TOUR DE FRANCE 2020: Stage by Stage Guide
Just two days to go before the Grand Départ of the 107th edition of cycling’s biggest race kicks off in Nice.
All eyes this Saturday will be on the start of the Tour de France. In these unprecedented times can they pull off this high-stakes, calculated gamble or will Covid strike along route and the race be cancelled to which the damage to the sport could be irreparable.
Organisers ASO have come up with an unconventional and mountainous route with just a 36km time trial on the penultimate stage up to La Planche des Belles Filles, no team time trial and a number of stages that seem to offer opportunities to attack and limit any sense of control.
The 21 stages of the 2020 route visit all five of France’s mountain ranges (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central, Jura and Vosges) and include 29 categorised climbs and five summit finishes.
Below is the ‘Stage by Stage’ guide.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 1 | FLAT | SAT 08/29/2020 | NICE MOYEN PAYS > NICE | 156 KM |
Three loops in the hinterland of Nice the day before possibly witnessing the first act of the great battle between the sprinters. A bunched sprint is indeed expected at the end of the long final straight on the Promenade des Anglais.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 2 | MOUNTAIN | SUN 08/30/2020 | NICE HAUT PAYS > NICE | 186 KM |
Stage 2 is tough and will soon sort out who’s up for this Tour. After a climb up the Col de la Colmiane riders will then have to face the steep turns heading to the Col de Turini and eventually head up to the Col d’Eze. A mountain stage with two passages at over 1,500m as soon as the second day of the race, that’s a grande première.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 3 | FLAT | MON 08/31/2020 | NICE > SISTERON | 198 KM |
One for the pure sprinters. A scenic run north partly using the Route Napoléon through towns like Grasse and Digne les Bains. Peppered with small climbs early on, but a mainly downhill final 80km for the sprinters to make their mark.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 4 | HILLY | TUE 09/01/2020 | SISTERON > ORCIÈRES-MERLETTE | 160.5 KM |
The day’s program with a first hilly excursion in the Dévoluy mountains isn’t made to split the pack too much. But the final climb to Orcières-Merlette, 1 800 metres high, should give some precious information on the state of form of the favourites.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 5 | FLAT | WED 09/02/2020 | GAP > PRIVAS | 183 KM |
Largely downhill, this is another one earmarked for the sprinters, but the finish merits a closer look, climbing gradually in the final eight kilometres. Might favour a “punchy” finisher.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 6 | HILLY | THU 09/03/2020 | LE TEIL > MONT AIGOUAL | 191 KM |
The finish at the Mont Aigoual will be situated on a vast “plateau” on the borders of the Gard and Lozère. The steepness of the road to reach it will give the day quite some excitement especially after taking on the climb to the Col de la Lusette after leaving Le Vigan. At the summit, around 15 kilometres will still have to be covered to the get to the finish line. A day when the favourites will have to remain extra focused.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 7 | FLAT | FRI 09/04/2020 | MILLAU > LAVAUR | 168 KM |
A day for a strong all-terrain rider. In the areas of Aveyron and Tarn where one doesn’t quite know what “flat” means, with a meaty 14.5km climb in the middle, the roads are never easy. The finale will see a classic battle between a break and the sprinters’ teams, with odds on the break.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 8 | MOUNTAIN | SAT 09/05/2020 | CAZÈRES-SUR-GARONNE > LOUDENVIELLE | 141 KM |
A classic Pyrenean stage: two first-category mountains and the super-category Port de Balès. In less than 100 kilometres, the riders will have to reach the Col de Menté followed by the Port de Balès and the Col de Peyresourde. A fine downhiller could then have the opportunity to make a difference on a tricky descent of around ten kilometres to the finish.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 9 | MOUNTAIN | SUN 09/06/2020 | PAU > LARUNS | 153 KM |
The mountainous program of the day starts with the discovery of the Col de la Hourcère which will immediately precede the climb to the Col de Soudet. For the seventh time since the beginning of the Tour, the riders will ride at an altitude of over 1,500m. They will then battle it out on the extremely steep climb up to the Col de Marie Blanque before heading back down to Laruns. One for a climber who can finish well.
| STAGE | DATE | START AND FINISH |
| REST DAY | MON 09/07/2020 | LA CHARENTE-MARITIME |
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 10 | FLAT | TUE 09/08/2020 | ÎLE D’OLÉRON > ÎLE DE RÉ | 168.5 KM |
A transfer up the Atlantic coast for the flattest stage of the race mainly set by the sea coast. Bound to be a sprint finish but the question is whether the wind blows strongly off the sea in which case the race is likely to split and the outcome is anyone’s guess.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 11 | FLAT | WED 09/09/2020 | CHÂTELAILLON-PLAGE > POITIERS | 167.5 KM |
The Tour leaves the coast and enters the deeper French territory through the marshlands of Poitou. The scene is set for a bunched sprint in Poitiers with a final 1.5-km straight.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 12 | HILLY | THU 09/10/2020 | CHAUVIGNY > SARRAN CORRÈZE | 218 KM |
The longest stage of the Tour will first take the riders on the roads of the Vienne and Haute-Vienne areas. But it’ll be in Corrèze that the most ambitious could give it a go on the final difficulty, the Suc au May that shows up on the course when the legs will be heavy.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 13 | MOUNTAIN | FRI 09/11/2020 | CHÂTEL-GUYON > PUY MARY CANTAL | 191.5 KM |
Arguably the hardest through the Massif Central with seven climbs and the biggest elevation gain with a total of 4,400 metres of climbing. Before taking on the final climb, the riders will have to deal with the Col de Ceyssat and the Col de Neronne. The favourites will need to be at their very best here as this stage will favour the pure climber and decide the polka-dot best-climber’s jersey.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 14 | FLAT | SAT 09/12/2020 | CLERMONT-FERRAND > LYON | 194 KM |
A second category climb after 68.5km will see off many of the sprinters, while a couple of short late hills will favour an attack from the breakaway specialists. With three climbs: the Côte de la Duchère, followed by the Montée de l’Observance and finally the Côte de la Croix-Rousse just five kilometres before reaching the finish line, the overall contenders will want to stay out of trouble as the Alps loom.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 15 | MOUNTAIN | SUN 09/13/2020 | LYON > GRAND COLOMBIER | 174.5 KM |
A battle that promises to be intense on the eve of the second rest day! A super-category uphill finish on a super-steep climb in the southern JurJura up the Grand Colombier; this is where overall contenders will have to show what they have left. The concentrated climbing in the final 80km will make it difficult for a break to succeed so an overall contender might win here.
| STAGE | DATE | START AND FINISH |
| REST DAY | MON 09/14/2020 | ISÈRE |
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 16 | MOUNTAIN | TUE 09/15/2020 | LA TOUR-DU-PIN > VILLARD-DE-LANS | 164 KM |
La Chartreuse area could inspire the many breakaway experts if they feel ready enough to battle it out on the climb up the Col de Porte. The mountains of Vercors also offer all the ingredients of a tricky stage. Never flat, and with an 11km climb into the Vercors Massif, this stage favours an early break, and would suit a climber who isn’t afraid to go solo.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 17 | MOUNTAIN | WED 09/16/2020 | GRENOBLE > MÉRIBEL COL DE LA LOZE | 170 KM |
Stage 17 to Méribel is without doubt the ‘queen stage’ of the 2020 Tour de France, with the 2,304-metre-high finish also awarding the Henri Desgrange prize as the highest point of the race. Only a great champion will be able to win at the Col de la Loze! The toughest uphill finish of the race, 2,304m above sea level after 21.5km climbing, with gradients of 20%. The final pecking order should be all but settled here.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 18 | MOUNTAIN | THU 09/17/2020 | MÉRIBEL > LA ROCHE-SUR-FORON | 175 KM |
The last of eight Alpine stages: it has lower peaks but more climbing, with the beautiful Cormet de Roselend, the Col des Saisies and Col des Aravis before the Plateau de Glières. It is a perfect stage for long-range attacks, and the worst stage to have a bad day.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 19 | FLAT | FRI 09/18/2020 | BOURG-EN-BRESSE > CHAMPAGNOLE | 166.5 KM |
The last day when a team that haven’t won a stage can break their duck although it’s likely to be a bunch sprint for whoever has survived the Alps.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 20 | TIME-TRIAL | SAT 09/19/2020 | LURE > LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES | 36.2 KM |
Depending on the time gaps after all the mountains, the 36.2km individual time trial to La Planche des Belles Filles offers a final chance to shake up the general classification and perhaps snatch or lose the yellow jersey.
| STAGE | TYPE | DATE | START AND FINISH | DISTANCE |
| 21 | FLAT | SUN 09/20/2020 | MANTES-LA-JOLIE > PARIS CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES | 122 KM |
The final stage of the Tour, so expect the usual bunch sprint – but with two provisos. The first is how the race has weathered the Covid-19 storm – will riders and teams have dropped out along the way? – and the second, how the riders have coped with relatively little competition time in this condensed, rejigged season of racing.
