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le Tour de France, 2016

2nd July - 24th July, 2016

"The Tour is always for the climbers"

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Route map of the 2016 Tour de France

Tour de France 2023s

official website for le Tour de France
[also official website in French]

 

the cycling zone

la Vuelta a España, 2016 - let's climb!

La Vuelta 2016

giro d'italia 2018
il Giro d'Italia 2018 : Middle East meets West, climbing all the way

Giro d'Italia

 

TDF current and previous years, as seen by abelard.org:

magnificent, monumental
2016 tour de france route
the stages for 2016
this year’s t-shirts
the teams, and team jerseys/colours
this year’s top ten seeded riders
last year (2015): the first ten riders
mountain stages, uphill and summit finishes
watching tdf broadcasts

Tour de France 2022

watching TDF broadcasts

Le Giro 2016    La Vuelta 2015

magnificent, monumental

Starting for the first time in the Brittany département of La Manche, in the north-west of the country. visiting its first world heritage monument - Mont-Saint-Michel, and a major D-Day landing beach - Utah.

2 euro coin minted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings
2 euro coin minted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings

Coursing through spectacular landscapes, this year's Tour de France should be a lush trip for spectators as well as a serious test for the riders. Chris Froome has said, "I think it's going to take a complete cyclist – but the stage that certainly stands out for me is Mont Ventoux."

Grand depart in La Manche, TDF 2016

The 103rd edition of this extraordinary race demands stamina, endurance and courage. With a stage start in Spain, leading to two days in Andorra, and later two days in Switzerland, this year's TDF will broaden its range of mountain roads and climbs, finishing with three stages around the great Mont Blanc (stages 18, 19 and 20).

Mont Ventoux (1912 m) will be climbed for the 16th time in the history of the Tour de France, 2016 being its sixth time as a summit finish. The 16 km ascent being regarded as the most difficult in France. This stage, held on France's National Day, is all the more challenging as it will be followed on the next day by a 37 km time trial, that ends with a 5 km uphill finish. Riders energies will have to be well managed over these two days.

Paul Cezanne - Mont Ventoux
Paul Cezanne - Mont Ventoux

2016 tour de france route

From Saturday 2nd July to Sunday 24 July, 2016, the 103th Tour de France will be competed during 21 stages, over a distance of 3,519 kilometres.


Route map of the 2016 Tour de France

There will be:

  • 7 flat stages
  • 6 hilly stages
  • 8 mountain stages with 4 summit finishes (9 Andorre Arcalis, 12 Mont Ventoux, 17 Finhaut-Emosson and 19 Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc)
  • 2 individual time trial stages
  • 2 rest days

There are 16 towns not previously visited:

  • Utah Beach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (arrival 1st stage)
  • Saint-Lô (start 2nd stage)
  • Arpajon-sur-Cère (start 7th stage)
  • L'Isle-Jourdain (start 8th stage)
  • Lac de Payolle (arrival 8th stage)
  • Vielha Val d'Aran (start 9th stage)
  • Escaldes-Engordany (start 9th stage)
  • Bourg-Saint-Andéol (start 13th stage)
  • La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc (start 9th stage)
  • Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux (arrival 14th stage)
  • Culoz (arrival 15th stage)
  • Moirans-en-Montagne (start 16th stage)
  • Berne (arrival 16th stage & start 17th stage)
  • Finhaut-Emosson (arrival 17th stage)
  • Megève (arrival 18th stage & start 20th stage)
  • Chantilly (start 21st stage)

time bonuses and points continue

Reintroduced in 2015, time bonuses will be awarded at the finish of 'normal', flat, stages. These bonuses are 10, 6 and 4 seconds for the first three in each stage.

The leader of the points classification is awarded the green jersey. The points system is said to add value to the stage wins, and encourage more competition earlier on in the race. Points are awarded both for intermediate sprints during a stage, and at the stage finish of every 'normal' stage.

The spotty (polka dot) jersey is awarded to the best climber, the King of the Mountains. Climbing points are awarded at the tops on mountains and hills, and at the four mountain top finishes :


The 2016 route in 3D, 4:45 mins

New translation, the Magna Carta

the stages for 2016

[Note: blue links go to profile section on this page,
            yellow links go to associated pages at abelard.org]

1 Mont-Saint-Michel > Utah Beach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
Sat. 2 July [188 km / 117 mi]
12 Montpellier > Mont Ventoux
Thurs. 14 July [185 km / 115 mi]
summit finish - 1912 m, 5.7 km at 8.8%
2 Saint-Lô > Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Sun. 3 July [182 km / 113 mi]

uphill finish - 1.9 km at 6.5%
13 Bourg-Saint-Andéol > La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc
Fri. 15 July [37 km / 23 mi]
individual time-trial
uphill finish - 2.3 km at 4.9%
3 Granville > Angers
Mon. 4 July [222 km / 138 mi]
slight uphill finish
14

Montélimar > Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux
Sat. 16 July [208 km / 129 mi]

4 Saumur > Limoges
Tues. 5 July [232 km / 144 mi]
15 Bourg-en-Bresse > Culoz
Sun. 17 July [159 km / 98 mi]
5 Limoges > Le Lioran
Wed. 6 July [216 km / 134 mi]
16 France : Moirans-en-Montagne > Switzerland : Berne
Mon. 18 July [206 km / 128 mi]
6 Thurs. 7 July [187 km] R rest day - Berne, Switzerland
Tues. 19 July
7 L'Isle-Jourdain > Lac de Payolle
Fri. 8 July [162 km / 101 mi]
slight uphill finish
17 Switzerland : Berne > Finhaut-Emosson
Wed. 20 July [184 km]
summit finish -1960 m, 10.4km at 8.4%
8 Pau > Bagnères-de-Luchon
Sat. 9 July [183 km / 114 mi
18 France : Sallanches > Megève
Thurs. 21 July [17 km / 11 mi]
uphill individual time-trial
9 Spain : Vielha Val d'Aran > Andorra : Andorre Arcalis
Sun. 10 July [184 km / 114 mi]
summit finish - 2240 m, 10.1km at 7.2%
19 Albertville > Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc
Fri. 22 July [146 km / 91 mi]
summit finish - 1372 m, 9.8 km at 8%
R rest day - Andorra
Mon. 11 July
20 Megève > Morzine
Sat. 23 July [146 km / 91 mi]
10 Andorra : Escaldes-Engordany > Revel
Tues. 12 July [198 km / 123 mi]
21

Chantilly > Paris Champs-Élysées
Sun. 24 July [113 km / 70 mi]

11 France : Carcassonne > Montpellier
Wed. 13 July [164 km / 102 mi]
 

Le Tour 2011 regulations (English version from p.26)

There will be 21 stages. These include 8 high mountain stages [ French, Andorran, and Spanish Pyrenees x 2, Mont Ventoux, French and Swiss Alps x 5], 6 medium mountain/hilly stages, and two individual against-the-clock (stages 13 and 18) [contre-le-montre] time trial. There are 2 rest days (11th and 19th July). All other days are 'on the plain' - relatively flat days, almost touring through some of France. The total distance ridden will be about 3,519 kilometres, or roughly 2,200 miles.

this year’s t-shirts

In line with fashion's current drive to play safe, the souvenir t-shirts for this year are without imagination or gaiety. Here's the best of the bunch.

This year, as well as the usual TDF logo t-shirts, you can choose from t-shirts for men, in manly summer grunge. These are the most presentable:

TDF t-shirt affiche TDF t-shirt affiche
Grand Départ t- shirt : 22€ Grand Départ t-shirt : 25€

The ladies' t-shirts are of similar ilk, except this one:.

TDF t-shirt affiche.
Ladies' t- shirt : 22€

the teams for 2016

There are twenty-two teams taking part in the 2016 Tour de France. As well as the eighteen “ProTeams”, UCI World Teams, invitations have been extended to four 'wildcard' teams:
Bora-Argon 18 (Ger)
Cofidis (Fra)
Direct Energie (Fra)
Fortuneo-Vital Concept (Fra)

AUSTRALIA
Orica-GreenEDGE (OGE)

BELGIUM
Etixx – Quickstep Cycling Team (EQS)
Lotto Soudal (LTS)

FRANCE
AG2R La Mondiale (ALM)
* Cofidis, Solutions Credits (COF)
* Direct Energie (DEN)
FDJ (FDJ)
* Fortuneo – Vital Concept (FVC)

GERMANY
* Bora-Argon 18 (BOA)
Team Giant – Alpecin (TGA)

GREAT BRITAIN
Team Sky (SKY)

ITALY
Lampre-Merida (LAM)

KAZAKSTAN
Astana Pro Team (AST)

NETHERLANDS
Team Lotto NL – Jumbo (TLJ)

RUSSIA
Team Katusha (KAT)
Tinkoff (TNK)

SOUTH AFRICA
Team Dimension Data (DDD)

SPAIN
Moviestar Team (MOV)

SWITZERLAND
IAM Cycling (IAM)

USA
BMC Racing Team (BMC)
Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
Trek – Segafredo (TSF)

team jerseys/colours

2014 TDF team jersey
2016 TDF team jerseys

this year’s top ten seeded riders

After the recent Critérium du Dauphiné, Froome is still strengthening, while Contador is not keeping up; Who else might challenge Froome?

  Name UCI Team Code Nat. Comments
1 Chris FROOME SKY GBR

30 y.o. Winner of 2015 and 2013 TDFs, 2nd in 2012 TDF, bronze medal in 2012 Olympics time trial, 4th in 2012 Vuelta. His 1m 83/6ft 2 ins contributes to being a strong climber and time-trialer.

2 Alberto CONTADOR TST ESP 33 y.o. Won 2012 Vuelta. Stripped of 2010 TDF and 2011 Giro titles for doping.
Refusing to admit his glory days are over, Contador persists.
3 Nairo QUINTANA MOV COL 26 y.o. Winner 2014 Giro and best young rider (White Jersey). Runner up to Froome in 2013 TDF, his slight build makes Quintana a natural climber.
4 Thibaut PINOT FDJ FRA 10th in his first TDF in 2012, winner on l'Alpe-d'Huez in 2015,but a good rouleur, Pinot is looking to the Yellow Jersey this year.
5 Fabio ARU AST ITA Winner 2015 Vuelta and 2nd in 2015 Giro, and having demonstrated his power as a climber, this will be Aru's first participation in the TDF.
6 Tejay VAN GARDEREN BMC USA 25 y.o. Winner of 2013 Tour of California and 2013 USA Pro Cycling Challenge. 5th in 2012 TDF and best young rider (White Jersey).
7 Romain BARDET ALM FRA 24 y.o. 15th, 6th and 9th in his first three TDF, as well as best young rider in 2014 Tour of Oman, 1st in 2014 La Drôme Classic, 5th in 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné.
8 Bauke MOLLEMA BEL NED 27 y.o. 6th in 2013 TDF, 3rd in 2014 Tour of Norway.
A puncheur who should be suited to the TDF climbing programme.
9 Alexandro VALVERDE MOV ESP 34 y.o. 8th in 2013 TDF, 3rd in 2013 Vuelta, Returned to racing in 2012 after 2-year suspension for doping.
10 Pierre ROLLAND CPT FRA Since 2011, Rolland usually comes in at about 10th in the TDF, but his win on l'Alpe-d'Huez last year demonstrates his climbing potential.

last year (2015): the first ten riders

Pos. Name First name Team Nat. Time diff.
1 1 FROOME Chris SKY GBR 83h 56' 40''
2 128 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexande MOV COL + 04' 20''
3 101 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT ESP + 05' 04''
4 91 CONTADOR Alberto TST ESP + 06' 27''
5 94 KREUZIGER Roman TST CZE + 07' 27''
6 164 MOLLEMA Bauke BEL NED + 15' 41''
7 63 FUGLSANG Jakob AST DEN + 12' 17''
8 121 VALVERDE Alejandro MOV ESP + 15' 26''
9 139 NAVARRO Daniel COF ESP + 15' 52''
10 178 TALANSKY Andrew GRM USA + 17' 39''
           
Overall winner FROOME Christopher 1 SKY GBR 83h 56' 40''
(Yellow Jersey)
By points SAGAN Peter 57 CAN SVK 409 pts
(Green Jersey)
Climber

QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexande

128 MOV COL 147 pts
(Polka dot Jersey)
Under 25

QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexande

128 MOV COL 84h 01' 00''
(White Jersey)
Combativity

RIBLON Christophe

178 ALM FRA 88h 00' 14"
Team winner

TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF

DEN 251h 11' 07''

mountain stages, uphill and summit finishes

abelard comments :
This year's Tour appears to have even more mountains than usual.
I am glad to see that there are several uphill finishes. These offer the opportunity to put sprinters and climbers on a more equal footing (pedalling).

Stage 2, 3rd July - final 4.5 km to Cherbourg Octeville

The final 3.5 km climb gives a flavour of climbs and stage finishes to come.

Stage 2 final 4.5 km
Stage 2 final 4.5 km

Stage 5, 6th July - final 36 km to Le Lioran

A stage for climbers and good descenders, with another sharp, little uphill finish of 3.3 km at 5.8%.

Stage 5 final 36 km
Stage 5 final 36 km

Stage 7, 8th July - final 19 km to Lac Payolle

This stage builds up to the category 1 climb to Col d'Aspin, that is followed by 25 km of technical descent, and then another short, uphill finish.


Stage 7 final 19 km

Stage 8, 9th July - Pau > Bagnères-de-Luchon

A challenging day with two category 1 climbs and the formidable Hors catégorie climb of the Col de Tourmalet

Profile stage 9 Montpellier - Mont Ventoux

Col du Tourmalet
Col du Tourmalet - 19 km at 7.4%

Col du Tourmalet
Col deVal Louron-Azet - 10.7 km at 6.8%  Col de Peyresourde - 7.1 km at 7.8%

Stage 9, 10th July - Spain : Vielha Val d'Aran > Andorra : Andorre Arcalis

A demanding day with five climbs, divided between Spain and Andorra. In the last 50 kilometres, the riders contend with the explosive rise of the Côte de la Comella (4.2 km at 8.2%) and the very irregular Col de Beixalis (6.4 km at 8.5%), before the long climb to Arcalis (10.1 km at 7.2%).

Profile stage 9 Vielha val d'Aran - Andorre Arcalis

Stage 9 last 45 km
Stage 9 last 45 km

Stage 12, 14th July - Montpellier > Mont Ventoux

The French National Day will be celebrated by climbing the Mont Chauve, the Bald Mountain. For the 6th time since 1950, the stage finishes at the Observatory at the mountain's peak - 15.7 km at 8.8%, climbing to 1912 m.

Profile stage 9 Montpellier - Mont Ventoux

Profile of Mont Ventoux
Profile of Mont Ventoux - 15.7 km at 8.8%

Stage 13, 20th July - Bourg-Saint-Andéol > La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc

Long enough to create significant differences, this time trial will not prevent climbers from defending their positions on this stage overlooking the spectacular gorges of the Ardeche.

stage 13 - Bourg-Saint-Andéol > La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc
Stage 13 Profile, Bourg-Saint-Andéol to La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc

Stage 17, 20th July - Switzerland : Berne > Finhaut-Emosson

A Swiss stage,with chances to be won on the col de la Forclaz (13 km at 7.9%), that finishes with a climb to the reservoir at Emosson (10.4 km at 8.4%).

Profile stage 17 Switzerland: Berne - Finhaut-Emosson

Stage 17 last 30 km
Stage 17 last 30 km

Stage 18, 22nd July - Sallanches > Megève

A day for the best climbers amongst the all-rounders (rouleurs), or is it the best all-rounders amongst the climbers?

Profile stage 19 Albertville - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc

Stage 19, 23rd July - Megève > Morzine

The grand finale for climbers, and perhaps for yellow jersey. After the ascent to the Col de la Ramaz, then then Col de Joux Plane, is a long descent of 12 km that could decide the Tour.

Stage 20 last 23.5 km
Stage 20 last 23.5 km


Safety 'clip' 2016, 30 secs

watch tdf broadcasts

We will provide this information when it is available, closer to the race start.

end notes

  1. D-DAY FRANCE 2014- 2 € coin commemorating the 70th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 1944.
    3 million copies were issued. On the obverse is engraved the lines of Verlaine that translate as
    "The long sobs of the violins of autumn wound my heart with a monotonous languor". This was broadcast on the BBC to warn the French resistance of the imminent landing. Also visible, half erased by the swell of a wave, are the very characteristic boot prints of American and British soldiers.
    If not found in your change, the coin is available through the internet from about 5€.

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