

 

Oyonnax has often hosted stage finishes in the Tour de l’Ain, with Antonio Cruz, Jose Joaquin Rojas and Grega Bole winning stages within the last decade. Last year Elia Viviani won a sprint finish after a hilly day in the saddle at the end of stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné.

 

 

 

 

Stage 12, Thursday July 17: Bourg-en-Bresse – Saint-Étienne 185.5km

The second week has a few hilly stages that could both be won by a strong sprinter or a brave escapee. For the second day in a row, the riders face such a stage on day 12 when they travel 185.5km from Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Étienne as they continue their southerly journey by travelling a bit in a westerly direction to get a little farther away from the Aps and briefly touch Massif Central.

 

The stage is pretty similar to the previous one as the first part is almost completely flat, with the early intermediate sprint being the highlight. It is both pretty technical with several turns and slightly uphill, averaging 1% for the final 2km and being slightly steeper near the line. After the sprint, the terrain gets slightly hillier, with the Col de Brouilly (category 4, 1.7km, 5.1%) and Cote de Saule d’Dingt (category 3, 3.8km, 4.5%) being the first challenge of the day.

 

An easier section leads to the finale which kicks off with the long Col des Brosses (category 3, 15.3km, 3.3%) which is not very steep. A descent brings the riders to the bottom of the Cote de Grammond (category 4, 9.8km, 2.9%) which is pretty similar to the previous climb. Summiting 21.5km from the finish, the climb is followed by a short uphill stretch and then a long descent to the final 8.5km that are completely flat. The finale is pretty easy as the final major turn comes 1500m from the line and then the road only bends slightly to the right and left before the riders get onto the 320m finishing straight. The final kilometre is uphill with a 1.2% average gradient.

 

Compared to the previous stage, there is a much bigger chance that this one will be decided in a sprint finish as the climbs are all pretty easy. Riders like Marcel Kittel and Mark Cavendish should all be able to survive this if the pace is not too fast and even though a lot of riders will try to attack, we will expect the sprint teams to take control of this one. The sprinters don’t have a lot of opportunities left and are heading into two days of suffering in the mountains, making it all the more likely that this will be one for the fast finishers.

 

Saint-Étienne has often hosted stage finishes of the major French races, most recently in 2009 when Niki Terpstra and Christian Vande Velde won stages in the Dauphiné and Paris-Nice respectively. One year earlier Marcus Burghardt won a Tour de France stage here while Kjell Carlström, Christophe Moreau, Tom Boonen and Patxi Vila are all among the latest riders to have won in the city, proving that a lot of different riders can excel in this terrain. In 2005, Lance Armstrong sealed his seventh Tour de France victory by winning the final time trial of that year’s Tour de France here.

 

 

 

 

Stage 13, Friday July 18: Saint-Étienne – Chamrousse 197.5km

On day 13 it is finally time for the first big mountaintop finish in the race as the riders take on the first of two successive stages in the Alps. It brings them over 197.5km in an almost straight westerly direction from Saint-Étienne to the Alpine heartland and a mountaintop finish at the ski resort of Chamrousse.

 

The route is designed like most of the stages that bring the riders into the high mountains as the first 135km are almost entirely flat and leads the peloton to the bottom of the major climbs. After a short, light descent, the riders tackle the category 3 Col de la Croix de Montvieux (8km, 4.1%) but after its descent, they hit the long flat roads that dominate most of the stage.

 

The hostilities start when the riders hit the bottom of the Col de Palaquit (category 1, 14.1km, 6.1%) after 138km of racing. The average gradient is deceptive as it has a lot of steeper sections. The second and third kilometres both average more than 10% but then a 2km descent leads to an easier section. The next four kilometres are pretty hard, with two of them averaging more than 10%, before things get easier for the final 2.1km.

 

The descent leads to a short section in the valley where the riders will contest a completely flat and non-technical intermediate sprint and then it’s time for the first HC climb of the race that brings the riders to the finish in Chamrousse. It is 18.2km long and has an average gradient of7.3% and is a pretty regular affair. The hardest parts come at the bottom but the final 11km have a gradient mostly between 5 and 8%. The final 1.2km average only 3.1%, meaning that the difference will have to be made further down the climb. Inside the final kilometre, there are two hairpin bends to negotiate and the final of those leads onto the short 340m finishing straight.

 

The first two summit finishes have given the first indications of the climbing hierarchy in the race but this is the first time the riders face a really long climb at the end and things could have changed a bit at the end of two weeks of hard racing. The final climb is not very tough and even though it is pretty long, the time differences are unlikely to be very big. Nonetheless, this is one of the very big stages of the race and it is one of the days that have to be exploited by riders who need to gain time ahead of the final time trial. Depending on the outcome of the first summit finishes, a breakaway could stay away but as the stage is pretty easy to control, the most likely scenario is that the favourites will both be riding for time and the stage win.

 

Chamrousse last hosted a stage in 2001 when Lance Armstrong firmly beat Jan Ullrich and Joseba Beloki in 32km mountain time trial that started in Grenoble.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 14, Saturday July 19: Grenoble – Risoul 177km

For the second day in a row, the riders face a big stage in the Alps and unlike the previous one, this is a real mountain stage with climbing all day. However, most of the really hard Alpine climbs are missing from ths year’s course and this has led many people to suggest that the mountain range will have less of an impact on this year’s race.

 

Nonetheless, stage 14 is a very hard one that brings the riders over 177km from Grenoble to another summit finish at the ski resort of Risoul. There’s a small climb to negotiate right from the beginning but after its descent, the first part is pretty easy as it consists of a long gradual uphill section that is not too hard. The riders reach a small plateau where they contest the intermediate sprint which is almost completely flat and takes place on a long straight road.

 

At the end of the plateau, it is time for the longest climb of the race, the Col du Lautaret (category 1, 34km, 3.9% which is more of a long gradual uphill than a real climb. Then it’s time for a long easy descent to the feed zone in Besancon where the riders begin hit the lower slopes of one of the really mythical Alpine passes, Col d’Izoard (category HC, 19km, 6%) whose summit 2360m above sea level is the highest point of the entire race. The first 12km are pretty easy and even has a small descent but the final 7km are pretty tough with a gradient that constantly hovers around 7-8%.

 

At the top 44.5km remain. The first part is a long, gradual descent that brings the riders to the bottom of the final climb to Risoul. It is of the first category, has a length of 12.6km and averages 6.9%. It’s a pretty regular climb with no very steep sections but only little room for recover. The 11th and 12th kilometres are the toughest as they average 8.5% before the climb levels out for the final 900m whose gradient is just 6.1%. At just 120m, the finishing straight is pretty short.

 

This is the second big mountain stage in a row and it will be the scene of another big battle between the race favourites. Despite the inclusion of the Izoard, the main riders are likely to keep their powder dry for the final climb as the long descent is not really suitable for a solo effort. The climb to Risoul is well-known and even though it is pretty regular, the fact that it has no really hard sections means that the time gaps are usually pretty small. Nonetheless, history has showed that it is hard enough to make a difference and with Froome being the superior time triallist, this is an opportunity that Alberto Contador cannot let slip away. At the same time, it seems to be a good stage for a breakaway as the tough terrain means that it is pretty hard to control and with an uphill start and a GC with bigger time gaps, there is a chance that a big, strong group will get away early on.

 

The finish in Risoul was first used in the 2010 Criterium du Dauphiné where Nicolas Vogondy took a surprise victory ahead after escaping in the finale but no less than 23 riders finished within a minute of the stage winner. Last year it was back in the French race and here Alessandro De Marchi held on to take a solo win from a long-distance break while behind Chris Froome was trying to drag his teammate Richie Porte to a stage victory but had to accelerate on his own when Andrew Talansky caught the Sky pair just before the line. That day the time gaps were bigger but 10 riders still within one minute of Froome who was the best of the favourites.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 15, Sunday July 20: Tallard – Nimes 222km

After two tough days in the mountains, the sprinters will get their first guaranteed opportunity for some time in what is a very typical transition stage. This year only this stage and a rest day separate the Alps from the Pyrenees, meaning that this route has to bring them quite a fair of the way between the two mountain ranges.

 

Hence, it is no surprise that it covers 222km from Tallard on the outskirts of the Alps to Nimes close to the Mediterranean coast and it consists of a journey that first takes the riders in a southerly direction before turning to the west. After a completely flat start, the terrain gets a bit more rolling near the midpoint before the riders take on a gradual descent down towards the sea.

 

The final 70km are completely flat and there is not a single categorized climb all day. The intermediate sprint comes 46.5km from the finish and takes place on a flat, straight road. The finale is loaded with roundabouts as the riders go through no less than five between the 5km and 2km to go banners. From there, the riders are only challenged by a sweeping right-hand bend 1100m from the line, with the road turning very slightly onto the finishing straight 600m later. The finishing straight is almost completely flat.

 

For the pure sprinters, this may be the only opportunity in the second week of the race and with three teams mostly devoted to the bunch kicks, there should be enough horsepower to ensure a finale for the fastest riders. At this late point in a grand tour, there is always a chance that a few riders can create a surprise but it is very hard to imagine that this will not be a day for the sprinters. In the second half, however, the riders get close to the coast where the Mistral wind can play a role and this could turn out to be a very nervous finale for the GC riders.

 

Nimes last hosted a stage in 2008 when Mark Cavendish won a bunch sprint in the city. In 2004, Aitor Gonzalez was the strongest from a breakaway and took his only Tour stage win by arriving solo at the finish.

 

 

 

 

Rest day, Monday July 21: Carcassonne

 

Stage 16, Tuesday July 22: Carcassonne – Bagnères-de-Luchon 237.5km

Last year the Alps played the decisive role in the Tour de France. Following their alternating principle, the organizers have changed things around for the 2014 edition. The riders may have tested each other in two consecutive summit finishes in the Alps but the days with the hardest climbing are definitely the three hard mountain stages that come right after the second rest day.

 

While the final two of those are short, intensive affairs, the first one is the longest stage of the entire race. It brings the riders over a massive 237.5km from Carcassonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon that has often played host to the Tour de France. Like many other stages that bring the riders into the high mountains, the stage can be split into two, with an opening part that is almost completely flat and a second part that contains almost all the hard climbing.

 

Most of the stage consists of a westerly journey whose flat roads are only interrupted by the two small category 4 climbs Cote de Fanieux (2.4km, 4.9%) and Cote de Pamiers (2.5km, 5.4%) that are located at the 25km and 71.5km marks respectively. The intermediate sprint comes in this flat part of the race, in Saint-Gaudens after 123.5km of racing, and is a pretty technical affair. There’s a small hill 2km from the finish and a subsequent descent but the final kilometre is flat. The main challenge is the sharp right-hand turn that comes just 500m from the sprint.

 

The climbing starts after 150km of racing when the riders reach the bottom of the category 2 Col de Portet d’Aspet (5.4km, 6.9%), one of the famous Pyrenean ascents that is known for Fabio Casartelli’s fatal accident on the descent. After the descent, the riders do the Col des Ares (category 3, 6km, 5.2%).

 

Those two smaller climbs, however, are just a warm-up for the main challenge of the stage which comes after a short flat section in the valley. With 202km already in their legs, the riders hit the bottom of the famous Port de Bales (category HC, 11.7km, 7.7%) which is a new climb in the Tour de France history but has already grown to fame due to the fact that Andy Schleck dropped his chain on its slopes when it was first included four years ago. The first three kilometres are regular at 7-8% and are followed by a flatter section. The final 6km, however, leave little room for recovery with a gradient mostly above 7%, and the 8th and 9th kilometres are especially tough, averaging more than 9%. It gets a bit easier near the top as the final 700m only have a 6.4% gradient.

 

Having crested the summit, the riders still need to cover 21.5km but they are almost all made up of a technical and difficult descent to the finish in Bagnères-de-Luchon. Only the final 2.8km are flat and offer a pretty technical finale, with a very sharp turn 1700m from the line and four corners inside the final kilometre. The final one brings the riders onto the short, flat 180m finishing straight.

 

It’s a very long stage to control and even though the terrain makes it easier, the GC riders all know that they need their teams over the next two days. Mountain stages without a summit finish are rarely a genuine target for the big favourites and so it is very likely that a breakaway will stay away and contest the stage after a fast, hard start to the stage. It is no coincidence that escapees have prevailed the first two times this finale has featured in the race. Behind the attackers, however, we can expect a big battle between the favourites on the Port de Bales. There is virtually no flat road after the summit and so there is a big chance that a strong rider can keep his advantage to the finish if he manages to drop his rivals on the climb. History shows that the GC riders always test each other on this climb and that it is hard enough to make a difference. Furthermore, the final descent is so tricky that it may be used as attacking ground too, especially in wet conditions.

 

The Port de Bales finish was first included in the famous 2010 edition of the race when Andy Schleck’s dropped chain took most of the attention. The stage win, however, was taken by Thomas Voeckler who emerged as the strongest from a breakaway while Alberto Contador, Samuel Sanchez and Denis Menchov were the first of the GC riders to arrive. In 2012, it again featured on the course but a bit earlier in a stage that was won by Alejandro Valverde won from a breakaway on a day when Chris Froome again had to slow down to wait for Bradley Wiggins.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 17, Wednesday July 23: Saint-Gaudens – Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet 124.5km

In 2011, ASO designed a very short, intense stage in the Alps that included both Col du Galibier and Alpe d’Huez and offered some of the most spectacular racing in recent years, with the GC riders attacking each other right from the beginning of the first climb. Since then, the organizers have usually designed a short, hard mountain stage with numerous climbs and the 2014 edition is no exception.

 

This year the stage comes on day 17 when the riders travel just 124.5km from Saint-Gaudens on the outskirts of the Pyrenees to a summit finish in Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet. Despite the short distance and a flat first third of the race, the riders will be challenged by no less than three category 1 climbs and the HC ascent to the finish, making this a real mountain stage with repeated climbs and little room for recovery.

 

The first part of the stage is pretty easy as the riders travel along flat roads in a southerly direction, with the main highlight being the flat, straightforward intermediate sprint at the 31km mark. A few kilometres further up the road, they cross the border into Spain where they turn west and start to climb the Col du Portillon (category 1, 8.3km, 7.1%) after 49km of racing. It’s a pretty regular climb whose second half is a bit tougher than the first kilometres.

 

At the top, the riders get back onto French soil and they now descent back to the previous day’s finishing city of Bagnères-de-Luchon. With no flat valley road at all, it is straight onto one of the really famous Tour de France climbs, the Col de Peyresourde (category 1, 13.2km, 7%) that has a few flatter sections in the first half but whose final 7km are extremely regular at 7-8%.

 

The descent leads the city of Loudenvielle where a very short flat section brings the riders to the bottom of the Col de Val Louron-Azet (category 1, 7.4km, 8.3%). It has a pretty steep first part with three consecutive kilometres that average more than 9% but the second half is a bit easier.

 

Another descent leads to the city of Saint-Lary-Soulan where there is a very short flat section before the riders hit the bottom of the HC climb to the finish. With a length of 10.2km, it has an average gradient of 8.3%, making it the steepest summit finish in the Alps and Pyrenees. The first 7km are very tough as the gradient doesn’t drop below 8.5% but the final 3km are significantly easier with gradients ranging from 5% to 7%. The finale is not very technical, with the final kilometre only containing one major turn before a slight bend leads onto the 110m finishing straight.

 

The stage may be pretty short but with a very tough final climb, this is one of the days that could create the biggest time gaps. For the brave climbers, this is a day that is perfectly suited to a long-distance attack. The short length of the stage makes it much easier to stay away and as there are virtually not flat roads in the second part, a strong rider doesn’t need an awful lot of help to finish off an adventure in the mountains in the most grandiose manner. On the other hand, the first part is pretty easy to control and this is one of those days when a strong GC team can apply the pressure very early as the distance is very manageable. This will make it harder for the escapees to stay away but with another even more prestigious summit finish coming up, the most likely outcome is a win for an escapee. For the GC riders, this is one of the most important days of the entire race and with virtually no flat road, there is a chance that the war will be started already on one of the earlier climbs, depending on the situation in the overall standings.

 

The finish in Pla d’Adet has not been used since 2005 when George Hincapie emerged as a climber by winning one of the hardest stages in the Pyrenees by beating breakaway companion Oscar Pereiro in a sprint at the top. Further down the climb, the GC battle was on and Lance Armstrong and Ivan Basso managed to distance Jan Ullrich by 1.24 on the steep slopes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 18, Thursday July 24: Pau – Hautacam 145.5km

The honour of being the queen stage of a grand tour is always a topic for discussion and this year’s edition of the Tour de France doesn’t have an obvious candidate for the title. If one has to point to a single stage, however, stage 18 is a very good candidate as it offers a legendary finishing climb, the hardest mountain of the entire race and comes at the end of all the climbing hostilities.

 

At just 145.5km, it is another very short affair which should prompt the riders to ride aggressively and make brave moves in the hard terrain. Usually, the Tour de France offers at least one stage that starts with a very tough climb but this year all mountain stages kick off with a long flat stretch. As stage 18 starts in the famous city of Pau that rarely is missing from the Tour de France route, it again offers a flat start before the riders hit the mountains.

 

The first 78km are pretty easy, with the small category 3 climbs Cote de Benejacq (2.6km, 6.7%) and Cote de Loucrup (2km, 7%) at the 28km and 56km marks offering the only minor challenges. Again the intermediate sprint comes in this easy part of the race but this time it is slightly uphill as the final kilometre average around 1.5%.

 

From there, the road starts to ramp upwards ever so slightly until the riders reach the city of Sainte-Marie-de-Campan which is famously known as the starting point of one of the most legendary climbs in the Tour de France history, Col du Tourmalet. The HC mountain is 17.1km long and has an average gradient of 7.3% and features on the route most years. The first 5km are pretty easy but from there it is an extremely regular affair with a pretty constant gradient between 8% and 10%, leaving very little room for recovery.

 

The top comes exactly 50km from the finish and the first 18.5km of those consist of the descent from the highest point of this year’s Pyrenean stages. At the bottom, the riders have to negotiate 17km of slightly descending valley roads that lead to the bottom of another mythical ascent. Having last been included in the race in 2008, Hautacam is back on the Tour de France course and will offer the climbers the final chance to take time ahead of the decisive time trial on the penultimate climb. The HC climb is 13.6km long and has an average gradient of 7.8% but is made harder by the fact that the second part is the toughest. The first 6km are pretty easy but are followed by 5 very hard kilometres of which two average more than 10%. The final 2.6km are again easier, with gradient between 6.5% and 8%. There are a few hairpin bends inside the final kilometre, with the final one leading onto the short 50m finishing straight.

 

This is almost an identical copy of the first big mountain stage of the 2008 Tour de France and back then CSC made a big coup by putting Fabian Cancellara into the early break. Having made the race explode on the Tourmalet, dropping Alejandro Valverde along the way, they made use of their TT specialist in the valley to extend their advantage before the final climb. Due to the 17km of valley roads in between the two climbs, the GC riders are unlikely to attack each other already on the Tourmalet but that ascent may be used to make things tough before the final climb which is hard enough to produce some big differences at this late point in the race. This is one of those stages that the big riders would love to win and as they don’t need to save their teams for later mountain stages, the most likely scenario is that it will be won by one of the favourites. Depending on the outcome of the first 17 stages, however, there is a chance that a breakaway will stay away, especially if the major favourites have all won a stage or one rider appears to be in a class of his own in the mountains. This is the final chance for Chris Froome’s rivals to take time on the Brit before the final time trial and so we can expect a big battle on the final climb. At the same time, fatigue is now playing a major role and as this is the third consecutive mountain stage, there is a big risk that a few riders near the top of the standings will start to fade.

 

As said, Hautacam last featured in 2008 where Leonardo Piepoli and Juan Jose Cobo delivered a dominant Saunier Duval showing, taking a 1-2 for the Spanish team. Piepoli took the stage win but as he later tested positive for EPO, Cobo is now registered as the stage winner. That same day Cadel Evans took the yellow jersey for the first time in his career in the year when he has gone into the race as the major favourite. In 2000, Javier Otxoa took an impressive solo win from a breakaway, holding off Lance Armstrong by 42 seconds on a day when the American distanced Jan Ullrich by no less than 3.19. In 1996 Bjarne Riis sealed his overall win by winning the stage on the famous climb.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 19, Friday July 25: Maubourguet du Val d’Adour – Bergerac 208.5km

As the distance from the major mountains to Paris is pretty big and the penultimate stage is usually reserved for a time trial, the final Friday of the race often offers a transitional stage that brings the riders some of the way back up towards the French capital. In 2014 this is again the case and so the sprinters can look forwards to two genuine opportunities in the final three days of the race.

 

Stage 19 brings the riders over 208.5km from Maubourguet du Val d’Adour on the outskirts of the Pyrenees to Bergerac and consists of a long northerly journey in the direction of Paris. It is almost completely flat and the only highlight in the first 190km of the race is the intermediate sprint at the 130.5km mark. It is held on a long straight road but there is a short 400m climb just 1km from the line that may test the pure sprinters that are still in contention for the green jersey.

 

All day there has been nothing to challenge the sprinters but the organizers have decided to spice things up in the final. Instead of continuing straight to the finish in Bergerac, the riders will do a small loop to go up the category 4 climb Cote de Montbazillac (1.3km 7.6%). The top comes 13km from the line and after a short descent, it is flat all the way to the finish. To make things even more complicated, the stage has the most technical finale of all the sprint stages. After the riders have gone through two roundabouts just after the 3km to go banner, the road is mostly straight until shortly after the flamme rouge. Here the riders do two sharp left-hand turns in quick succession which lead them onto the flat 490m finishing straight.

 

The final climb is pretty steep and will test the sprinters but as it is pretty short, they won’t be drop if they start near the front of the peloton. A few teams may use it to take the sting out of their legs but the most likely outcome of this stage is that it will be a big bunch sprint with all the sprinters present. At this late point in the race, however, breakaways have a much bigger chance than they have earlier on and it all depends on the freshness of the sprint teams after three consecutive stages in the Pyrenees. With a lot of teams having dedicated sprint formations, however, it will be surprise if this stage doesn’t come down to a bunch sprint.

 

 

 

 

Stage 20, Saturday July 26: Bergerac – Perigueux 54km ITT

With the 2012 edition being the major exception, Christian Prudhomme has scaled down the amount of time trialling since he took over the role of race director. The 2014 edition is no exception as it offers just a single race against the clock and it is very rare for a Tour that the riders will not have used their TT bikes before they get to the penultimate stage. At 54km, this year’s only TT is pretty long but with no previous TTs, this year’s course definitely favours the climbers.

 

Furthermore, the organizers haven’t done the specialists too many favours when they decided the course for the time trial that brings the riders in a northeasterly direction from Bergerac to Perigeux, continuing the journey towards Paris. Only the first 11km are pretty flat but from there, it is always up or down, with four significant climbs being spread throughout the course. Of course none of them are big challenges in their own right but the many changes of rhythm means that the climbers will have a better chance to defend themselves against the specialists.

 

It will be important to save some energy for the finale as the steepest climb, Cote de Coulounieix-Charmiers (1.4km, 6.4%) comes after 46.6km of racing. After the top, 6km remain and they first consist of a flat section, then a descent and a finally a 2km slight uphill part to the finish. There are several corners and roundabouts inside the final 3km, meaning that there will be lots of changes of rhythm right till the end of the stage.

 

Of course Tony Martin is the big favourite to win this stage but on such a hilly course, Chris Froome definitely has a chance to match the world champion. Furthermore, recovery usually plays a much more important role than TT skills at this late point in a grand tour and so the top of the standings are very often dominated by GC riders more than the specialists. In any case, a 54km time trial can create some massive time differences and even though the time triallists definitely haven’t been favoured by the design of the course, this is a very nice final card to have up their sleeve. With just one largely ceremonial stage to come, the winner of the Tour de France will be known by the end of what should be an exciting stage.

 

 

 

 

Stage 21, Sunday July 27: Évry – Paris Champs-Élysées 137.5km

This year’s course may include a few novelties but there is nothing new on the final day of the race. As usual, the race comes to an end with a largely ceremonial stage to Paris where the sprinters will get the chance to battle it out in the most prestigious stage for a fast finisher on the Champs-Élysées.

 

Overnight the riders have travelled from the southwestern part of France to the southern suburbs of Paris for the final day of racing that follows a very traditional format. The stage usually starts a bit south of the capital and then makes a small loop in the area – often with one or two small categorized climbs to finalize the battle for the KOM jersey – before the riders head towards the city centre. Here they do a number of laps of the famous circuit on the Champs-Élysées, very often ending with a big bunch sprint.

 

This year’s stage starts in Évry just south of Paris and as usual the distance is rather short. At just 137.5km, the route makes a small loop in a westerly direction to go up the Cote de Briis-sous-Forges (category 4, 800m, 5.2%) after 31km of racing. Otherwise the terrain is almost completely flat as the riders continue towards the centre of Paris.

 

After 81.5km of racing, they enter the city circuit and 1.5km further up the road, they cross the line for the first time. The stage ends with 8 laps of the circuit that brings the up and down the famous avenue. One of the novelties for last year’s race that was introduced to mark the 100th edition, was the fact that the riders went all the way around the Arc de Triomphe instead of doing a 180-degree turn in front of it. This adjustment to the circuit will be maintained in 2014 but the stage won’t finish late in the evening as it did one year ago. It will still finish later than usual though as the arrival is scheduled around 19.15 local time.

 

The Champs-Elysées is cobbled and not flat as it ramps slightly upwards when one goes through the finish. The intermediate sprint will be contested at the highest point of the avenue on the second lap when 46.5km still remain. The final sprint is well-known by all the riders and pretty technical as there are two 90-degree turns just before the flamme rouge. Inside the final kilometre, two sweeping turns lead onto the short 400m finishing straight that is slightly uphill.

 

The stage will of course pan out as it usually does, with the first part raced at a leisurely pace while the riders take the time to congratulate each other, take a sip from a champagne glass and pose for the photographers. Racing gets serious when they approach the finishing circuit, with the team of the race leader set to gradually pick up the pace before the first passage of the finish line. From then, it will be full-on racing which will in all likelihood come down to a bunch sprint that may even determine the winner of the points classification and in all cases will be a fitting end to what promises to be a phenomenal 101st edition of the world's biggest race.

 

Last year Marcel Kittel won a very close battle of the titans as he narrowly held off André Greipel and Marck Cavendish in a  very exciting sprint. By doing that, he brought Mark Cavendish’s winning streak to an end as the Brit won the final stage four years in a row from 2009 to 2012. Before the Brit started to dominate the stage, Gert Steegmans, Daniele Bennati and Thor Hushovd won bunch sprints while the sprinters were last foiled in 2005 when Alexandre Vinokourov took a hugely surprising victory with a late attack.