le Tour de France, 2016

2nd July - 24th July, 2016

"The Tour is always for the climbers"

magnificent, monumental

Starting for the first time in the Brittany département of La Manche, in the north-west of the country. visiting its first world heritage monument - Mont-Saint-Michel, and a major D-Day landing beach - Utah.

2 euro coin minted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings

Coursing through spectacular landscapes, this year's Tour de France should be a lush trip for spectators as well as a serious test for the riders. Chris Froome has said, "I think it's going to take a complete cyclist – but the stage that certainly stands out for me is Mont Ventoux."

The 103rd edition of this extraordinary race demands stamina, endurance and courage. With a stage start in Spain, leading to two days in Andorra, and later two days in Switzerland, this year's TDF will broaden its range of mountain roads and climbs, finishing with three stages around the great Mont Blanc (stages 18, 19 and 20).

Mont Ventoux (1912 m) will be climbed for the 16th time in the history of the Tour de France, 2016 being its sixth time as a summit finish. The 16 km ascent being regarded as the most difficult in France. This stage, held on France's National Day, is all the more challenging as it will be followed on the next day by a 37 km time trial, that ends with a 5 km uphill finish. Riders energies will have to be well managed over these two days.

Paul Cezanne - Mont Ventoux

2016 tour de france route

From Saturday 2nd July to Sunday 24 July, 2016, the 103th Tour de France will be competed during 21 stages, over a distance of 3,519 kilometres.

Route map of the 2016 Tour de France

There will be:

• 7 flat stages
• 6 hilly stages
• 8 mountain stages with 4 summit finishes (9 Andorre Arcalis, 12 Mont Ventoux, 17 Finhaut-Emosson and 19 Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc)
• 2 individual time trial stages
• 2 rest days

There are 16 towns not previously visited:

• Utah Beach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (arrival 1st stage)
• Saint-Lô (start 2nd stage)
• Arpajon-sur-Cère (start 7th stage)
• L'Isle-Jourdain (start 8th stage)
• Lac de Payolle (arrival 8th stage)
• Vielha Val d'Aran (start 9th stage)
• Escaldes-Engordany (start 9th stage)
• Bourg-Saint-Andéol (start 13th stage)
• La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc (start 9th stage)
• Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux (arrival 14th stage)
• Culoz (arrival 15th stage)
• Moirans-en-Montagne (start 16th stage)
• Berne (arrival 16th stage & start 17th stage)
• Finhaut-Emosson (arrival 17th stage)
• Megève (arrival 18th stage & start 20th stage)
• Chantilly (start 21st stage)

time bonuses and points continue

Reintroduced in 2015, time bonuses will be awarded at the finish of 'normal', flat, stages. These bonuses are 10, 6 and 4 seconds for the first three in each stage.

The leader of the points classification is awarded the green jersey. The points system is said to add value to the stage wins, and encourage more competition earlier on in the race. Points are awarded both for intermediate sprints during a stage, and at the stage finish of every 'normal' stage.

The spotty (polka dot) jersey is awarded to the best climber, the King of the Mountains. Climbing points are awarded at the tops on mountains and hills, and at the four mountain top finishes :

• Andorra Arcalis (stage 9, 2240 m)
• Mount Ventoux (stage 12, 1912 m)
• Finhaut-Emosson (stage 17, 1960 m)
• Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc (stage 19, 1372 m).

The 2016 route in 3D, 4:45 mins

the stages for 2016

[Note: blue links go to profile section on this page,
            yellow links go to associated pages at abelard.org]

There will be 21 stages. These include 8 high mountain stages [ French, Andorran, and Spanish Pyrenees x 2, Mont Ventoux, French and Swiss Alps x 5], 6 medium mountain/hilly stages, and two individual against-the-clock (stages 13 and 18) [contre-le-montre] time trial. There are 2 rest days (11th and 19th July). All other days are 'on the plain' - relatively flat days, almost touring through some of France. The total distance ridden will be about 3,519 kilometres, or roughly 2,200 miles.

this year’s t-shirts

In line with fashion's current drive to play safe, the souvenir t-shirts for this year are without imagination or gaiety. Here's the best of the bunch.

This year, as well as the usual TDF logo t-shirts, you can choose from t-shirts for men, in manly summer grunge. These are the most presentable:

Grand Départ t- shirt : 22€	Grand Départ t-shirt : 25€

The ladies' t-shirts are of similar ilk, except this one:.

.
Ladies' t- shirt : 22€

the teams for 2016

team jerseys/colours

2016 TDF team jerseys

this year’s top ten seeded riders

After the recent Critérium du Dauphiné, Froome is still strengthening, while Contador is not keeping up; Who else might challenge Froome?

last year (2015): the first ten riders

mountain stages, uphill and summit finishes

abelard comments :

This year's Tour appears to have even more mountains than usual.
I am glad to see that there are several uphill finishes. These offer the opportunity to put sprinters and climbers on a more equal footing (pedalling).

Stage 2, 3rd July - final 4.5 km to Cherbourg Octeville

The final 3.5 km climb gives a flavour of climbs and stage finishes to come.

Stage 2 final 4.5 km

Stage 5, 6th July - final 36 km to Le Lioran

A stage for climbers and good descenders, with another sharp, little uphill finish of 3.3 km at 5.8%.

Stage 5 final 36 km

Stage 7, 8th July - final 19 km to Lac Payolle

This stage builds up to the category 1 climb to Col d'Aspin, that is followed by 25 km of technical descent, and then another short, uphill finish.

Stage 7 final 19 km

Stage 8, 9th July - Pau > Bagnères-de-Luchon

A challenging day with two category 1 climbs and the formidable Hors catégorie climb of the Col de Tourmalet

Col du Tourmalet - 19 km at 7.4%

Col deVal Louron-Azet - 10.7 km at 6.8%	Col de Peyresourde - 7.1 km at 7.8%

Stage 9, 10th July - Spain : Vielha Val d'Aran > Andorra : Andorre Arcalis

A demanding day with five climbs, divided between Spain and Andorra. In the last 50 kilometres, the riders contend with the explosive rise of the Côte de la Comella (4.2 km at 8.2%) and the very irregular Col de Beixalis (6.4 km at 8.5%), before the long climb to Arcalis (10.1 km at 7.2%).

Stage 9 last 45 km

Stage 12, 14th July - Montpellier > Mont Ventoux

The French National Day will be celebrated by climbing the Mont Chauve, the Bald Mountain. For the 6th time since 1950, the stage finishes at the Observatory at the mountain's peak - 15.7 km at 8.8%, climbing to 1912 m.

Profile of Mont Ventoux - 15.7 km at 8.8%

Stage 13, 20th July - Bourg-Saint-Andéol > La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc

Long enough to create significant differences, this time trial will not prevent climbers from defending their positions on this stage overlooking the spectacular gorges of the Ardeche.

Stage 13 Profile, Bourg-Saint-Andéol to La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc

Stage 17, 20th July - Switzerland : Berne > Finhaut-Emosson

A Swiss stage,with chances to be won on the col de la Forclaz (13 km at 7.9%), that finishes with a climb to the reservoir at Emosson (10.4 km at 8.4%).

Stage 17 last 30 km

Stage 18, 22nd July - Sallanches > Megève

A day for the best climbers amongst the all-rounders (rouleurs), or is it the best all-rounders amongst the climbers?

Stage 19, 23rd July - Megève > Morzine

The grand finale for climbers, and perhaps for yellow jersey. After the ascent to the Col de la Ramaz, then then Col de Joux Plane, is a long descent of 12 km that could decide the Tour.

Stage 20 last 23.5 km

Safety 'clip' 2016, 30 secs

watch tdf broadcasts

We will provide this information when it is available, closer to the race start.

end notes

1. D-DAY FRANCE 2014- 2 € coin commemorating the 70th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 1944.
   3 million copies were issued. On the obverse is engraved the lines of Verlaine that translate as
   "The long sobs of the violins of autumn wound my heart with a monotonous languor". This was broadcast on the BBC to warn the French resistance of the imminent landing. Also visible, half erased by the swell of a wave, are the very characteristic boot prints of American and British soldiers.
   If not found in your change, the coin is available through the internet from about 5€.

email email_abelard [at] abelard.org

© abelard, 2016, 15 June


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the address for this document is https://www.abelard.org/france/le-tour-de-france_2016.php