A stage-by-stage look at the 2023 Tour de France route with profiles, previews and estimated start and finish times (all times Eastern) ...
Stage 1/July 1: Bilbao-Bilbao (113 miles)
Hilly
Neutralized Start: 6:30 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:15 a.m.
Quick Preview: The Grant Départ is held in the Basque Country as the Tour’s first three stages start in Spain. There are five categorized climbs, though none of the highest difficulty, with 21 King of the Mountain points available and 50 green jersey points. An uphill finish could neutralize the top sprinters.
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Stage 2/July 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz-San Sebastián (130 miles)
Hilly
Neutralized Start: 6:15 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:04 a.m.
Quick Preview: Five more climbs with the toughest coming near the end of the longest stage of the Tour. If no breakaways are successful, the sprinters will be rewarded with a flat finish.
Stage 3/July 3: Amorebieta-Etxano-Bayonne (120 miles)
Flat
Neutralized Start: 7 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:27 a.m.
Quick Preview: The first flat stage brings the Tour into France along the Bay of Biscay coastline. Could be Mark Cavendish’s first prime opportunity to break the Tour stage wins record he shares with Eddy Merckx.
Stage 4/July 4: Dax-Nogaro (114 miles)
Flat
Neutralized Start: 7:10 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:12 a.m.
Quick Preview: Another flat stage, this one finishing at France’s first purpose-built motor racing venue, the Circuit Paul Armagnac, with the final 1.9 miles taking place on the track.
Stage 5/July 5: Pau-Laruns (103 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:21 a.m.
Quick Preview: The first of eight mountain stages that will collectively visit France’s five biggest mountain ranges. This one is in the Pyrenees with three summits in the second half of the day followed by a flat run-in to the finish. Expect the overall standings to shake up.
Stage 6/July 6: Tarbes-Cauterets (90 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:10 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:08 a.m.
Quick Preview: The first of four summit finishes of this year’s Tour. Summit finishes are usually where the real yellow jersey contenders separate from the pack. Could be the first duel between 2022 Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard and 2020 and 2021 Tour winner Tadej Pogacar.
Stage 7/July 7: Mont-de-Marsan-Bordeaux (110 miles)
Flat
Neutralized Start: 7:15 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:07 a.m.
Quick Preview: Flattest stage of the Tour with a single fourth-category climb. Cavendish won the last time a Tour stage finished in Bordeaux in 2010.
Stage 8/July 8: Libourne-Limoges (125 miles)
Hilly
Neutralized Start: 6:30 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:07 a.m.
Quick Preview: A transition day as the Tour heads to the Massif Central. A 5% uphill in the last 700 meters might mean this is not a sprinters’ day.
Stage 9/July 9: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat-Puy de Dôme (114 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:30 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 12:05 p.m.
Quick Preview: A summit finish -- to a dormant volcano -- before a rest day is sure to shake up the overall standings. Puy de Dôme returns to the Tour after a 35-year absence.
Stage 10/July 11: Vulcania-Issoire (104 miles)
Hilly
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:19 a.m.
Quick Preview: The hilliest day of the Tour. Begins at a volcano-themed amusement park.
Stage 11/July 12: Clermont-Ferrand-Moulins (110 miles)
Flat
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:19 a.m.
Quick Preview: The last flat stage until the 19th stage. If Cavendish hasn’t gotten a stage win yet, the pressure will start to mount.
Stage 12/July 13: Roanne-Belleville-en-Beaujolais (103 miles)
Hilly
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:21 a.m.
Quick Preview: Even with three late climbs, don’t expect a yellow jersey battle with back-to-back-to-back mountain stages after this.
Stage 13/July 14: Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne-Grand Colombier (86 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:45 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:12 a.m.
Quick Preview: On Bastille Day, the second and final beyond-category summit finish of this year’s Tour. The French have incentive to break away on their national holiday, but this is a climb for the yellow jersey contenders. A young Pogacar won here in 2020.
Stage 14/July 15: Annemasse-Morzine (94 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:18 a.m.
Quick Preview: Another selective day in the Alps, with each climb seemingly tougher than the last. The downhill into the finish could neutralize attacks from the last ascent.
Stage 15/July 16: Les Gets-Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (110 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 12 p.m.
Quick Preview: The last of three consecutive mountain stages features the last summit finish of the Tour. The eventual Tour winner could emerge here given the next stage’s time trial is only 14 miles.
Stage 16/July 18: Passy-Combloux (14 miles)
Individual Time Trial
First Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:36 a.m.
Quick Preview: After a rest day, the Tour’s lone, short time trial will be punctuated by a late climb. Only twice in the last 50 years has there been just one time trial (including team time trials and prologues).
Stage 17/July 19: Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Courchevel (103 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 6:20 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:03 a.m.
Quick Preview: The first of two mountain stages in the last week of the Tour. It’s the most difficult of the eight total mountain stages with more than 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) of elevation gain, capped by the beyond category Col de la Loze just before the descent to the finish.
Stage 18/July 20: Moûtiers-Bourg-en-Bresse (116 miles)
Hilly
Neutralized Start: 7:05 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:31 a.m.
Quick Preview: About as flat of a “hilly” stage as one gets. Should still be a day for the sprinters who made it through the mountains.
Stage 19/July 21: Moirans-en-Montagne-Poligny (107 miles)
Flat
Neutralized Start: 7:15 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 11:11 a.m.
Quick Preview: An undulating stage with a relieving descent toward the end. The last kilometer goes up a 2.6% incline, which could take the sting out of some sprinters.
Stage 20/July 22: Belfort-Le Markstein (83 miles)
Mountain
Neutralized Start: 7:30 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 10:54 a.m.
Quick Preview: The last competitive day for the yellow jersey is highlighted by two late category-one climbs that could determine the overall champion should it be close going into the day.
Stage 21/July 23: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines-Paris (71 miles)
Flat
Neutralized Start: 10:30 a.m.
Estimated Finish: 1:28 p.m.
Quick Preview: The ceremonial ride into Paris, almost always a day for the sprinters. Should be the final Tour stage for Cavendish and Peter Sagan, who both plan to retire from road cycling after this season.
