The Tour de France 2023 will take place from 1 to 23 July 2023 and has a number of highlights in store for the riders over 21 stages. The route of the Tour of France was presented at the Palais des Congres in Paris on 27 October 2022. The start in the Basque Country promises a spectacle in the battle for the yellow jersey right from the start and the course of the Tour de France 2023 is peppered with highlights in the mountains, such as the return of the mythical Puy de Dome, the crossing of the Col de la Loze or the arrival on the Grand Colombier.
Click through: The Tour de France winners since 2012
It will not be a Tour for time trialists. There is only one stage in the battle against the clock over 22 kilometres on the 16th stage.
Tour de France 2023: Start in the Basque Country
The race kicks off in Bilbao on 1 July 2023. Not for sprinters. There are two challenging climbs in the last 30 kilometres, which should give the strong puncheurs a good chance of winning the first yellow jersey of the 2023 Tour de France.
The second section is just as difficult as the first stage. The Jaizkibel, whose summit is reached around 20 kilometres before the finish, is famous and infamous from the Clasica San Sebastian.
First chance for the sprinters
Stage 3 should be the first chance for the sprinters, who should strike again on the following day. However, the finish on stage 4 is a very special one: the race ends on the Circuit de Nogaro, a motorsport circuit.
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Then it's off to the Pyrenees. The Col de Soudet and Col de Marie Blanque await the riders on stage 5. From the summit of the Marie Blanque (7.7 kilometres with an average gradient of 8.6 percent), there are still 18 kilometres to the finish. While we are unlikely to see more than preliminary skirmishes between the favourites on this day, things will get serious on the 6th stage. Between Tarbes and the mountain finish in Cauterets-Cambasque, the Col d'Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet are on the agenda over 145 kilometres, before another 16 kilometres uphill to the finish at an average gradient of 5.4 percent.
Bordeaux back in the programme
Stage 7 of the 2023 Tour de France should once again be something for the sprinters. The stage finish in Bordeaux has a long tradition of bunch sprints. The following section ends in Limoges, but is topographically a little more demanding, so that either a sprinter with a good head for hills could win or an escape group could get through.
The 9th stage on 9 July is the day that many cycling fans have been waiting decades for: the return of the Puy de Dome. 35 years after the last arrival on the volcanic cone, it will be ridden again. Between 1952 and 1988, a total of 13 stages of the Tour of France took place on the Puy de Dome. In 1964, Raymond Poulidor and Jacques Anquetil fought a duel on the flanks of the Puy de Dome. It was one of the most legendary duels in Tour history. Although Poulidor won the duel against Anquetil that day, he did not win the Tour de France.
Cycling history was written at the Puy de Dome
In 1975, a spectator punched Eddy Merckx in the stomach on the Puy de Dome. It was the beginning of the end for the Belgian. He lost more than half a minute to Bernard Thevenet and later lost the yellow jersey in the Tour.
At the Tour de France 2023, the last 13.3 kilometres to the Puy de Dome lead uphill with an average gradient of 7.7 per cent. The gradient remains in double figures for the last four kilometres or so.
After the first rest day in Clermont-Ferrand, the race continues through the Massif Central. The 167 kilometres between Vulcania and Issoire are hilly and should play into the hands of an escape group before the sprinters take over again on stage 11.
Tour de France 2023 with Grand Colombier
The 12th stage once again offers optimal terrain for a successful breakaway attempt. The favourites will be taking it easy on this day for the climb up the Grand Colombier on 14 July, the French bank holidays. The last stage arrival on the Grand Colombier in 2020 was a spectacle. Tadej Pogacar won back then.
Two more tough mountain stages follow at the end of the second week. On Saturday, the riders will tackle 152 kilometres with 4200 metres of climbing to Morzine before the next mountain finish of the Tour de France 2023 in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc le Bettex on Sunday. Via Forclaz, Croix Fry and Amerands, the final climb is 7.2 kilometres long with an average gradient of 7.7 per cent. Many riders will be tired after the efforts of the previous days and there could be larger gaps before the second rest day.
Individual time trial at the start of the third week
The third week kicks off with the only individual time trial, which runs over 22.4 kilometres from Passy to Combloux. It also includes a climb, the Cote de Domancy.
On the following day, the riders have to cover more than 5,000 metres in altitude between Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc and Courchevel. Saisies, Cormet de Roselend and Cote de Longefoy form the preliminary programme for the 28-kilometre climb to the Col de la Loze. A colossus that celebrated its premiere at the Tour de France in 2020. However, the arrival is not at the summit as it was back then, but the route continues downhill for 6.5 kilometres from the top to Courchevel.
Another interesting aspect of this stage is the view of the riding times at the Col de la Loze. As part of the cooperation with the Tour de France organisation, individual segments of the route can be viewed on Strava. Everyman can compare himself with professionals, like here with this segment at the Col de la Loze.
Grand finale in the Vosges
Stages 18 and 19 offer another opportunity to catch your breath before the grand finale in the Vosges. Stage 18 is almost flat and should be safe pickings for the sprinters, stage 19 is a little more demanding, but could also end with a sprint by a large group.
Stage 20, 133 kilometres between Belfort and Le Markstein Fellering, offers the final chance to overturn the overall classification. Five categorised climbs, such as the Ballon d'Alsace, are tackled on the ride through the Vosges. The final climb to the Col du Platzerwasel is 7.1 kilometres long with an average gradient of 8.4 per cent. From there, it is another 7.5 kilometres to the finish, which is mostly flat.
On Sunday, 23 July 2023, the Tour de France will then traditionally end on the Champs-Elysees. 115 kilometres of exhibition racing with the grand finale for the sprinters.
Tour de France 2023: All stages at a glance
Stage 15 - Sunday, 16 July: Morzine les Portes du Soleil - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc - 179 kilometres
Video of the 2023 Tour de France route
On the same day as the men's Tour de France, the route of the 2023 women's Tour de France was unveiled. From 23 to 30 July, the riders will have to cover 956 kilometres over eight stages from the start in Clermont-Ferrand to Pau. You can see all the elevation profiles here. You can find a detailed article on the route of the Tour de France Femmes here.
Click through: The elevation profiles of the Tour de France Femmes 2023
