In front of a crowd of more than 4,000 people, the Tour de France 2014 route was presented in Paris (France).
The 101st edition of the Tour de France will start in Leeds (United Kingdom) and the finish of stage 3 is in London. Seven years ago, the capital of Great Britain was also hosting a stage of the French cycling competition.
After the first three stages, the biggest cycling event in the world moves to France and will finish on July 27 in Paris.
Tour de France 2014: start in United Kingdom
The 2014 edition of the Tour de France is 3656 kilometers and has a number of remarkable elements, besides starting in the United Kingdom: just like in Paris – Roubaix, the professional cyclists have to deal with cobble stones during the first week. They need to ride over 9 segments of cobbles, which cover in total 15 kilometers. These stones could have a big influence on the yellow jersey ranking. Not all cyclists were enthusiastic when they heard the news about the cobble stones in the Tour de France.
There is also no team time trial in the 2014-event and only one individual time trial, which will take place on July 26, the one but last day of the Tour de France. The time trial-stage goes from Bergerac to Penguex, a distance of 54 kilometers.
The Tour de France 2014 has five mountain finishes, which include Hautacam, Saint Lary Soulan and Chamrousse.
Stages of the Tour de France 2014
Stage 1
Leeds – Harrogate (191 km)
Stage 2
York – Sheffield (198 km)
Stage 3
Cambridge – London (159 km)
Stage 4
Le-Touquet-Paris-Plage – Lille Metropole (164 km)
Stage 5
Ypres – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut (156 km)
Stage 6
Arras – Reims (194 km)
Stage 7
Epernay – Nancy (233 km)
Stage 8
Tomblaine – Gerardmer La Mauselaine (161 km)
Stage 9
Gerardmer – Mulhouse (166 km)
Stage 10
Mulhouse La Planche des Belles Filles (161 km)
– Rest Day –
Stage 11
Besancon – Oyonnax (186 km)
Stage 12
Bourg-en-Bresse – Saint-Etienne (183 km)
Stage 13
Saint-Etienne – Chamrousse (200 km)
Stage 14
Grenoble – Risoul (177 km)
Stage 15
Tallard – Nimes (222 km)
– Rest Day –
Stage 16
Carcassonne – Bagneres-de-Luchon (237 km)
Stage 17
Saint-Gaudens – Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet (125 km)
Stage 18
Pau – Hautacam (145 km)
Stage 19
Maubourguet – Pays du Val d’Adour Bergerac (208 km)
Stage 20
Bergerac – Perigueux (54 km – individual time trial)
Stage 21
Evry – Paris (136 km)