2017 Tour de France Rumours Revealed 

The 104th Tour de France, July 1st-23rd 2017 will feature steeper climbs

There will be fewer climbs than usual but more steeper gradients, suiting the mountain specialists. Opening the time trial in Düsseldorf and one in Marseille's Stade Vélodrome  on the eve of the finish will provide an animated race. The Grand Palais in Paris will roll out the red carpet for the peloton's return.

The 2017 Tour de France starts with a Time Trial in Düsseldorf after a 30 year hiatus and then heads into Belgium and Luxembourg. All of the mountain stages will take place in France's five mountain ranges, the Vosges, Jura, Pyrenees, Central Massif and Alps. 

The legenday Col du Izoard will host the last summit finish as 15,000 amateur riders will tackle it in the 25th Edition of the Etape du Tour on Sunday, July 16th.

The Climbs

The Queen Stage will tackle the Col de la Biche, Grand Colombier and Mont du Chat, for a total altitude gain of 4,600 m in Jura mountains between Nantua and Chambéry.

Contenders for the Yellow Jersey will go head-to-head in the Pyrenees in a 100 km stage from Saint-Girons to Foix with sections approaching a 20% gradient on the slopes of La Planche des Belles Filles and Peyragudes.

The race could be decided in a spectacular climax on the Izoard, a legendary climb which will set the scene for the final mountain showdown.

The Climbers won't have all the fun, the GC contenders will have a final chance to take the Yellow Jersey in the final time trial on the Mediterranean coast , with the finish line right in Marseille's Vélodrome stadium before heading to Paris the day after.

Chris Froome - It's going to be a Climber's Race

Following the presentation of the 104th edition of the Tour de France, defending champion Chris Froome believes that the race will be decided in the mountains.

"It's definitely going to be a climbers' race, from what I can tell. It's very light on time trial kilometers, but that's all part of the race and that's something I'm going to have to focus my training on, being the best I can be on the climbs," said the rider shortly after the presentation.

The route of the 2017 French Grand Tour will include 23 climbs, five less than the 28 climbs in the 2016 edition. There will be three summit finishes, some of which steeper than those featured last year.

"Certainly, from my first reaction, there were quite a few stages going up over 2,000m. The Izoard goes up to 2,300m. That's going to be an absolute beast of a stage.

"I don't know all the climbs of the Tour. I've never gone to the Izoard, for example. I also paid attention to the stage in Chambery," he added.

Another clear difference is the amount of time trial kilometers, 18 less than last year. There will be two time trials; the opening stage in Dusseldorf and the Marseille stage on the day before Paris, 13 and 23 kilometers respectively.

A video montage shown at the event looked back on the 2016 edition of the Tour de France, including the Mont Ventoux crash and the familiar images of Froome running up the climb. "I had a strong feeling when I saw the images on the big screen. I hope I won't have to run again!" he joked. 

2017 Étape du Tour Tackles the Izoard  

Ever since 1993, the Étape du Tour has given amateur cyclists the unique opportunity to tackle a Tour de France mountain stage just a few days before the peloton. Over 15,000 Gran Fondo and Sportive riders are expected to make this event the highlight of their 2017 season.

The 25th edition will be held on the course of stage 18 from Briançon to the Izoard on Sunday, 16 July and riders will get to suffer and enjoy the legendary Casse Déserte, 4 days before the Pro's tackle it.

Registration opens on Friday, 21 October at 8 am.

VIDEO: Col d'Izoard

2017 Tour de France Map