tour de france route in spain

Tour de France 2023 route: Every stage of the 110th edition in detail

This year's race has kicked off in Bilbao, in Spain's Basque Country. It looks like it'll be a Tour for the climbers, with the Puy de Dôme returning and 56,400 metres of climbing in all

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The 2023 men's Tour de France began in Bilbao, Spain on Saturday, July 1, with a route that looks set to be one for the climbers. It features four summit finishes, including a return for the iconic Puy de Dôme climb for the first time since 1988.

There is just one time trial across the three-week event, a short uphill race against the clock from Passy to Combloux over 22km. There are also returns for other epic climbs like the Col de la Loze and the Grand Colombier, with 56,400 metres of climbing on the Tour de France 2023 route.

The race started on foreign soil for the second year in a row, with a Grand Départ in the Spanish Basque Country , the setting for the race's 120th anniversary. There were two hilly stages in Spain, before the peloton crossed the border into France for a stage finish in Bayonne on day three. 

After visiting Pau for the 74th time on stage five, the race's first real mountain test came on stage six, leaving Tarbes and cresting the Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet before a summit finish in Cauterets. 

On stage seven, the Tour’s second most visited city, Bordeaux, will welcome its first stage finish since 2010, when Mark Cavendish claimed his 14th of a record 34 stage wins. Leaving nearby Libourne the next day, stage eight will head east on a 201km slog to Limoges. 

Before the first rest day, the riders will wind up to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, a dormant lava dome which hasn’t featured in the Tour for 35 years. They’ll then enjoy a well-earned day off in Clermont-Ferrand before continuing their passage through the Massif Central. 

France’s national holiday, 14 July, will be celebrated next year with a summit finish on the Grand Colombier, the site of Tadej Pogačar ’s second stage win back in 2020. From there, the mountains keep coming. The riders will climb over the Col de Joux Plaine to Morzine on stage 14, before another mountaintop test in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc the next day. 

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The sole individual time trial of the Tour de Franc route comes on stage 16, when a hilly 22km dash from Passy to Combloux will give the GC contenders a chance to force time gaps. The following day will bring the stage with the highest elevation gain, counting 5000m of climbing en route to the Courchevel altiport, via the Cormet de Roselend and the monstrous Col de la Loze. 

On stages 18 and 19, the sprinters are expected to come to the fore, with flat finishes in Bourg-en-Bresse and Poligny. 

The penultimate stage will play out in the country’s most easterly region, ascending the Petit Ballon, Col du Platzerwasel and finishing in Le Markstein, as the Tour de France Femmes did last year. 

The riders will then undertake a 500km transfer to the outskirts of Paris for the curtain-closing stage. The final day will start at France’s national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the track cycling venue for the 2024 Olympics, and will conclude with the customary laps of the capital’s Champs-Elysées. 

The 2023 Tour de France will begin on 1 July, with the winner crowned in Paris on 23 July. 

2023 Tour de France stage table

Jonas Vingegaard raced in the Basque Country this year

Tour de France route week summary

Tour de france week one.

The race began in Bilbao, starting in the Basque Country for the first time since 1992, when the Tour started in San Sebastian. The first two stages are packed full of climbs, with ten classified hills in over the opening couple of days, meaning there will be a fierce battle for the polka-dot jersey. Watch out for Basque fans going crazy on the roadside.

Stage three saw the race cross into France, which it will not leave for the rest of the 18 days. As expected we saw a sprint finish in Bayonne, even after four categorised climbs en-route. Nothing is easy this year.

The fourth day was another sprint, on a motor racing circuit in Nogaro, as the race moved, ominously, towards the Pyrenees. The Hors Categorie Col de Soudet on stage five was the first proper mountain of the race, and was followed by the Col de Marie Blanque, which has tough gradients. A GC day early on, although they are all GC days, really.

Stage five was a mountain top finish in Cauterets-Cambasque, but its gradients didn't catch too many out; it is the Col d'Aspin and Col du Tourmalet that will put people through it.

The seventh day of the race was a chance for the riders to relax their legs as the race headed northwest to an almost nailed-on sprint finish, before another opportunity for the the remaining fast men presented itself on stage eight - after two category four climbs towards the end, and an uphill finish.

The long first week of the race - which will have felt longer because last year had a bonus rest day - ended with the mythical Puy de Dôme.

Tour de France week two

Magnus Cort in the breakaway on stage 10 of the Tour de France 2022

The second week begins with a lumpy road stage around Clermont-Ferrand, starting from a volcano-themed theme park. This will surely be a day for the break. The next day could also be one if the sprint teams fail to get their act together, with two early categorised climbs potential ambush points.

Back into the medium mountains on stage 12, with a finish in the wine making heartland of the Beaujolais, Belleville. Another day for the break, probably, but none of the five categorised climbs are easy.

The following day, stage 13, is France's national holiday, 14 Juillet. The Grand Colombier at the end of the day is the big attraction, with its slopes expected to cause shifts on the GC. Stage 14 is yet another mountain stage as the Tour really gets serious, with the Col de la Ramaz followed by the Col de Joux Plane. The latter, 11.6km at 8.5%, will be a real test for a reduced peloton, before a downhill finish into Morzine.

The final day of week two, stage 15, is yet another day in the Alps before a rest day in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc. There is nothing as fearsome as the previous days, but 4527m of climbing should still be feared.

Tour de France week three

Tadej Pogačar in the final time trial at the 2022 Tour de France

The third and final week begins with the race's only time trial, 22km long and with a lot of uphill. It is not a mountain event, but it is certainly not one for the pure rouleurs .

Stage 17 looks like the race's Queen Stage, with the final climb up to the Col de la Loze looking incredibly tough on paper, and in real life. That follows the Col de Saisies, the Cormet de Roselend and the Côte de Longefoy, adding up to 5,100m of climbing. The race might be decided on this day.

After that, there is a nice day for the sprinters on stage 18, with a flat finish in Bourg-en-Bresse surely one for the fast men. The next day, stage 19 could be a breakaway day or a sprint finish, depending on how desperate teams are feeling, or how powerful the remaining leadout trains are.

The final mountainous day comes on the penultimate stage, with the men following the Femmes lead and finishing in Le Markstein. However, there's no Grand Ballon, just the Petit Ballon, and so unless something chaotic happens, there should not be great time switches on this stage.

Then, at last, there is the usual finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, after the race heads out of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, which has a long-term deal to host the start of Paris-Nice too. ASO country.

Remember, this will be the last time Paris hosts the Tour de France until 2025. So, be prepared.

Tour de France 2023: The stages

Stage one: Bilbao to Bilbao (182km)

The opening stage is very lumpy

There was no easing into the Tour de France for the peloton this year, with a tough, punchy day in the Basque Country. Adam Yates took the first yellow jersey of the 2023 Tour de France after a scintillating stage in the Basque Country that saw the overall battle for the Tour take shape at the earliest opportunity.

The Briton emerged clear over the top of the final climb of the stage, the short and steep Côte de Pike, with his twin brother Simon a few seconds behind him. The pair worked well together to stay clear of the chasing bunch of GC contenders before Adam rode his brother off his wheel inside the final few hundred metres to claim victory.

Stage two: Vitoria-Gasteiz to Saint Sebastian (208.9km)

Still in the Basque Country, there is a Klasikoa theme to stage two

This was the longest stage of the Tour, surprisingly.  Five more categorised climbs meant  it was unlikely to be a sprint stage, including the Jaizkibel, famous from the Clasica San Sebastian, tackled on its eastern side 20km from the finish. This second stage from Vitoria Gasteiz to San Sebastian on the Basque coast followed many of the roads of the San Sebastian Classic, held here every summer.

An early break was soon established in the first 50km and established a three-minute advantage. However, the break was reeled in and a group, including the yellow jersey Adam Yates, pressed towards the finish with Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) clearly hoping it would finish in a sprint. 

Victor Lafay (Cofidis) had other ideas however, and with all and sundry already having attacked Van Aert, Lafay finally made it stick with a kilometre to go, holding off the reduced bunch all the way to the line.

Stage three: Amorebiata-Etxano to Bayonne (187.4km)

Still some hills, but this should be a sprint stage

The third stage took the riders from Amorebieta-Etxano in the Basque Country and back into France, finishing at Bayonne in what was always tipped to be a bunch sprint.  Ultimately, despite a very strong showing in the leadout by Fabio Jakobsen's Soudal-Quick Step team, it was Jasper Philipsen who triumphed , having benefited from a deluxe leadout by team-mate Mathieu Van Der Poel.

Mark Cavendish, who is hunting for a record 35th stage win in what will be his final Tour de France, was sixth.

Stage four: Dax to Nogaro (181.8km)

A nailed on bunch sprint, surely. Surely!

Now this one was always going to be a sprint finish, right? It finished on a motor racing circuit in Nogaro, meaning teams have a long old time to sort their leadout trains.  After a sleepy day out all hell broke lose on the finishing circuit with a series of high speed crashes. Jasper Philipsen was one of the few sprinters to still have a lead-out man at his disposal and when that lead-out man is of the quality of Mathieu van der Poel he was always going to be very difficult to beat. So it proved with Australian Caleb Ewan chasing him down hard but unable to come around him.  Philipsen's win handed him the green jersey too .

Stage five: Pau to Laruns (162.7km)

The first proper mountain, and the first sorting out, as early as stage five

The first Hors Categorie climb of the race came on stage five, the Col de Soudet, which is 15.2km at 7.2%, before the Col de Marie-Blanque and its steep gradients. It certainly ignited the GC battle!  

A break that at one point contained 37 riders was never allowed more than a few minutes, but that proved unwise for Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar behind. Ultimately, with the break already splintering on the final big climb – the Col de Marie-Blanque – Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), riding his first Tour de France, attacked. 

With Hindley time trialling the largely downhill 18km to the finish, Vingegaard attempted to chase him down – and put time into Pogačar as he did so.

Picking up strays from the early break on the way, Vingegaard got to within 34 seconds of Hindley, but it wasn't enough to stop the Australian from taking the stage win, and the yellow jersey .

Stage six: Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque (144.9km)

While in the Pyrenees, why not tackle a few more mountains?

A day of aggressive racing in the Pyrenees towards the first summit finish saw Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) take the yellow jersey but Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) win the stage .

Having had his team set a blistering pace on the Col du Tourmalet, Vingegaard attacked with 4km until the summit. Only Pogačar could follow him as yellow jersey holder Jai Hindley dropped back to the peloton

Having joined up with super domestique Wout van Aert over the top, the group of favourites were towed up the first half of the final climb before Vingegaard attacked. Once again Pogačar followed and with two kilometers to go the Slovenian counter-attacked.

He clawed back nearly half a minute by the line, making the race for yellow a three horse race between those two and Hindley in the process. 

Stage seven: Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux (169.9km)

Bordeaux is always a sprint finish

Renowned as a sprint finish town, Bordeaux didn't disappoint the hopeful fastmen –except perhaps for Mark Cavendish, who had to concede victory to hat-trick man Jasper Philipsen, despite a very strong charge for the line from the Manxman .

With Cavendish hunting that elusive 35th record stage win, and having won here last time the Tour came visiting in 2010, many eyes were on the Astana Qazaqstan rider, with on-form Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who has won twice already, starting as favourite.

The day began with Arkéa-Samsic's Simon Gugliemi forging what turned out to be a solo break that lasted 130 kilometres. He was joined by Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) and Nans Peters (Ag2r-Citroën) halfway through the stage, the trio forming a purposeful triumvirate of home riders.

However, with the sprinters and their teams on the hunt and few places to hide on what was a hot day crammed with long, straight roads, the break served only as a placeholder for the day's main action in Bordeaux.

A technical finish with roundabouts aplenty, first Jumbo-Visma (in the service of GC leader Jonas Vingegaard) and then Alpecin-Deceuninck took the race by the scruff of the neck in the final. Philipsen enjoyed a marquee leadout from team-mate Mathieu Van Der Poel, but when Cavendish turned on the afterburners at around 150m and leapt forward, the whole cycling world held its breath.

That 35th stage win had to wait for another day though, with Philipsen sweeping past in what was yet another command performance from the Belgian.

Stage eight: Libourne to Limoges (200.7km)

Three categorised climbs in the final 70km could catch people out

Mads Pedersen powered to victory up a punchy finish on stage eight of the  Tour de France , managing to hold off green jersey  Jasper Philipsen  in the process.

Pedersen, the Lidl-Trek rider, now has two Tour stage wins to his name, in a finish which mixed pure sprinters and punchier riders. Alpecin-Deceuninck's Philipsen was third, with Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in third. To prove how mixed the top ten was, however, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) finished behind the likes of Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis).

On a day which could have been one for the breakaway, the race was controlled expertly by Jumbo, Trek and Alpecin for their options, and so the escapees were never allowed much time. Sadly, stage eight turned out to Mark Cavendish's last - the Astana-Qazaqstan rider crashed heavily and was forced to abandon .

Stage nine: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dôme (184km)

The Puy de Dôme is back, and is vicious

In a north American showdown it was Canada that came out on top as  Michael Woods  beat American rival  Matteo Jorgenson  to the win atop the legendary Puy de Dôme.

Jorgenson had gone solo form a breakaway with 40km left to race. However, on the slopes of the Puy de Dôme where the gradient remains over 105 for more than four kilometres, Woods closed the gap and came around Jorgenson with just 600m left to go.

In the final kilometre, of what had been a blisteringly hot day with temperatures north of 30 degree Celsius, Tadej Pogačar managed to drop Jonas Vingegaard but the Jumbo-Visma captain dug deep to minimise his losses and came across the line eight seconds down.

Stage 10: Vulcania to Issoire (162.7km)

Five categorised climbs over this Volcanic stage

The breakaway had its day in Issoire, as Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) won beneath the scorching sun in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. 

After a frantic start, the mood finally settled and a 14-rider move went clear. Krists Neilands (Israel Premier Tech) launched a solo bid with around 30km remaining, but was caught in the closing moments by a chasing group led by Bilbao. The Spaniard then policed attacks in the finale, before sprinting to his team's first victory at this year's race. 

"For Gino," Bilbao said afterwards, dedicating his win to his late teammate, Gino Mäder .  

Stage 11: Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins (179.8km)

The flat finalé hints at a sprint, but it could be a break day

After a difficult previous day that was hot and hilly, the bunch allowed the break to go very quickly, with Andrey Amador, Matis Louvel and Daniel Oss quickly gaining three minutes. They were kept on a tight leash though, with the sprinters' teams eyeing a bunch finish. And this they delivered, with Jasper Philipsen winning a fourth stage after a tricky finale.

Stage 12: Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais (168.8km)

Hills return, with some steep, punchy ones towards the end

Just like stage ten, Thursday's stage 12 was a fast and frenetic affair on the road to Belleville-en-Beaujolais. A strong group of puncheur type riders eventually got up the road after the breakaway took more than 80 kilometres to form. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) came out on top at the finish, soloing to the line after a big attack on the final climb of the day. 

Stage 13: Châtillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier (138km)

Welcome to the Alps, here's an hors categorie climb

Michał Kwiatkowski took an impressive solo victory on the summit finish of the Grand Colombier. The Polish rider caught and passed the remnants of the day's breakaway which included Great Britain's James Shaw to grab his second-ever Tour stage win. Behind the Ineos rider, Tadej Pogačar attacked and took eight seconds back on Jonas Vingegaard in the fight for the yellow jersey. 

Stage 14: Annemasse to Morzine Les Portes du Soleil (151.8km)

Five categorised climbs, four of which are one and above. Ouch.

Carlos Rodríguez announced himself on his Tour de France debut on stage 14 with a career-defining victory in Morzine. While all eyes were on Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar, the Spaniard broke free on the descent of the Col de Joux Plane and descended as if on rails to the finish. 

Stage 15: Les Gets Les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc (179km)

Back to a summit finish, there is no escape at this Tour

The breakaway had its day at the summit of Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. After dedicating his career to domestique duties, the victory went to Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious), who launched a late attack on the steepest slopes and held off Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) to the line.

Stage 16: Passy to Combloux ITT (22.4km)

A time trial! But not a flat one

Stage 16 brought the fewest time trial kilometres at the Tour de France in 90 years. On the uphill test to Combloux, Jonas Vingegaard proved the strongest , and by quite a way, too. The Dane's winning margin of 1-38 over Tadej Pogačar left him in the driving seat to taking his second Tour title.

Stage 17: Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc to Courchevel (165.7km)

Back to  the proper mountains, and there will be no let up on the final Wednesday

The Queen stage brought a career-defining victory for Austrian Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën), but all eyes were on the GC battle, and the demise of Tadej Pogačar. The UAE Team Emirates rider cracked on the slopes of the Col de la Loze, losing almost six minutes to Jonas Vingegaard, and slipping to 7-35 in the overall standings.

Stage 18: Moûtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse (184.9km)

Two category four climbs on the road to a chicken-themed sprint

Denmark's Kasper Asgreen put in one of the best performances of the race to grab his first-ever Tour victory . The Soudal Quick-Step rider was part of a four man breakaway that managed to hold on all the way to the line by just a handful of seconds ahead of the peloton.

Stage 19: Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny (172.8km)

Another sprint, maybe, or a heartbreaking chase which fails to bring the breakaway back

Matej Mohorič of Bahrain Victorious took an emotional victory in Poligny after a chaotic day of racing. The Slovenian rider launched an attack with Kasper Asgreen and Ben O'Connor on the final climb of the hilly stage before beating his breakaway compatriots in a three-up sprint for the line. It was Mohorič's third-ever Tour victory.

Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein Fellering (133.5km)

One last chance. Six categorised climbs, will it shake up the GC?

The race might be very near Germany at this point, but Belfort remained French after the Franco-Prussian War, unlike the territory the penultimate stage travels into. 

This is the last chance saloon for all teams and riders who aren’t sprinters, especially those with GC ambitions. However, it is not quite the task of the previous Alpine days, with the six categorised climbs not the most testing. Still, there will be a lot of people trying to make things happen.

Stage 21: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris (115.1km)

The classic Parisian sprint. Lovely.

This will be the last time the Tour heads to Paris until at least 2025, so make the most of those shots of the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. The classic procession will happen for the first 55km until the race hits the Champs for the first time 60km in. From that point on, anything goes, although that anything will probably be a bunch sprint.

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Adam is Cycling Weekly ’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.

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Tour de France 2023 stage-by-stage guide: Route maps and profiles for all 21 days

A closer look at every day of the race from bilbao to paris, article bookmarked.

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The 2023 Tour de France has all the ingredients of a classic: two leading protagonists ready to tear lumps out of each other in reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard and the deposed Tadej Pogacar; entertaining multi-talented stage hunters Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe and Tom Pidcock; the great Mark Cavendish chasing a historic 35th stage win; all facing a brutal route with 56,000m of climbing and four summit finish.

The Tour began in the Spanish Basque country on Saturday 1 July, where Adam Yates edged twin brother Simon to win the opening stage, and these hilly routes will throw open the yellow jersey to a wide range of contenders. The race crosses the French border for some flat stages and an early jaunt into the high Pyrenees, where the Col du Tourmalet awaits. The peloton takes on the Puy de Dome volcano on its journey across France towards the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and it is in the mountains that this Tour will ultimately be decided. It all ends on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday 23 July.

Here is a stage-by-stage guide to how the race will unfold.

Stage 1: Bilbao to Bilbao, 182km

The 2023 Tour de France starts outside Bilbao’s iconic Guggenheim Museum, and winds north to the Bay of Biscay coastline before returning to the city where the stage winner will take the yellow jersey. This 182km opening stage is a hilly route with 3,000m of climbing featuring five categorised ascents, of which the final two are sharp and testing: they are tough enough to shake off the dedicated sprinters and open up early glory for the best puncheurs – those riders with the legs to get over short climbs and the power to surge away on the other side.

The profile of this stage is a great choice by organisers as it could suit just about anyone, from the speed of Wout van Aert to the climbing strength Tom Pidcock or Simon Yates – even two-time champion Tadej Pogacar.

• Jumbo’s Death Star and Pidcock’s dog: Inside the Tour de France’s Grand Depart

Stage 2: Vitoria Gastiez to Saint Sebastian, 209km

The peloton will head east from Bilbao, touching more picturesque Basque coastline before arriving at the finish in San Sebastian. At more than 200km this is the longest stage of the 2023 Tour and, with the sizeable Jaizkibel climb (8.1km, 5.3% average gradient) shortly before the finish, this is even more tough on the legs than the first day. Another puncheur with the climbing strength to get over the steeper hills can capitalise, like two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe.

• ‘ Coup du kilometre’: How to win a Tour de France stage hiding in plain sight

Stage 3: Amorebieta to Bayonne, 187km

Stage three starts in Spain and ends in France, and the finale in Bayonne is ripe for a bunch sprint. Mark Cavendish will get his first shot of this race at trying to win a historic 35th Tour de France stage, but he will be up against a stacked field including former QuickStep teammate Fabio Jakobsen and the awesome speed of Wout van Aert. It will be fascinating to get a first glimpse of how the power riders stack up.

• ‘Jasper the Disaster’ rebuts Netflix nickname with controversial win

Stage 4: Dax to Nogaro, 182km

Another flat day and an even faster finish in store on the Circuit Paul Armagnac, a race track in Nogaro. The 800m home straight will almost certainly tee up a showdown between the Tour’s serious fast men.

• Cavendish falls short as Philipsen wins crash-laden sprint

Stage 5: Pau to Laruns, 163km

The first major mountains of the Tour come a little earlier than usual, as the peloton heads up into the high Pyrenees on day five. The Col de Soudet (15km, 7.2%) is one of the toughest climbs of the race and rears up halfway through this 163km route from Pau to Laruns. The category one Col de Marie Blanque (7.7km, 8.6%) guards the finish 20km out, and holds bonus seconds for those first over the top to incentivise the major contenders to come to the fore and fight it out.

• Hindley grabs the yellow jersey as Vingegaard punishes Pogacar

Stage 6: Tarbes to Cauterets, 145km

This has the potential to be a thrilling day: the 145km route takes on the double trouble of the category one Col d’Aspin (12km, 6.5%) followed by the monstrous hors categorie Tourmalet (17.1km, 7.3%), before a fast ascent and a final climb to the summit finish at Cauterets (16km, 5.4%).

It is a day with several possible outcomes. The general classification contenders could fight it out in a showdown to the summit. Then again, a breakaway could be allowed to escape which would open up victory – and perhaps the yellow jersey – to an outsider. The last time the Tour finished in Cauterets in 2015, breakaway specialist Rafal Majka surged clear of his fellow escapers to win. Keep an eye on Ineos’s Tom Pidcock, who could use the long, fast descent from the Tourmalet summit to speed to the front, as he did before winning atop Alpe d’Huez last year.

• Pogacar responds to send message to Vingegaard

Stage 7: Mont de Marsan to Bordeaux, 170km

The first week of racing finishes in the Tour’s second most visited city, Bordeaux, and it’s a third flat day for the sprinters to contest. Much will depend on who has best preserved their legs through the high mountains when they come to this tight, technical finish on the banks of the Garonne river in the city centre.

• Philipsen pips Cavendish in thrilling finish to deny Brit all-time record

Stage 8: Libourne to Limoges, 201km

A long, hilly day will see the peloton head 201km east from Libourne outside Bordeaux to Limoges. The lumpy stage should suit a puncheur but it is not a particularly taxing set of climbs – only three are categorised and the toughest of those is just 2.8km at 5.2%. So could a determined team carry their sprinter to the finish and the stage win? Look out for Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, superstars with the all-round talent to conquer the climbs and still finish fast.

• Cavendish crashes out to end Tour de France record hopes

Stage 9: Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dome, 184km

The final stage before the relief of the first rest day is relatively flat and gentle – until a brutal finish atop the iconic Puy de Dome volcano, a 13.3km drag at a gruelling 7.7% average gradient that last appeared in the Tour in 1988. The summit finish will require a serious climber’s legs to clinch the stage win, and the general classification contenders may well let a breakaway get ahead and fight for that prize.

• Woods takes win as Pogacar hits back at Vingegaard

Rest day: Clermont-Ferrand, Monday 10 July.

Stage 10: Parc Vulcania to Issoire, 167km

The race resumes in the centre of France from Vulcania – a volcano-themed amusement park – where riders will embark on a hilly 167km route through the Volcans d’Auvergne regional park, finishing down in the small town of Issiore. With five categorised climbs, including the sizeable Col de Guery (7.8km at 5%) and the Croix Saint-Robert (6km at 6.3%), it will be a draining ride with virtually no sustained flat sections, and a long descent to the finish town. It looks like a good day to plot something in the breakaway, as the big GC contenders save their legs for bigger challenges to come.

• Bilbao dedicates emotional stage win to late Gino Mader

Stage 11: Clermont Ferrand to Moulins, 180km

The final flat stage before the hard Alpine climbs will present an opportunity for those fast men who managed to haul themselves through the Pyrenees to get here – although there is still some climbing to be done including three category-four leg-sappers along the 180km route. The day begins in the university city of Clermont-Ferrand before the riders wind north and then east to Moulins, a small town on the Allier river. Any breakaway is likely to be reeled by those teams with dedicated sprinters eyeing their only opportunity for a stage win between the two rest days.

• Philipsen continues flat-stage dominance even without van der Poel

Stage 12: Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, 169km

The race caravan will shift east to start stage 12 in Roanne in the Loire region, before taking a 169km route to Belleville, situated on the Saone river north of Lyon. This has been categorised as a hilly or medium mountain stage, but it might feel harder than that by the time the peloton reaches the foot of the fifth categorised climb of the day, the Col de la Croix Rosier (5.3km at 7.6%). That should be enough to put off the best puncheurs like Van der Poel and Van Aert, because the stage winner will need strong climbing legs. The GC riders will want to conserve energy, so expect a breakaway to stay clear and fight amongst themselves.

• Izagirre solos to victory

Stage 13: Chatillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier, 138km

The first of three brutal stages that could decide the destiny of this year’s yellow jersey is only relatively short – 138km – but will provide a stern enough test to reveal any weaknesses in the major contenders. The peloton will enjoy a relatively flat and gentle first 75km from Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne before entering the Jura Mountains. A short climb and fast descent precedes the big climax: all 17.4km (7.1%) of the Grand Colombier providing an epic summit finish. This could be another day for a breakaway away to get free, but the overall contenders like Pogacar and Vingegaard will also fancy stage glory and the chance to stamp their authority on the race.

• Kwiatkowski wins as Pogacar eats into Vingegaard’s lead

Stage 14: Annemasse to Morzine, 152km

Part two of this triple header of mountain stages sees the peloton ride into the Alps with a 152km route from Annemasse to Morzine ski resort. Three tough category one climbs line the road to the hors categorie Col de Joux Plane (11.6km at 8.5%), a brutally steep grind where bonuses await the first few over the top – and stage victory is the prize at the bottom. This is another potential spot for yellow jersey fireworks.

• Rodriguez wins first Tour stage as Pogacar thwarted by motorbike

Stage 15: Les Gets to Saint Gervais, 180km

The last ride before the final rest day will take the peloton further east into the Alps, towards the French border with Italy. The 179km route is almost constantly up and down, with a fast descent before the final two climbs, and the summit finish atop Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc will require strong climbing legs once more.

• Pogacar and Vingegaard in stalemate as Poels wins stage

Rest day: Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, Monday 17 July.

Stage 16: Individual time trial from Passy to Combloux, 22km

This year’s home stretch begins with the only time trial of the race: a short, relatively flat 22km from Passy to Combloux in the shadow of Mont Blanc. The route includes one categorised climb, the steep but short Cote de Domancy (2.5km at 9.4%). There is an opportunity here to make up crucial seconds for those that need them.

• Vingegaard takes control of yellow jersey

Stage 17: Saint Gervais to Courchevel, 166km

Put Wednesday 19 July in the diary: this will surely be the most brutal day of the entire Tour de France and it could be decisive. The 166km route features four big climbs, the last of which offers up this year’s Souvenir Henri Desgrange for the first rider over the highest point of the race. To get there the riders must endure a 28.1km slog averaging 6% gradient to the top of the Col de la Loze, towering in the clouds 2,304m above sea level. There are bonus seconds up here too, before a short descent down to the finish at Courchevel.

A breakaway will probably form, but can they last the distance? Whatever happens up the road, the fight for the yellow jersey will be fierce – only the strongest handful of riders will be able to stand the pace and this will likely be the day that the 2023 winner is effectively crowned.

• Vingegaard dominates to put seal on Tour de France

Stage 18: Moutiers to Bourg en Bresse, 186km

After a potentially explosive stage 17, stage 18 is classified as “hilly” but is really a relatively sedate 185km which the sprinters are likely to contest if their teams can haul in the inevitable breakaway. The big question is whether there will be many sprinters left in the peloton after such a demanding set of stages in the Alps. For those fast men still in the race, the descent into Bourg-en-Bresse precedes a technical finish, with roundabouts and a sharp corner before a swinging right-hand turn on to the home straight where the stage will be won and lost.

• Breakaway stays away as Asgreen takes win

Stage 19: Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny, 173km

Another flat day gives a further opportunity for those sprinters left in the field, as the peloton travels 173km from Moirans, near Grenoble, north to Poligny. The general classification contenders will be happy to rest their legs before one final push to Paris.

• Matej Mohoric takes photo finish to win stage 19

Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein, 133km

The final competitive stage of the Tour is a 133km ride from Belfort to Le Markstein ski resort in the Vosges mountains, and it offers just enough for one final attack to steal the yellow jersey, should the overall win still be on the line. The last two climbs of the day are both steep category one ascents: first the Petit Ballon (9.3km, 8.1%) followed by the Col du Platzerwasel (7.1km at 8.4%). Whoever is wearing yellow just needs to hang on to the wheel of their fiercest rival here, and that should be enough to see them home.

• Chapeau, Thibaut Pinot

Stage 21: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs-Elysees, 115km

As is tradition, the peloton will transfer to Paris and ride a truce to the Champs-Elysees. The stage will start at France’s national velodrome, home of cycling for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It will finish with one final sprint: Cavendish has won four times in Paris and it would be a fitting way to end the race that has defined his career if he were to repeat the feat one last time. And once the race is done, the winner of the 2023 Tour de France will be crowned.

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Everything you need to know about cycling in France your independent guide

Tour de France 2023 route: Stage-by-stage guide

The 2023 tour de france will take place july 1 to july 23. it will be the  110th edition of great race. the grand depart will take place in the basque country. .

• 2023 Tour de France Femmes routes
• Finding accommodation for the Tour de France
• Finding bike hire for the Tour de France
• Tour de France road closure information
• Advice for watching the TDF in person
• Advice for watching the TDF in Paris
• Beginner's guide to the Tour de France
• Riding Etape du Tour
• 2023 Tour de France program and race guide

The 2023 Tour de France Grand Depart  will be a big one as it takes place in cycling heartland, the Basque Country on the Spanish side of the border. This is an area with a rich cycling tradition and super passionate supporters. 

The race kicks off on July 1 and finishes on July 23. As is tradition, the Tour de France will  finish in Paris. 

Specific info on each stage and more detailed maps are also usually published online each May and in the official race program . We'll post links to it when it's released.

We have this page for Tour de France road closure information , which we also update as information comes to hand (usually not from around May onwards).

See here for accommodation near the route (it will be progressively updated throughout 2023).

Where to find more useful information: Official 2023 Tour de France Race Guide

2023 tour de france grand depart map.

Note that all maps and stage profiles are also available  from the official website . Stage timings are also provided there.

Stage 1: Saturday, July 1  – Bilbao to Bilbao, 182km 

For the first time in a few years, the Tour de France starts with a full stage, rather than a time trial – and it isn't an easy introduction to the Tour.

Bilbao is the host for this 185km loop ride that takes in a good 3300m of climbing. There are five  climbs with points up for grabs straight away in the polka dot contest. The climbs on the route are the  Côte de Pike – just 10km from the finish – plus the   Côte de Laukiz , the  Côte de San Juan de Gaztelugatxe , the  Côte de Morga  and the  Côte de Vivero .

Stage 2: Sunday, July 2 – Vitoria-Gasteiz to San Sebastian, 209km

The opening stages are a whistle-stop tour of the jewels of the Basque region. From Bilbao on day one we go to the popular seaside resort of San Sebastian.  The day may end on the coast but it's not a flat ride: there are  5 climbs on stage 2.

Stage 3: Monday, July 3 – Amorebieta-Etxano to Bayonne, 185km 

We know the stage starts in Amorebienta-Etxano and heads back across the border into France .   

Stage 4: Tuesday , July 4 -  Dax to Nogaro Circuit, 182km

Potentially another day for the sprinters as they go head-to-head on the Nogaro circuit.

Stage 5: Wednesday, July 5 - Pau to Laruns, 165km

It wouldn't be the Tour de France without Pau on the map – today is also the first mountain stage.

Stage 6: Thursday, July 6 - Tarbes to Cauterets, 145km

Say hello to the Aspin and Tourmalet, part of 3750 metres of climbing.

Stage 7: Friday, July 7 - Mont de Marsan to Bordeaux, 170km

The Tour visits Bordeaux for the 82nd time – until recent times, it was one of the regular Tour towns. This is the first visit in more than 10 years, though. It'll be a sprint finish along the riverfront, ending at  Place des Quinconces.

Stage 8: Saturday, July 8 - Libourne to Limoges, 201km

The sprinters capable of powering up a short but difficult climb could take the win.

Stage 9: Sunday, July 9 -  Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dôme, 184km

An icon returns.

Rest day - Monday, July 10 - Clermont-Ferrand

The area around Clermont-Ferrand also features prominently in the Tour de France Femmes 2023 .

Stage 10: Tuesday, July 11 - Parc Vulcania to Issoire, 167km

One for the breakaway.

Stage 11: Wednesday, July 12 - Clermont Ferrand to Moulins, 180km

A day for the sprinters.  

Stage 12: Thursday, July 13 - Roanne to  Belleville-en-Beaujolais 169km

The formation of the breakaway will be one of the critical moments on this hilly stage.

Stage 13: Friday, July 14 - C hâtillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier,  138km

Stage 14: Saturday, July 15 -  Annemasse to Morzine, 152km

4200 metres of climbing, including the Col de la Ramaz and Joux Plane . This is also the 2023 L'Etape du Tour stage . That's on July 9.

Stage 15: Sunday, July 16 - Les Gets to Saint Gervais, 180km

More mountains!

Rest day: Monday, July 17 - Saint Gervais Mont Blanc

Stage 16: tuesday, july 18 - passy to combloux, 22km.

A quick little individual time trial.

Stage 17: Wednesday, July 19 - Saint Gervais to Courchevel, 166km

More than 5000 metres of vertical gain, the infamous Col de la Loze before reaching Courchevel's altiport.

Stage 18: Thursday, July 20 - Moutiers to Bourg en Bresse, 186km

After 5 very hard stages, the sprinters will find a route that should facilitate their return front and centre .

Stage 19: Friday, July 22 - M oirans-en-Montagne to Poligny, 173km

A 8km long final straight, the dream for the sprinters' teams .

Stage 20: Saturday, July 22 - Belfort to L e Markstein, 133km

A final chance in the mountains with a route for the leaders . This stage has the last 2 climbs in the Tour.

Stage 21: Sunday, July 23 - Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs-Elysées, 115km   

As is tradition, we finish on the  Champs-Elysées . 

Time bonuses and points

In 2023, time bonuses will be awarded at the finish of each stage – 10, 6 and 4 seconds for the first three riders across the line.

Bonus points will also be awarded on strategic mountain passes and summits. The first three riders across these will pick up bonuses of 8, 5 and 2 seconds. The mountain-top bonus points won't count towards the points classification.

Bike hire for watching the Tour de France

A reminder that if you need bike hire during the Tour de France you should book early. It ALWAYS sells out and it can be very hard to find quality carbon road bikes closer to the time.  More info here .

2023 Tour de France Race Guide

Get the official 2023 Tour de France Race Guide: This collates all stage maps and race times into one booklet.

See here for bike-friendly accommodation  

Related articles

• Tour de France 2022 route: Stage-by-stage guide
• Tour de France 2024 route: Stage-by-stage guide
• Tour de France 2021 route: Stage-by-stage guide

2024 Tour de France program and race guide

• Tour de France 2020 route: Stage-by-stage guide
• 2019 Tour de France Official Race Guide
• Tour de France Femmes 2023 Stage-by-stage guide

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AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW! The official Tour de France 2024 race program and guide includes all the route maps for each stage, plus stage start and end times, and team and rider profiles.

Posted: 23 Apr 2024

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Tour de France 2023: Route and stages

Read about the entire route of the 2023 Tour de France.

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Tour de France 2023 stages

Tour de france 2023: route, profiles, more.

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More about the Tour de France

Tour de france 2023: the route, tour de france 2023 route stage 1: bilbao - bilbao.

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Stage 1 | 06/29 Florence > Rimini

Stage 2 | 06/30 cesenatico > bologne, stage 3 | 07/01 plaisance > turin, stage 4 | 07/02 pinerolo > valloire, stage 5 | 07/03 saint-jean-de-maurienne > saint-vulbas, stage 6 | 07/04 mâcon > dijon, stage 7 | 07/05 nuits-saint-georges > gevrey-chambertin, stage 8 | 07/06 semur-en-auxois > colombey-les-deux-églises, stage 9 | 07/07 troyes > troyes, rest | 07/08 orléans, stage 10 | 07/09 orléans > saint-amand-montrond, stage 11 | 07/10 évaux-les-bains > le lioran, stage 12 | 07/11 aurillac > villeneuve-sur-lot, stage 13 | 07/12 agen > pau, stage 14 | 07/13 pau > saint-lary-soulan pla d'adet, stage 15 | 07/14 loudenvielle > plateau de beille, rest | 07/15 gruissan, stage 16 | 07/16 gruissan > nimes, stage 17 | 07/17 saint-paul-trois-châteaux > superdévoluy, stage 18 | 07/18 gap > barcelonnette, stage 19 | 07/19 embrun > isola 2000, stage 20 | 07/20 nice > col de la couillole, stage 21 | 07/21 monaco > nice, tour culture, grand départ florence émilie-romagne 2024, grand départ lille-nord de france 2025, 2024 tour de france finale in nice, riding into the future, all the news, official tour operators, history of tour de france, accessories.

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How long is the Tour de France?

The 2023 Tour de France will cover 3,405 kilometres. We take a look at the historic distances of the Tour de France

The Tour de France has long been considered the crowning glory of the cycling calendar. Taking place over three weeks in July, the race features 21 stages, varying in length and style from day to day.

Typically with two rest days, the Tour de France usually lasts a total of 23 days, typically taking in around 3,500km in distance. 

In the 2023 race takes place from 1st July to 23rd July and clocks in at 3,405 kilometres starting from Bilbao, Spain with two punchy stages in the Basque Country that will most likely not end in a bunch sprint.

After eight flat stages, four hilly stages and eight days in the high mountains including four summit finales and a single time trial, the race will finish as is traditional, in Paris on the Champs-Élysées.

Three Grand Tours

The Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España make up the 'Grand Slam' of professional road racing. In terms of prestige and history, the Tour de France is top of the pile when it comes to Grand Tours, and as a result, it’s the most renowned. Is that reflected in the distance it covers, though?

Not this year. The Giro d’Italia takes the prize for the longest Grand Tour of 2023, at 3,448 kilometres, with La Vuelta a España the shortest at 3,153.8 kilometres. 

How hard is the Tour de France? Tour de France 2023: Everything you need to know Tour de France 2023 – Analysing the contenders

In recent years, though, the Giro and the Tour have been uncannily similar, in terms of their overall distances. The average overall distance from 2000-2020 was 3,490 kilometres over the three weeks for the Giro d’Italia and 3,491 kilometres for the Tour de France. 

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La Vuelta remains consistently the shortest in overall distance for a Grand Tour, with its average distance over the same period a mere 3,195 kilometres, just under 300km shorter than either of its counterparts.

Longest Race in History

Historically speaking, you might assume that the Tour de France has become harder over the years, to compensate for the peloton’s access to rapidly-improving resources including diet and nutrition, performance apparel, and of course the equipment. 

This isn’t strictly the case. Overall, distances have come down over the years  although the number of stages has increased. 

The first three editions of the Tour were relatively short, all at under 3000km. In fact, the shortest ever editions of the Tour de France were the first two, in 1903 and 1904, both the same length at 2,428 km. It’s worth noting though, that this distance was divided into just six stages. 

From then on, overall distance increased dramatically. Between 1911 and 1929, riders covered over 5000km each year. The longest edition of the Tour de France took place in 1926 and clocked in at an eye-watering 5,745 km (almost the distance from Paris to New York).

This remained the case for some time, total kilometres regularly exceeding 4000km all the way through to the 1980s.

The Giro and the Vuelta tell similar stories of extremes. The longest Giro d’Italia was  the 1954 edition at 4,337km, and the longest Vuelta was 4,407km. Ultimately, though, neither come close to the Tour de France’s mammoth distances of old.

This also applies to the length of individual stages. While the longest stage of this year’s Tour will be a 220km slog from Binche to Longwy, it pales in comparison to what riders of the past had to contend with. 

The longest-ever stage of the Tour was the fifth stage of the 1919 edition; it was a whopping 482 kilometres long, over twice the distance that the riders will cover in this year’s longest stage. Once again, the Tour de France proves itself the ultimate Grand Tour, as the longest stages the Giro and the Vuelta can boast are 430km and 310km ,respectively.

How far is the 2023 Tour de France route?

These days, what the Tour lacks in overall distance compared with years gone by, it more than makes up for in varied days and challenging terrain. After the shortest edition of the Tour de France in 20 years last year, this year's route covers 3,405 kilometres.

However, the challenges that face the nearly 200 riders expected to compete across the span of a 23-day Grand Tour do not begin and end with sheer distance. There is the small matter of elevation gain – a very different proposition measured in metres – which will test the riders’ legs as they claw their way up France's most iconic climbs.

The race typically ascends a total 48,000 metres, the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest five and a half times.

Tour de France distances covered from 2013 to 2022 

• Tour de France 2023: 3,405 kilometres (2116 miles)
• Tour de France 2022: 3,328 kilometres (2,068 miles)
• Tour de France 2021: 3,414 kilometres (2,122 miles)
• Tour de France 2020: 3,484 kilometres (2,165 mile)s
• Tour de France 2019: 3,366 kilometres (2,091 miles)
• Tour de France 2018: 3,351 kilometres (2,082 miles)
• Tour de France 2017: 3,540 kilometres (2,200 miles)
• Tour de France 2016: 3,529 kilometres (2,193 miles)
• Tour de France 2015: 3,360 kilometres (2,088 miles)
• Tour de France 2014: 3,661 kilometres (2,275 miles)
• Tour de France 2013: 3,404 kilometres (2,115 miles)
• Tour de France 2012: 3,497 kilometres (2,173 miles)

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Katy is a freelance writer and journalist. She has published interviews, features, and previews in Cycling News, Rouleur, Cyclist Magazine and the British Continental. She also writes opinion pieces on her own website writebikerepeat.com and is a frequent contributor to the Quicklink podcast. 

She is obsessed with the narrative element of bike racing, from the bigger picture to the individual stories. She is a cyclocross nut who is 5% Belgian and wonders if this entitles her to citizenship. Her favourite races are Ronde van Vlaanderen and La Vuelta.

In her spare time Katy is a published short fiction and non-fiction author.

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La Vuelta Femenina 2024: Route, How to Watch, and Favorites

Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma, and Gaia Realini will battle for the red jersey on the challenging eight-stage tour across Spain.

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As of this Sunday, April 29, we’re officially in Grand Tour season, as the eight-stage Vuelta Femenina kicks off with a 16-kilometer team time trial in Valencia, Spain.

Last year’s race covered just over 740 kilometers over the course of its seven stages. It was won by Movistar’s Annemiek van Vleuten , who, with the win, became the first woman to win all three of the major women’s stage races (the Vuelta, along with the Tour de France Femmes, and the Giro Donne). She beat SD Worx’s Demi Vollering but just nine seconds. Trek-Segafredo’s Gaia Realini rounded out the podium in third.

But van Vleuten retired after last season, meaning there’s no chance for a repeat winner. And given the variety of winners we’ve seen in the women’s peloton this spring, this race is truly up for grabs.

This year’s race adds a stage, making it eight in total. All of them stick exclusively to Spain’s northwest and northcentral regions.

It kicks off with what should be a blistering team time trial over 16 lake-flat kilometers. From there, the second stage will take riders from Buñol to Moncofa over 118 hilly kilometers, including just one Category 3 climb. As that climb comes 40 kilometers from the finish, expect a bunch sprint.

The third stage is a 131-kilometer medium mountain stage that will take riders from Lucena to Teruel and feature another Category 3 ascent. Stage four covers 142 kilometers from Molina de Aragón to Zaragoza and is mostly downhill from start to finish.

The 113 kilometers of stage 5 are where the peloton first gets into proper mountains, with a pair of category 2 climbs—one of which provides the day’s summit finish—on the menu. Stage 6 is the opposite of stage 4, taking riders on a daylong gradual uphill from Tarazona to Laguna Negra, ending with a category 1 summit finish that very well could determine the race’s overall winner.

Stage 7 could be the last chance for the sprinters to leave their mark. However, the final 500 meters of the day’s 126 kilometers ramp up to 10%, so look for a punchier rider to take the win there.

The Vuelta Feminina will end with an 89-kilometer ride from Distrito Telefónca to ValdesquíMadrid. The ride features a pair of category-1 climbs, the last of which leads to the race’s final finish line.

Complete information on each stage can be found here .

How to Watch

The Vuelta Feminina will be broadcast in the US via Peacock , which costs $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. In Canada, the race will be broadcast via FloSports , which costs $12.50 per month or $150 per year.

Live Stream Schedule - All times Eastern (EDT) 04/28 - Stage 1 Valencia > Valencia - 9:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. 04/29 - Stage 2 Buñol > Moncófar - 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 04/30 - Stage 3 Lucena del Cid > Teruel - 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 05/01 - Stage 4 Molina de Aragón > Zaragoza - 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 05/02 - Stage 5 Huesca > Jaca - 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 05/03 - Stage 6 Tarazona > Vinuesa - 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 05/04 - Stage 7 San Esteban de Gormaz > Sigüenza - 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 05/05 - Stage 8 Distrito Telefónica. Madrid > Valdesquí - 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.

Riders to Watch

While the final roster for the race is yet to be final, several confirmed names promise another competitive edition. Among the riders targeting the general classification are Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift champion Demi Vollering of SD Worx-Protime, Gaia Realini of Lidl-Trek, who graced the podium last year, and the consistently impressive Kasia Niewiadoma of SD Worx-Protime. With the absence of retired defending champion Anemiek Van Vleuten and Vollering showing signs of wavering form this season, the battle for the coveted red jersey appears wide open.

Other riders to watch are the 2024 Tour of Flanders champion Elisa Longo Borghini of Lidl-Trek, Canyon//SRAM’s Ricarda Bauernfeind , and Mavi García of Liv Alula Jayco.

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After his first outdoor ride since horror crash, Jonas Vingegaard has high hopes of Tour de France return

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) has returned to riding outside for the first time since his horror crash at Itzulia Basque Country in March, with high hopes of returning in time for the Tour de France.

The two-time defending champion stated he would “do everything I can” to make it to the Tour’s Grand Depart on June 29 in Florence after only being released from hospital in Spain on April 16. 

It has been a long road back for the Dane after breaking his collarbone and ribs and suffering a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) in the high-speed crash but his road to recovery seems to be on track.

“This is the first time back on the bike for me riding outside and it's really nice to finally be able to ride like normal again and finally to be able to ride on the road is really amazing. I’m really looking forward to taking the next steps too,” said Vingegaard in a video released by the team.

“I feel good, it’s improving day by day. I still have some things to recover from but it's going better and better. Of course, I hope to be there at the start of the Tour de France.

“We don't know exactly how my shape and how my recovery will go but I will do everything I can to get there in my top shape.”

As their GC leader and two-time defending Tour de France champion Vingegaard recovers from his injuries, Visma-Lease a Bike have continued their scheduled preparation for the Tour by exploring the stage 9 gravel route and heading to altitude camp in Sierra Nevada.

Matteo Jorgenson , Tiesj Benoot, Sepp Kuss , Steven Kruijswijk and Dylan van Baarle were the riders present in Troyes, where the controversial stage starts and finishes. They also make up five of the group who headed to the south of Spain to start their three-week camp.

The gravel stage has prompted discussion ever since it was revealed on the route for the 2024 edition, with Visma team boss Richard Plugge one of its biggest critics at the time.

"It's an incredibly challenging course from the first metre," Plugge said. "I think it is a bit unnecessary [to include gravel]. It increases the chance of bad luck. We want the fight to be as fair as possible. A ride like this, in my opinion, does not contribute to that."

However, Visma know they will need to ride it well as it will arguably be the most important non-mountain day at the Tour where the overall race won’t be won but could certainly be lost.

Jorgenson’s Strava upload revealed the Visma riders took in 115km of the gravel stage in close to three and a half hours, starting in Essoyes and heading north to Troyes.

The Tour stage will be 199km in length but the start of the Visma ride is close to the halfway mark and judging by the profile, should have included 12 of the 14 planned off-road sectors.

As top Classics riders, the likes of Jorgenson, Benoot and Van Baarle will be at home on the gravel but would likely be on protection duty for Vingegaard should the Dane be back in good shape.

Social media posts from Visma show there are more than five riders at the altitude camp but this doesn’t include Vingegaard and their other injured superstar Wout van Aert .

Van Aert has been making solid progress in his recovery and also returned to riding outside recently. He had to cancel a debut at the Giro due to his broken collarbone, ribs and sternum, but replacing that with the Tour is also yet to be confirmed.

Reports from Belgian media are confident he will take the start of his sixth Tour before heading to his big goal at the Paris Olympics, with a possible return to racing coming at the Tour of Norway from May 23-26.

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