Paris - 24 October 2012: Tour de France 2013 Launch - Video and Chris Froome Interview
Tour de France 2013 Route worthy of the 100th edition of the race
From 29th June to 21st July 2013, the hundredth edition of the Tour de France will take the riders, support staff, spectators and viewers on a 3,360-km route that will remain exclusively within France's borders.
The film below gives outlines the route. It also contains an interview with Team Sky's Chris Froome is hotly tipped as a potential winner.
It is the first time since 2003 that the Tour de France will comprise a French only route. The race starts on June 29th with the first of three days on the island of Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. This is the Tour's first visit here and will provide a spectacular backdrop to what will be one of the toughest starts to a Tour.
After a ferry ride to the mainland the peloton faces a 29km team time trial in Nice. The route then takes the riders across the south of France into the Pyrenees. The highlight is arguably stage 9 from Saint Girons to Bagneres de Bigorre - 165km but taking in five major climbs including the 1569m Col de Peyresourde.
After a rest day the riders face a couple of days in the often windy northwest corner of France. A tough test will be stage 11, a 33km individual time trial that finishes at the foot of the spectacular Mont St Michel.
The route then heads diagonally back across the centre of the country towards the Alps. The cross-country trek culminates with the mammoth 242km stage 15 from Givors to the summit of Mont Ventoux. It's Bastille Day and France will be baying for a French win. They'll have to fend off a certain duo of Englishmen though - Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins.
After a well-need rest day in Vaucluse on July 15 the last act begins. Stage 17 on July 17th is a challenging individual time trial 32km from Embrun to Chorges. Stage 18 will give the riders a case of double vision, with the profile comprising two ascents of Alpe d'Huez in one day.
It's still not over though. Stage 19 is a 204km behemoth from Bourg d'Oisans at the foot of Alpe d'Huez to Le Grand Bornand, while picturesque stage 20 starting in Annecy makes up for its short 125km length with its profile, especially the precipitous climb to the finish Annecy Semnoz.
The last scene plays out with the traditional finish in Paris. Mark Cavendish will be looking for his fifth straight win on the cobbles.
