Let’s dive into this year’s Tour de France Femmes route from L’Etape’s point of view.
Stage 1
The Tour de France Femmes goes actually in the opposite direction than the men’s one. This first stage will have the riders racing a criterium around the Champs-Elysées in Paris, which is traditionally the last stage for the men. No surprise with this circuit, which has been used previously in the three first editions of La Course by Tour de France, created in 2014. Marianne Vos won the first edition, will she do it again to take the Yellow Jersey?
The route of this stage is very, very similar to the one of L’Etape Romania. An urban race using the most prestigious roads of Bucharest and even making 2 laps around the Arcul de Triumf, the local Arc de Triomphe! If you feel like a sprinter and you enjoy riding in between buildings with hundreds of years of history, this event is for you!
Click here for more information on L'Etape Romania.
Stage 2
This second stage will lead the riders towards eastern France with a route that should not be too hard to overcome for the best sprinters of the women’s peloton and offer them a second opportunity for a bunch sprint finish.
In México, the landscapes are completely different, but the race profile is however quite similar. Apart from the early climb, L’Etape Acapulco’s route is rather flat and will let you enjoy your day riding along the coast of Guerrero with sun and great views over the ocean. If you feel like racing, you better have a good sprint to beat your mates on the line!
Click here for more information on L'Etape Acapulco.
Stage 3
On the way to Epernay, racing should be a bit more exciting than the two days before. With 4 climbs spread over the last 50 kilometers, riders who want to attack will appreciate this hilly finale. Some of them might have watched Julian Alaphilippe take the Yellow Jersey on a very comparable stage in 2019, that could inspire them to replicate the same kind of attack.
The Yellow Jersey could well be on the shoulders of another woman by the end of the day!
Stage 4
Hilly stages like this one and the previous one have proved to be really entertaining to watch and usually produce great racing scenarios. That’s probably what Marion Rousse was thinking when designing the route.
Compared to the day before, the riders will have to ride through vineyards on four gravel paths that could play a big role in the fight for victory. Those who might have lost some time in Epernay could want to gain some of it back on this tricky terrain.
Stage 5
After two exhausting days, this fifth stage will be appreciated by the peloton. Unless the breakaway manages to resist to the sprint teams, this could be another opportunity for a sprint finish, and probably the last one of this Tour de France Femmes!
With 175 kilometers, this stage is also the longest of this year’s Tour. Women are not used to race on such a long distance and even the biggest classics of the year or the UCI World Championships do not reach this distance. With 4 days of hard racing in the legs, it could be interesting to see how most of them will react to this long day in the saddle.
Stage 6
This stage could well be one to favor the breakaway. If the peloton decides to recover a little, some riders could manage to take the win from the main breakaway of the day or by attacking in the last few climbs of the day, the top of the last one being only 9 kilometers from the finish line.
L’Etape La Paz, in México offers a similar route, with a slightly different scenery, in Baja California del Sur. The blue waters of the Gulf of California will help you enjoy these few hills before coming back to La Paz for a sprint finish!
Click here for more information on L'Etape La Paz.
Stage 7
definitely burn the legs of every single rider in the peloton. The Petit Ballon is probably the hardest climb of the day, yet it comes first and will be a tough one to pass for riders struggling to hold the pace of the main group.
With the finish at the Markstein, whoever wants to win this stage will have to give it all on the slopes of the Grand Ballon if they don’t have a good sprint finish. This day will obviously create big gaps in the general classification.
L’Etape Las Vegas has an equivalent route in the roads of Nevada. Riders who take part in this event will be rewarded with breathtaking views of Red Rock Canyon and the 180 million year old Red sandstone rocks. A beautiful and truly unique road to ride in safety, as it is almost impossible to fully close during the rest of the year. The ride will be challenging with no less than 2000m (6500 ft) of climbing spread over 120 km (75 mi).
Click here for more information on L'Etape Las Vegas.
Stage 8
Final day of this first Tour de France Femmes! And what a day! Even if the Super Planche des Belles Filles is the main and scariest climb of the day, the riders will have to be careful not to lose touch with the group they’re in on both the Côte d’Esmoulières and the Ballon d’Alsace.
Then, the steep slopes of the Planche des Belles Filles will start to show up and will host a beautiful show to crow the first winner of the Tour de France Femmes. This mountain pass is now well known amongst cycling fans and there’s no doubt that every one of them (of you!) will be watching the race to see how it pans out. We have seen it before, the steepest gradients of the Super Planche des Belles Filles can be cruel, as proved by Lennard Kamna on stage 7 of the men’s Tour, where he got caught with 100 meters to go. Timing and pacing will be key to win on this prestigious mountain of the France, and maybe win the Yellow Jersey all at once!
To enjoy this route as a cycling amateur, you must surely be a climber! If you travel to Colombia, you’ll probably discover a place that suits you really well. L’Etape Colombia offers long, short, steep, or easier climbs to suits all climbing abilities! But with 2700 meters of elevation to climb on the 136 kilometers course, you better be well train or you could feel like a sprinter on the Planche des Belles Filles!
Click here for more information on L'Etape Colombia.
