The route for the 100th Tour de France was unveiled today by race director Christian Prudhomme. In attendance was double Tour winner Alberto Contador and 2010 victor Andy Schleck. Some of the big talking points are ascending l’Alpe d’Huez twice in one day and a night race finish on the Champs-Elysées.
BMC Racing Team were represented by 2011 winner Cadel Evans, Philippe Gilbert and Tejay van van Garderen.
“In the last week, we won't have an idea who's going to eventually be the winner in Paris," Evans said. "It's long on road stages, but shorter on time trial kilometers. I think it suits me a little bit better than 2012. It's a real mix and variation of stages right from the start to the finish. That third week is going to be very tough.”
World Champion, Gilbert, who won a stage last year and wore the yellow jersey, gave his own assessment. “There will be many opportunities for sprinters at the start, then the team time trial and two individual time trials – one easy and one difficult – and then some uphill finishes. So this 100th Tour was built for a very complete rider.
“To me, the queen stages will be the one that climbs l’Alpe d’Huez twice and the 242 km stage which finishes up the Mont Ventoux. They will be very tough and should affect the overall standings.”
BMC will have some decisions to make as Evans was the clear leader on the team this year but van Garderen ended up finishing higher than the Australian, netting fifth and winning the young rider competition. He is the up and coming talent, while Evans is at an age where he is very unlikely to improve further. He’ll hope to get back to his form of 2011 and see if that is enough.
Still, having van Garderen as a team-mate is a very important second option. He’s pretty satisfied with the parcours as unveiled today.
“Now that we know the material, it's time to do the homework and study for the test," van Garderen said.
“Two times up l’Alpe d’Huez on the same day? It's not going to be easy. I would have liked maybe a little bit more kilometers in time trials, but I think it's a good course. It'll be fun.”