Tour de France organisers ASO revealed the route of the 2019 race at the Palais des Congrès in Paris on Thursday in what has been dubbed a ‘classic’ for the 106th edition of the French Grand Tour set to take place from July 6-28.
The route will feature seven mountain stages that include five mountaintop finishes; La Planche des Belles Filles (stage 6), Col du Tourmalet (stage 14), Foix Prat d'Albis (stage 15), Tignes (stage 19) and Val Thorens (stage 20).
It is also the first time in history that the Tour de France will include three mountaintop finishes above 2,000 metres on the Col du Tourmalet, Tignes and Val Thorens. The peloton will also have to go over several other mid-stage mountain passes that are above that altitude; Col d'Izoard (stage 18), Col du Galibier (stage 18), and Col d'Iseran (stage 19), which is the highest paved pass in the Alps at 2,770 metres.
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Four-time winner of the event, Chris Froome, was in attendance for the route reveal and said that the high altitude aspects of this edition would play a significant factor. He said the parcours favoured a rider like Nairo Quintana.
"Some riders deal with altitude better than others, especially those who were born and live at altitude like Nairo Quintana," Froome said. "Those climbs should really suit him. I think that spending a lot of time at altitude will be one of the main parts of preparing for this Tour.
"Every year I've had to adapt and this year is no different. I'll do all I can to adapt to it and make sure I'm at my best in the mountains."
Stage 6: Mulhouse to La Planche Des Belles Filles, 157km (July 11)
Stage 13: Pau to Pau, 27km individual time trial (July 19)
Stage 15: Limoux to Foix, 185km (July 21)
Stage 19: Saint-Jean-De-Maurienne to Tignes, 123km (July 26)
Stage 20: Albertville to Val Thorens, 131km, 131km (July 27)
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-2019-5-key-stages
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