The mountain will be decisive in the 2023 Tour de France which starts in Bilbao

First is the Giro d’Italia (from May 6 to 28) and this Thursday it is known in detail the 110th edition of the Tour de France, which will start as it is already known on July 1, 2023 from Bilbao, which have three first days in the Basque Country, which will soon look at the Pyrenees, which will be marked by the mountainous hardness of the route and where only one test is scheduled.

This will be the first summary of the launch that took place this Thursday at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, an action that brings together the cream of international cycling and where the hardness of the first stages on the ground is known Basque, where it is the twelfth time in the 21st century that the Grande Boucle has started rolling from outside the borders of France and the second time that the Great Departure has taken place from the Basque Country, after the one that left San Sebastián in 1992 The first The three rounds of the Tour will not be easy, both because of the mileage of the stages and their demands, before starting on the third day in Amorebieta and finishing at full speed in Bayonne. This and the fourth day will be two days for the sprinters, while the climbers recharge their batteries for the next two days, where the mountain becomes prominent, with the arrival of the giants such as Tourmalet, Cauterets.

And it is that this edition of the Tour de France will be marked by the presence of the mountain, the five mountain ranges of France will be covered and there will be a total of 30 climbs in the 2nd category ports. In this range of more or less demanding climbs, perhaps the one that attracts the most attention is the ascent of the Puy de Dôme (in stage 9) whose paths will reopen to riders to the Tour (but not to its fans), 35 years after the last ascent of the Clermont-Ferrand viewpoint. This reunion with the past, recalling the rivalry between Anquetil and Poulidor in 1964 or recalling the victory of Fausto Coppi in 1952 in the edition of the first goals in high places, especially promised a first and tense battle between opponents for the ultimate glory for the title. The last four kilometers of asphalt before the finish line, with an average gradient of almost 12%, could be the fuse that wakes up the sleeping volcano.

The leading lights of the group will follow in the footsteps of the mythical Puy de Dôme, but will also test the courage of other riders on other dizzying climbs, such as the Grand Colombier (on stage 13), where the finish line was established for the second time in the history of the race. After the summit of the Jura, it’s time for the Col de la Loze, before descending to the high-altitude airstrip of Courchevel (on stage 17), to finish a sequence in the Alps reserved only for the strongest. Passing the Col de Joux Plane and its subsequent descent before Morzine (on stage 14), the ascent of Le Bettex the next day (on stage 15), as well as the Côte de Domancy track on the program for the first time (at stage 16) he has all the numbers to break the hierarchy of candidates for the yellow jersey.

As has been the custom in the great tours for some time now, the last week is decisive and the 2023 Tour will not be an exception, because to the stages listed we must add the last day of the race, where the convenience of The journey to Vosges to the ski resort of Le Markstein includes 3,500 meters of elevation gain in just 133 km, passing the Col de la Grosse Pierre and the ascent of Petit Ballon and Platzerwasel. An explosive day where the forces will be very even and where the race will be decided.

The designated leader in Alsace will be honored the next day on the Champs Elysées, where the race will close with a sprint party that will also visit Bordeaux, Limoges, Moulins and Poligny.