Despite concluding with an individual time trial and not a summit finish, the 2017 Tour de France is likely to be won in the mountains. Although it comes after the last climb, at just 23 kilometres, the final race against the clock in Marseille could be too short for any rider to rely upon their time trialling skills to take significant chunks out of their rivals, although the final stage of the recent Giro d'Italia shows what's possible.
At 13 kilometres the prologue in Dusseldorf isn’t going to play much of a role in determining the early part of the race either.
So it should be in the mountains that the Tour is won. With two separate visits to the Alps comprising four stages, along with two in the Pyrénées and one in the lesser known Vosges, we examine the seven days likely to define his year’s Tour.
Vosges
Stage 5, Wednesday, 5th July
Vittel to La Planche des Belles Filles, 160 km
Snuck early in the schedule, and not flagged as a mountain stage on some route previews, Stage 5 could easily catch riders unprepared.
The Vosges Mountains are far less well known than the Alps or Pyrenees, green and rolling they lack the extreme altitude of their rockier cousins.
However, the final ascent of La Planche des Belles Filles is still a first category climb. Gaining around 500 metres over 5.5 kilometres, it starts steadily with an average gradient of 8.5%, but ends brutally with a short ramp of around two hundred metres which hits angles of between 22% to 28% towards the finish.
This is where Chris Froome announced himself in the 2012 Tour de France, beating defending champion Cadel Evans and teammate and eventual winner Bradley Wiggins to the stage win.
Wiggins moved into yellow and the two British riders embraced after the finish line. The pinnacle of a shortlived friendship.
Alps
Stage 8, Saturday 8th July
Dole to Station Les Rousses, 187km
The Jura Mountains are a sub-alpine range located in the north western corner of the Alps, on the French-Swiss border.
A long day with three notable climbs, Stage 8 could prove perfect for a long break by riders who’ve lost time early and so won’t threaten the General Classification.
The final climb of the Côte de la Combe de Laisia Les Molunes summits 11 kilometres from the finish, meaning any rider over the climb ahead of their rivals will need to hold their advantage during a final flat dash to the line.
Stage 9, Sunday 9th July
Nantua to Chambery, 181km
The second of two back-to-back days in the Jura Mountains, Stage 9 features three brutal Hors Catégorie (HC) climbs.
Most notably a novel ascent of the less ridden side of the Grand Colombier, known as the Directissime. Featuring gradients of up to 22%, this is followed by the Mont du Chat, a climb that’s only once previously featured in the Tour.
In 1974 Raymond Poulidor and Eddy Merckx duked it out up its almost 1000 metres of vertical ascent. The first rider over the summit will need to then descend the same amount if they want to take the stage.
Pyrenees
Stage 12, Thursday 13th July
Pau to Peyragudes, 214km
This first of two days in the Pyrenees, the mountain range that form the border between France and Spain.
The longest stage of this year’s race, Stage 12’s profile heads ever upwards, with a host of climbs of increasing difficulty ramping up towards the day’s one HC climb of Port de Balès.
With an elevation of 1,755 metres, the road from its base to the summit is 11.7 kilometres long. Immediately after it comes the first category Col de Peyresourde, before the route drops slightly to provide one last sting in the form of a short uphill finish to Peyragudes.
Stage 13, Friday 14th July
Saint-Girons to Foix, 100km
The Tour’s longest day is followed by its shortest. At 100 kilometres it's the briefest since half-stages were abolished; still, don’t expect an easy ride.
The twin climbs of the Col de Latrape and Col d'Agnes along with the final Mur de Péguère mean this short and punchy stage is consciously designed to encourage attacking racing.
Alps
Stage 17, Wednesday 19th July
La Mure to Serre Chevalier, 183km
Back in the Alps for a second time in the race, on this occasion the riders will find themselves in the Dauphiné region.
Comprising the Col de la Croix de Fer and an ascent of the Galibier via the Télégraphe, Stage 17 crams in three classic mountain climbs.
At 2,642 metres the summit of the Col du Galibier is the highest point of the race and the location for the Souvenir Henri Desgrange prize.
Normally awarded to the first rider crossing the highest point in the race, this year it will be won on the summit of the Galibier where there stands a monument to the journalist and Tour founder.
A descent of over 1,000 metres off the mountain to the finish line means this is likely to be an epic and thrilling stage.
Stage 18, Thursday 20th July
Briançon to Col d'Izoard, 178km
The last mountain stage, and the likely location for the definitive act of this year’s race.
With just a 23 kilometre time trial to follow afterwards, the riders will have nowhere to hide as the race passes through the Casse Déserte, the barren and rocky upper reaches of the Col d'Izoard.
One of the earliest climbs to be included in the Tour, the Izoard first appeared in 1922 and is perhaps the most readily associated with the golden era of the 1950s.
With the riders already having hauled themselves over the 2,109 metre high Col de Vars, the last ten kilometres leading to the summit finish atop the Izoard at an average of 9%.
La Course by Le Tour de France, Women’s race
Now in its fifth edition, La Course by Le Tour de France is a women’s race that coincides with a stage in the Tour.
Taking place on the same day, it’s recently been held alongside the final stage which ends on the Champs Elysee.
However this year the women’s peloton will contest 66 kilometers of the mountainous Stage 18.
In order to decide the overall positions in the race the fastest finishers will then compete in a pursuit style track race in the Velodrome at Marseilles on the same day as the final men’s time trial.