2010 Tour de France route revealed
The 2010 Tour de France route has been unveiled today (Wednesday) at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.
The route is one of the hilliest in years and features just one individual time trial. Starting in Rotterdam the route takes the riders down through Belgium before crossing back over in to France and the famous Forest of Arenberg of Paris Roubaix fame.
The route celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Tour's first mountain stages by spending three days in the Pyrenean mountain range when the riders go over the Tourmalet twice. The most exciting stage looks like being stage 17 from Pau to the summit of the Tourmalet at 2114m.
TOUR DE FRANCE 2010
Saturday, July 3
Prologue: Rotterdam (Netherlands) 8km individual time trial
Sunday, July 4
Stage 1: Rotterdam - Brussels (Belgium) 224km flat
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Monday, July 5
Stage 2: Brussels - Spa 192km hilly
Tuesday, July 6
Stage 3: Wanze - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut 207km flat
Cobbles: seven sectors totalling 13.2km including Sars-et-Rosières, Tilloy, Haveluy
Wednesday, July 7
Stage 4: Cambrai - Reims 150km flat
Thursday, July 8
Stage 5: Epernay - Montargis 185km flat
Friday, July 9
Stage 6: Montargis - Gueugnon 225km flat
Saturday, July 10
Stage 7: Tournus - Station des Rousses 161km medium mountains
Sunday, July 11
Stage 8: Station des Rousses - Morzine 189km high mountains
Climbs: Col de la Ramaz, Morzine
Monday, July 12
Rest day
Tuesday, July 13
Stage 9: Morzine Avoriaz - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne 204km high mountains
Climbs: Col de la Colombière, Col des Aravis, Col des Saises, Col de la Madeleine
Wednesday, July 14
Stage 10: Chambéry - Gap 179km medium mountains
Thursday, July 15
Stage 11: Sisteron - Bourg-lès-Valence 180km flat
Friday, July 16
Stage 12: Bourg-les-Péage - Mende 210km hilly
Saturday, July 17
Stage 13: Rodez - Revel 195km flat
Sunday, July 18
Stage 14: Revel - Ax 3 Domaines 184km high mountains
Climbs: Port de Pailhères, Ax-3-Domaines
Monday, July 19
Stage 15: Pamiers - Bagnères-de-Luchon 187km high mountains
Climbs: Col de Portet d'Aspet, Col des Ares, Port de Balès
Tuesday, July 20
Stage 16: Bagnères-de-Luchon - Pau 196km high mountains
Climbs: Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, Col du Soulor, Col d'Aubisque
Wednesday, July 21
Rest day, Pau
Thursday, July 22
Stage 17: Pau - Col du Tourmalet 174km high mountains
Climbs: Col de Marie-Blanque, Col du Soulor, Col du Tourmalet
Friday, July 23
Stage 18: Salies-de-Béarn - Bordeaux 190km flat
Saturday, July 24
Stage 19: Bordeaux - Pauillac individual time trial 51km
Sunday, July 25
Stage 20: Longjumeau - Paris Champs Elyseès 105km flat
Tour director Christian Prudhomme unveils the route
Lance Armstrong, Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador at the presentation
RELATED LINKS
Tour de France to honour centenary of the Tourmalet
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