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

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