The 2021 Tour de France will include two climbs up the iconic Mont Ventoux on one day, visiting the Beast of Provence for the first time since Chris Froome memorably ran without a bike in 2016.
The route for the Tour -- June 26-July 18 -- was unveiled on Sunday. It includes three summit finishes -- the Mont Ventoux 11th stage is not one of them -- and two individual time trials for the fifth stage and 19 miles on the decisive 20th stage, the day before the ceremonial ride into Paris.
The 108th edition of the three-week stage race was moved back one week after the Olympics were postponed to 2021 so that there would remain a six-day break between the end of the Tour and the Olympic men’s road race.
The start of the Tour -- the Grand Depart -- was moved from Copenhagen to the western French region of Brittany for the first four stages. The capital of Denmark hosts matches of the next European men’s soccer championship, which was moved from 2020 to 2021.
The 2020 Tour was postponed from its usual July dates to late August and September due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tadej Pogacar, 21, became the first Slovenian winner and the second-youngest champion in history, overtaking countryman Primoz Roglic in the deciding time trial on the penultimate stage.
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!