The Tour de France 2014 route has been announced, with a stage at Ypres to mark the Centenary of the First World War.
The Grand Depart is from Yorkshire in England on Saturday 5th July 2014. Stage five of the route, on Wednesday 9th July, from Ypres in Belgium to Arenberg Port du Hainot (156km), will commemorate the Centenary of the First World War.
The stage at Ypres has attracted considerable attention due to the nine sections of cobbles it will feature. Various sports commentators have highlighted the potential disadvantages this may have for individual cyclists and that it may increase the difficulty of the stage overall.
Stage 6, from Arras to Reims, will also follow much of the First World War Western Front. The battlefields of Verdun and Douaumont are included in Stage 7.
Tour de France 2014 route
Stage 1: Saturday, July 5th – Leeds to Harrogate – 191km
Stage 2: Sunday, July 6th – York to Sheffield – 198km
Stage 3: Monday, July 7th – Cambridge to London – 159km
Stage 4: Tuesday, July 8th – Le Touquet Paris-Plage to Lille – 164km
Stage 5: Wednesday, July 9th – Ypres to Arenberg Port du Hainot – 156km
Stage 6: Thursday, July 10th – Arras to Reims – 194km
Stage 7: Friday, July 11th – Epernay to Nancy – 233km
Stage 8: Saturday, July 12th – Tomblaine to Gerardmer – 161km
Stage 9: Sunday, July 13th – Gerardmer to Mulhouse – 166km
Stage 10: Monday, July 14th – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles – 161km
Tuesday, July 15th – First rest day
Stage 11: Wednesday, July 16th – Besancon to Oyonnax – 186km
Stage 12: Thursday, July 17th – Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Etienne – 183km
Stage 13: Friday, July 18th – Saint-Etienne to Chamrousse – 200km
Stage 14: Saturday, July 19th – Grenoble to Risoul – 177km
Stage 15: Sunday, July 20th – Tallard to Nimes – 222km
Monday, July 21st – Second rest day
Stage 16: Tuesday, July 22nd – Carcassone to Bagneres-de-Luchon – 237km
Stage 17: Wednesday, July 23rd – Saint-Gaudens to Saint-Lary-Soulan Plat d’Adet – 125km
Stage 18: Thursday, July 24th – Pau to Hautacam – 145km
Stage 19: Friday, July 25th -Maubourguet Pays du Val d’Adour to Bergerac – 208km
Stage 20: Saturday, July 26th – Bergerac to Perigueux – 54km individual time trial
Stage 21: Sunday, July 27th – Evry to Paris – 136km
Source: Tour de France website
Images courtesy of the Tour de France website
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News