The 2020 edition of the Étape du Tour will closely mirror the route of the second stage of the Tour de France, with riders enjoying the coastal roads of the Grand Depart in Nice.
A 30th edition of the popular sportive will see riders traverse 177 kilometres, climbing 3,570 metres, circling the French Riviera city with a shared start and finish.
The event will take place on Sunday July 5, days after the pros use much the same route on June 28.
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Three key climbs will disrupt the profile: the Col de la Colmiane (1500m) and the Col de Turini (1607m), with the the Col d'Eze representing a final challenge as riders begin to tire at around 100 miles.
The ride will begin on Nice's Promenade des Anglais, with 50 kilometres of gradual false flat kicking off proceedings ahead of the Col de la Colmiane - the climb which proved a launchpad for Simon Yates en route to a Paris-Nice win in 2018.
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The climb will be followed by a 20km descent, ahead of the next challenge: the Col de Turini, where Egan Bernal enjoyed a summit finish win in the 2019 edition of the same race before going on to taste Tour success.
The Col d'Eze - often used in the ifnal stage of the Race to the Sun - crops up later, with views from the Moyenne Corniche a just reward, with the finish line just in site, below a long descent back town to Nice.
Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi said: “Year after year, Nice continues to flaunt its ambition to become a hotspot of world cycling. Its position between the mountains and the sea makes it an extraordinary place for all cycling fans.
“2020 will be a bumper crop for our city and our metropolitan area. After Paris–Nice and the Paris–Nice Challenge in March, as well as the Grand Départ and the first two stages of the Tour, we will have the great honour of hosting the Étape du Tour de France."
Yann le Moënner, general manager at Amaury Sport Organisation, said: "This all-new course between land and sea promises to be an exceptional one on several levels.
“The participants will tackle some of the most iconic climbs in cycling... just a few days after the pro peloton.
“The finish line awaits 177 km further down the road on a course that seems made to measure for cycling in a wonderful setting overlooking the stunning Baie des Anges.
“Nice is set to mark the 30th edition of the Étape du Tour de France with an unprecedented experience in a breathtaking landscape."
It's expected that around 16,000 riders will line up in Nice for the event. Pre-registration is open, with registration kicking off at 3pm (UK time) on October 21.
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Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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