The race will begin with a 13km particular person time trial in Copenhagen earlier than the second stage takes the peloton over the 18km Nice Belt bridge.
“It is windy 364 days a 12 months, right here,” Tour director Christian Prudhomme instructed reporters on Thursday.
Those that get previous the three-day opening block in Denmark and fourth stage by the Flanders hills should deal with the fifth stage by cobbled sectors between Lille and Arenberg.
That’s when gentle climbers are anticipated to endure on a day that may very well be marred by crashes and mechanical points because of the difficult terrain which often favours one-day race specialists.
“To undergo these levels and hope to win the Tour you have to to be a flexible rider and have a powerful group at your disposal,” stated Tour deputy director Thierry Gouvenou.
Tour favourite
Pogacar, who hammered his rivals within the mountains within the final version, has additionally proved he’s a powerful one-day traditional rider, having gained the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Giro di Lombardia Monument classics this 12 months and, given the character of the route, it’s exhausting to see past him for a Tour favorite.
“I had been ready for this second since this 12 months’s Tour completed,” Pogacar instructed reporters on the presentation ceremony on Thursday.
“I am wanting ahead to the race. It has the whole lot, it’ll be enjoyable. I do not know which one is the important thing stage. There are loads of levels the place you’ll be able to lose the Tour and levels the place you’ll be able to win it.”
The race will attain its highest level on the high of the lung-busting ascent to the Col du Galibier, 2,607 metres above sea stage, on the way in which to a summit end on the Col du Granon (2,413 metres) after a punishing 11.3km effort at a median gradient of 9.3%.
The twelfth stage begins from Briancon and ends atop the enduring Alpe d’Huez (13.8km at 8.1%), taking the identical route because the 1986 Tour when five-time winner Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond crossed the road hand-in-hand for a well-known one-two.
The Frenchman had stated he would assist his La Vie Claire group win the race a 12 months after benefiting from the American’s assist in the earlier version.
“Each ought to be on the Tour for this stage subsequent 12 months,” Prudhomme stated of the previous riders.
After two brutal levels within the Pyrenees, the race will probably be accomplished with a 40km particular person time trial in Southwestern France and the principally processional trip to the Champs Elysees in Paris.
