"It's very mountainous course" says KOM Tour de France winner Alaphilippe

Very mountainous course, with so many tough climbs, especially those crammed in the last week of the 2019 Tour de France

Next year's Grande Boucle will mark two of the biggest moments in the history of the race: half a century since Eddy Merckx's first overall victory and 100 years of the first yellow jersey, which Eugene Christophe got to wear in Grenoble, at the end of a 333km-long stage.

The 106th edition (6-28 July) will feature 30 mountain passes and five altitude finishes.

The 2019 race will set off from Brussels and take on a nearly 200km stage featuring the legendary Muur van Geraardsbergen before returning to Belgium's capital, which gets to host also stage 2, a 27km-long team time trial finishing near the Atomium, the landmark building constructed for Expo '58.

The anti-clockwise route continues with an opening week that will include several testing climbs in the Vosges and the Massif Central, without neglecting the sprinters, who'll have their fair share of opportunities to shine. La Planche des Belles Filles, which returns on the course with a new finish, featuring a dirt road final kilometer with gradients up to 24%, is where the first big margins should appear between the yellow jersey favourites.

"It's very mountainous course" says Alaphilippe KOM Tour de France winner

Having featured only twice in the past as summit finish, Col du Tourmalet (19.6km, 7.3%) – one of the iconic climbs in the race – makes a comeback as stage arrival after nearly a decade and should provide quite the battleground to the GC contenders at the end of a very tough week two, that includes also a 27km-long individual time trial in Pau and finishes in Bagnères-de-Bigorre and Foix, atop Prat d'Albis, an ascent never before visited by the race.

>> Alaphilippe wins a second 2018 Tour de France stage marred by pepper spray protest <<

Stage 18 will be one of the toughest in recent years, with Col de Vars, Col d'Izoard and Col du Galibier peppered on the course, ironically just an appetizer for what's to come twenty-four hours later, when the peloton will tackle the south side of Col d'Iseran (at 2 770 meters, the highest paved road in Europe), for just the fourth time in history. Before riding into Paris where the sprinters will have their eyes on another victory, the climbers will get one more shot on the short but intense stage 20, finishing atop Val Thorens (33.4, 5.5%), which returns in Le Tour after 25 years.

Among the riders to attend Thursday's presentation in Palais des Congrès was also Quick-Step Floors' Julian Alaphilippe, one of the star attractions at this year's Tour de France, where he came of age by winning two mountain stages (Le Grand-Bornand and Bagnères-de-Luchon) and being crowned polka dot jersey winner for the first time in his career on Champs-Élysées.

"At first glance, it's a very mountainous course, with so many tough climbs, especially those crammed in the last week, when we'll constantly go over 2 000 meters, a factor which could significantly impact the race. I am happy we'll start from Belgium – the country of Quick-Step Floors – where we will already get some chances to show ourselves, before crossing the border into my beloved France", said 26-year-old Julian, who has been victorious in 12 races this season. "Of course, I'll go with ambitions there, although it's still too early to name my goals. I need to have a closer look over the route together with my trainer and the team, before deciding what my targets will be."

"It's very mountainous course" says Alaphilippe KOM Tour de France winner

 
Tag: alaphilippe
 
Jan 11 2024 - NEWS: Julian Alaphilippe to skip Tour to focus on the Giro d'Italia
Oct 26 2018 - NEWS: It's a very mountainous course - says KOM Tour de France winner Alaphilippe
 
Tag: tourdefrance
 
Jan 10 2024 - NEWS: Primož Roglic to lead BORA - hansgrohe at the Tour de France
Jan 10 2024 - NEWS: Remco Evenepoel sets his sights on the 2024 Tour de France
Dec 01 2023 - NEWS: Northern France to host first four stages of the 2025 Tour de France
Nov 14 2023 - NEWS: 2025 Tour de France to start in Lille
Oct 26 2023 - NEWS: 2024 Etape du Tour boasts 4,600m of climbing and mountain top finish
Oct 26 2023 - NEWS: 2024 Tour de France Femmes finishes atop Alpe d’Huez in thrilling finale
Oct 25 2023 - NEWS: 8 Must watch Stages of the 2024 Tour de France
Oct 23 2023 - NEWS: 2024 Tour de France Route: Here's what we know ahead of the Route Presentation
Sep 13 2023 - NEWS: 2024 Tour de France starts in Italy and ends in Nice
Sep 01 2023 - NEWS: How much Do Tour de France riders earn during the race?
Jul 28 2023 - NEWS: Vingegaard visits Van Aert after Tour de France victory
Jul 23 2023 - NEWS: Vingegaard celebrates second Tour de France title in Paris
Jul 22 2023 - NEWS: Tadej Pogacar comes away with Tour de France win after cracking on the Queen Stage
Jul 21 2023 - NEWS: Mohoric slays Asgreen in Tour de France Stage 19 Photo Finish
Jul 20 2023 - NEWS: Kasper Asgreen keeps the Peloton at Bay to win Stage 18 from the Breakaway
Jun 29 2024 - EVENT: 2024 Tour De France