The 2023 men’s Tour de France began in Bilbao, Spain on Saturday, July 1, with a route that looks set to be one for the climbers. It features four summit finishes, including a return for the iconic Puy de Dôme climb for the first time since 1988.
There is just one time trial across the three-week event, a short uphill race against the clock from Passy to Combloux over 22km. There are also returns for other epic climbs like the Col de la Loze and the Grand Colombier, with 56,400 metres of climbing on the Tour de France 2023 route.
The race started on foreign soil for the second year in a row, with a Grand Départ in the Spanish Basque Country, the setting for the race’s 120th anniversary. There were two hilly stages in Spain, before the peloton crossed the border into France for a stage finish in Bayonne on day three.
After visiting Pau for the 74th time on stage five, the race’s first real mountain test came on stage six, leaving Tarbes and cresting the Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet before a summit finish in Cauterets.
On stage seven, the Tour’s second most visited city, Bordeaux, will welcome its first stage finish since 2010, when Mark Cavendish claimed his 14th of a record 34 stage wins. Leaving nearby Libourne the next day, stage eight will head east on a 201km slog to Limoges.
Before the first rest day, the riders will wind up to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, a dormant lava dome which hasn’t featured in the Tour for 35 years. They’ll then enjoy a well-earned day off in Clermont-Ferrand before continuing their passage through the Massif Central.
France’s national holiday, 14 July, will be celebrated next year with a summit finish on the Grand Colombier, the site of Tadej Pogačar’s second stage win back in 2020. From there, the mountains keep coming. The riders will climb over the Col de Joux Plaine to Morzine on stage 14, before another mountaintop test in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc the next day.
The sole individual time trial of the Tour de Franc route comes on stage 16, when a hilly 22km dash from Passy to Combloux will give the GC contenders a chance to force time gaps. The following day will bring the stage with the highest elevation gain, counting 5000m of climbing en route to the Courchevel altiport, via the Cormet de Roselend and the monstrous Col de la Loze.
On stages 18 and 19, the sprinters are expected to come to the fore, with flat finishes in Bourg-en-Bresse and Poligny.
The penultimate stage will play out in the country’s most easterly region, ascending the Petit Ballon, Col du Platzerwasel and finishing in Le Markstein, as the Tour de France Femmes did last year.
The riders will then undertake a 500km transfer to the outskirts of Paris for the curtain-closing stage. The final day will start at France’s national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the track cycling venue for the 2024 Olympics, and will conclude with the customary laps of the capital’s Champs-Elysées.
The 2023 Tour de France will begin on 1 July, with the winner crowned in Paris on 23 July.
2023 Tour de France stage table
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2023 Tour de France stages
Stage
Date
Start
Finish
Distance
Profile
1
1 July
Bilbao
Bilbao
182km
Hilly
2
2 July
Vitoria-Gasteiz
San Sebastian
209km
Hilly
3
3 July
Amorebiata-Etxano
Bayonne
185km
Flat
4
4 July
Dax
Nogaro
182km
Flat
5
5 July
Pau
Laruns
165km
Medium mountains
6
6 July
Tarbes
Cauterets-Cambasque
145km
Mountains
7
7 July
Mont-de-Marsan
Bordeaux
170km
Flat
8
8 July
Libourne
Limoges
201km
Flat
9
9 July
Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat
Puy de Dôme
184km
Mountains
10
11 July
Vulcania
Issoire
167km
Hilly
11
12 July
Clermont-Ferrand
Moulins
180km
Hilly
12
13 July
Roanne
Belleville-en-Beaujolais
169km
Hilly
13
14 July
Châtillon-Sur-Chalaronne
Grand Colombier
138km
Mountains
14
15 July
Annemasse
Morzine les Portes du Soleil
152km
Mountains
15
16 July
Les Gets les Portes du Soleil
Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc le Bettex
180km
Mountains
16
18 July
Passy
Combloux
22km
Hilly ITT
17
19 July
Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc
Courchevel
166km
Mountains
18
20 July
Moûtiers
Bourg-en-Bresse
186km
Hilly
19
21 July
Moirans-en-Montagne
Poligny
173km
Hilly
20
22 July
Belfort
Le Markstein
133km
Mountains
21
23 July
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Paris
115km
Flat
Jonas Vingegaard raced in the Basque Country this year
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Tour de France route week summary Tour de France week one
The race began in Bilbao, starting in the Basque Country for the first time since 1992, when the Tour started in San Sebastian. The first two stages are packed full of climbs, with ten classified hills in over the opening couple of days, meaning there will be a fierce battle for the polka-dot jersey. Watch out for Basque fans going crazy on the roadside.
Stage three saw the race cross into France, which it will not leave for the rest of the 18 days. As expected we saw a sprint finish in Bayonne, even after four categorised climbs en-route. Nothing is easy this year.
The fourth day was another sprint, on a motor racing circuit in Nogaro, as the race moved, ominously, towards the Pyrenees. The Hors Categorie Col de Soudet on stage five was the first proper mountain of the race, and was followed by the Col de Marie Blanque, which has tough gradients. A GC day early on, although they are all GC days, really.
Stage five was a mountain top finish in Cauterets-Cambasque, but its gradients didn’t catch too many out; it is the Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet that will put people through it.
The seventh day of the race was a chance for the riders to relax their legs as the race headed northwest to an almost nailed-on sprint finish, before another opportunity for the the remaining fast men presented itself on stage eight – after two category four climbs towards the end, and an uphill finish.
The long first week of the race – which will have felt longer because last year had a bonus rest day – ended with the mythical Puy de Dôme.
Tour de France week two
Magnus Cort in the breakaway on stage 10 of the Tour de France 2022
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The second week begins with a lumpy road stage around Clermont-Ferrand, starting from a volcano-themed theme park. This will surely be a day for the break. The next day could also be one if the sprint teams fail to get their act together, with two early categorised climbs potential ambush points.
Back into the medium mountains on stage 12, with a finish in the wine making heartland of the Beaujolais, Belleville. Another day for the break, probably, but none of the five categorised climbs are easy.
The following day, stage 13, is France’s national holiday, 14 Juillet. The Grand Colombier at the end of the day is the big attraction, with its slopes expected to cause shifts on the GC. Stage 14 is yet another mountain stage as the Tour really gets serious, with the Col de la Ramaz followed by the Col de Joux Plane. The latter, 11.6km at 8.5%, will be a real test for a reduced peloton, before a downhill finish into Morzine.
The final day of week two, stage 15, is yet another day in the Alps before a rest day in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc. There is nothing as fearsome as the previous days, but 4527m of climbing should still be feared.
Tour de France week three
Tadej Pogačar in the final time trial at the 2022 Tour de France
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The third and final week begins with the race’s only time trial, 22km long and with a lot of uphill. It is not a mountain event, but it is certainly not one for the pure rouleurs .
Stage 17 looks like the race’s Queen Stage, with the final climb up to the Col de la Loze looking incredibly tough on paper, and in real life. That follows the Col de Saisies, the Cormet de Roselend and the Côte de Longefoy, adding up to 5,100m of climbing. The race might be decided on this day.
After that, there is a nice day for the sprinters on stage 18, with a flat finish in Bourg-en-Bresse surely one for the fast men. The next day, stage 19 could be a breakaway day or a sprint finish, depending on how desperate teams are feeling, or how powerful the remaining leadout trains are.
The final mountainous day comes on the penultimate stage, with the men following the Femmes lead and finishing in Le Markstein. However, there’s no Grand Ballon, just the Petit Ballon, and so unless something chaotic happens, there should not be great time switches on this stage.
Then, at last, there is the usual finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, after the race heads out of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, which has a long-term deal to host the start of Paris-Nice too. ASO country.
Remember, this will be the last time Paris hosts the Tour de France until 2025. So, be prepared.
Tour de France 2023: The stages Stage one: Bilbao to Bilbao (182km)
The opening stage is very lumpy
(Image credit: ASO)
There was no easing into the Tour de France for the peloton this year, with a tough, punchy day in the Basque Country. Adam Yates took the first yellow jersey of the 2023 Tour de France after a scintillating stage in the Basque Country that saw the overall battle for the Tour take shape at the earliest opportunity.
The Briton emerged clear over the top of the final climb of the stage, the short and steep Côte de Pike, with his twin brother Simon a few seconds behind him. The pair worked well together to stay clear of the chasing bunch of GC contenders before Adam rode his brother off his wheel inside the final few hundred metres to claim victory.
Stage two: Vitoria-Gasteiz to Saint Sebastian (208.9km)
Still in the Basque Country, there is a Klasikoa theme to stage two
(Image credit: ASO)
This was the longest stage of the Tour, surprisingly. Five more categorised climbs meant it was unlikely to be a sprint stage, including the Jaizkibel, famous from the Clasica San Sebastian, tackled on its eastern side 20km from the finish. This second stage from Vitoria Gasteiz to San Sebastian on the Basque coast followed many of the roads of the San Sebastian Classic, held here every summer.
An early break was soon established in the first 50km and established a three-minute advantage. However, the break was reeled in and a group, including the yellow jersey Adam Yates, pressed towards the finish with Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) clearly hoping it would finish in a sprint.
Victor Lafay (Cofidis) had other ideas however, and with all and sundry already having attacked Van Aert, Lafay finally made it stick with a kilometre to go, holding off the reduced bunch all the way to the line.
Stage three: Amorebiata-Etxano to Bayonne (187.4km)
Still some hills, but this should be a sprint stage
(Image credit: ASO)
The third stage took the riders from Amorebieta-Etxano in the Basque Country and back into France, finishing at Bayonne in what was always tipped to be a bunch sprint. Ultimately, despite a very strong showing in the leadout by Fabio Jakobsen’s Soudal-Quick Step team, it was Jasper Philipsen who triumphed, having benefited from a deluxe leadout by team-mate Mathieu Van Der Poel.
Mark Cavendish, who is hunting for a record 35th stage win in what will be his final Tour de France, was sixth.
Stage four: Dax to Nogaro (181.8km)
A nailed on bunch sprint, surely. Surely!
(Image credit: ASO)
Now this one was always going to be a sprint finish, right? It finished on a motor racing circuit in Nogaro, meaning teams have a long old time to sort their leadout trains. After a sleepy day out all hell broke lose on the finishing circuit with a series of high speed crashes. Jasper Philipsen was one of the few sprinters to still have a lead-out man at his disposal and when that lead-out man is of the quality of Mathieu van der Poel he was always going to be very difficult to beat. So it proved with Australian Caleb Ewan chasing him down hard but unable to come around him. Philipsen’s win handed him the green jersey too.
Stage five: Pau to Laruns (162.7km)
The first proper mountain, and the first sorting out, as early as stage five
(Image credit: ASO)
The first Hors Categorie climb of the race came on stage five, the Col de Soudet, which is 15.2km at 7.2%, before the Col de Marie-Blanque and its steep gradients. It certainly ignited the GC battle!
A break that at one point contained 37 riders was never allowed more than a few minutes, but that proved unwise for Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar behind. Ultimately, with the break already splintering on the final big climb – the Col de Marie-Blanque – Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), riding his first Tour de France, attacked.
With Hindley time trialling the largely downhill 18km to the finish, Vingegaard attempted to chase him down – and put time into Pogačar as he did so.
Picking up strays from the early break on the way, Vingegaard got to within 34 seconds of Hindley, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Australian from taking the stage win, and the yellow jersey.
Stage six: Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque (144.9km)
While in the Pyrenees, why not tackle a few more mountains?
(Image credit: ASO)
A day of aggressive racing in the Pyrenees towards the first summit finish saw Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) take the yellow jersey but Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) win the stage.
Having had his team set a blistering pace on the Col du Tourmalet, Vingegaard attacked with 4km until the summit. Only Pogačar could follow him as yellow jersey holder Jai Hindley dropped back to the peloton
Having joined up with super domestique Wout van Aert over the top, the group of favourites were towed up the first half of the final climb before Vingegaard attacked. Once again Pogačar followed and with two kilometers to go the Slovenian counter-attacked.
He clawed back nearly half a minute by the line, making the race for yellow a three horse race between those two and Hindley in the process.
Stage seven: Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux (169.9km)
Bordeaux is always a sprint finish
(Image credit: ASO)
Renowned as a sprint finish town, Bordeaux didn’t disappoint the hopeful fastmen –except perhaps for Mark Cavendish, who had to concede victory to hat-trick man Jasper Philipsen, despite a very strong charge for the line from the Manxman.
With Cavendish hunting that elusive 35th record stage win, and having won here last time the Tour came visiting in 2010, many eyes were on the Astana Qazaqstan rider, with on-form Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who has won twice already, starting as favourite.
The day began with Arkéa-Samsic’s Simon Gugliemi forging what turned out to be a solo break that lasted 130 kilometres. He was joined by Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) and Nans Peters (Ag2r-Citroën) halfway through the stage, the trio forming a purposeful triumvirate of home riders.
However, with the sprinters and their teams on the hunt and few places to hide on what was a hot day crammed with long, straight roads, the break served only as a placeholder for the day’s main action in Bordeaux.
A technical finish with roundabouts aplenty, first Jumbo-Visma (in the service of GC leader Jonas Vingegaard) and then Alpecin-Deceuninck took the race by the scruff of the neck in the final. Philipsen enjoyed a marquee leadout from team-mate Mathieu Van Der Poel, but when Cavendish turned on the afterburners at around 150m and leapt forward, the whole cycling world held its breath.
That 35th stage win had to wait for another day though, with Philipsen sweeping past in what was yet another command performance from the Belgian.
Stage eight: Libourne to Limoges (200.7km)
Three categorised climbs in the final 70km could catch people out
(Image credit: ASO)
Mads Pedersen powered to victory up a punchy finish on stage eight of the Tour de France, managing to hold off green jersey Jasper Philipsen in the process.
Pedersen, the Lidl-Trek rider, now has two Tour stage wins to his name, in a finish which mixed pure sprinters and punchier riders. Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Philipsen was third, with Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in third. To prove how mixed the top ten was, however, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) finished behind the likes of Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis).
On a day which could have been one for the breakaway, the race was controlled expertly by Jumbo, Trek and Alpecin for their options, and so the escapees were never allowed much time. Sadly, stage eight turned out to Mark Cavendish’s last – the Astana-Qazaqstan rider crashed heavily and was forced to abandon.
Stage nine: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dôme (184km)
The Puy de Dôme is back, and is vicious
(Image credit: ASO)
In a north American showdown it was Canada that came out on top as Michael Woods beat American rival Matteo Jorgenson to the win atop the legendary Puy de Dôme.
Jorgenson had gone solo form a breakaway with 40km left to race. However, on the slopes of the Puy de Dôme where the gradient remains over 105 for more than four kilometres, Woods closed the gap and came around Jorgenson with just 600m left to go.
In the final kilometre, of what had been a blisteringly hot day with temperatures north of 30 degree Celsius, Tadej Pogačar managed to drop Jonas Vingegaard but the Jumbo-Visma captain dug deep to minimise his losses and came across the line eight seconds down.
Stage 10: Vulcania to Issoire (162.7km)
Five categorised climbs over this Volcanic stage
(Image credit: ASO)
The breakaway had its day in Issoire, as Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) won beneath the scorching sun in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
After a frantic start, the mood finally settled and a 14-rider move went clear. Krists Neilands (Israel Premier Tech) launched a solo bid with around 30km remaining, but was caught in the closing moments by a chasing group led by Bilbao. The Spaniard then policed attacks in the finale, before sprinting to his team’s first victory at this year’s race.
“For Gino,” Bilbao said afterwards, dedicating his win to his late teammate, Gino Mäder.
Stage 11: Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins (179.8km)
The flat finalé hints at a sprint, but it could be a break day
(Image credit: ASO)
The race will finally leave the environs of Clermont-Ferrand on the 12 July, with what will likely be a fast day for the sprinters to Moulins. Interestingly, this is the first time the Tour has visited Moulins, the capital of the Allier department, although Paris-Nice has visited. This means the Tour has now been to every department capital in mainland France.
Stage 12: Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais (168.8km)
Hills return, with some steep, punchy ones towards the end
(Image credit: ASO)
Here is the wine stage, a lovely day in the fields of Beaujolais country – that’s red wine, for you at the back. Five categorised climbs hint towards a breakaway stage, with the Col de la Croix Montmain and Col de la Croix Rosier both climbs to be watched out for. Nothing is easy.
Stage 13: Châtillon-Sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier (138km)
Welcome to the Alps, here’s an hors categorie climb
(Image credit: ASO)
A short, brutal stage for 14 Juillet . Perhaps it will be a chance for a French rider to delight their home crowds on the fête national , or will Tadej Pogačar win here again as he did in 2020? That day, there was no serious time gained or lost on GC, just minor slippages.
Stage 14: Annemasse to Morzine Les Portes du Soleil (151.8km)
Five categorised climbs, four of which are one and above. Ouch.
(Image credit: ASO)
The Tour is back in Morzine, but arriving this time, rather than departing. There are three first category climbs before the HC ascent of the Col de Joux Plane and a descent down to the finish. The last time the race went up here, in 2016, Ion Izagirre won, with Nairo Quintana taking a handful of seconds on eventual winner Chris Froome. Expect fireworks.
Stage 15: Les Gets Les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc (179km)
Back to a summit finish, there is no escape at this Tour
(Image credit: ASO)
The Alps are far from over yet. Three category one climbs, and two more minor ones create a tough day for all of the peloton. Will it be Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard that has the upper hand at this moment? Romain Bardet won here in 2016 to move into second on general classification.
The second rest day follows, so this an opportunity to put it all out on the road.
Stage 16: Passy to Combloux ITT (22.4km)
A time trial! But not a flat one
(Image credit: ASO)
A measly 22.4km of time trialling is all the rouleurs get this year, which is hardly anything, if you think about it. The Giro d’Italia basically did this much on its opening day. There are 638 vertical metres in this TT, so it is far from flat, but it is not quite mountainous either. It’s a decisive day for the GC guys.
Stage 17: Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc to Courchevel (165.7km)
Back to the proper mountains, and there will be no let up on the final Wednesday
(Image credit: ASO)
Here it is, the big one. 5,405 metres of climbing on a day which sees two early first category climbs feature before the Col de la Loze. The steep Alpine climb, with 20% ramps, has only been featured once in Tour history, on a day when Miguel Ángel López put 15 seconds into Primož Roglič and 30 into Tadej Pogačar.
There is more climbing this time around, on the Queen Stage, and the race actually finishes in Courchevel after a descent rather than a mountain-top end.
Before all this, mid-stage, the Côte de Longefoy was supposed to be part of the 2019 route which never happened because of landslides, and its descent will be very interesting.
Stage 18: Moûtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse (184.9km)
Two category four climbs on the road to a chicken-themed sprint
(Image credit: ASO)
If the sprinters have got this far, then they are rewarded with a largely flat stage to Bourg-en-Bresse, home of the poulet de Bresse . The long finishing straight will favour those with powerful sprints.
Stage 19: Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny (172.8km)
Another sprint, maybe, or a heartbreaking chase which fails to bring the breakaway back
(Image credit: ASO)
Having escaped the Alps, the race heads towards the Jura, and the home of Comté cheese. There is quite a lot of climbing – almost 2000m – on this supposedly flat stage, but it could all come down to a breakaway in Poligny, unless a breakaway gets in the way. The Côte d’Ivory 30km from the finish should not prove too difficult.
Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein Fellering (133.5km)
One last chance. Six categorised climbs, will it shake up the GC?
(Image credit: ASO)
The race might be very near Germany at this point, but Belfort remained French after the Franco-Prussian War, unlike the territory the penultimate stage travels into.
This is the last chance saloon for all teams and riders who aren’t sprinters, especially those with GC ambitions. However, it is not quite the task of the previous Alpine days, with the six categorised climbs not the most testing. Still, there will be a lot of people trying to make things happen.
Stage 21: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris (115.1km)
The classic Parisian sprint. Lovely.
(Image credit: ASO)
This will be the last time the Tour heads to Paris until at least 2025, so make the most of those shots of the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. The classic procession will happen for the first 55km until the race hits the Champs for the first time 60km in. From that point on, anything goes, although that anything will probably be a bunch sprint.
