Organisers of the Tour de France today unveiled the route for the 2011 race with six mountain stages awaiting the riders.
The race, which will get under way on 2 July, features four finishes in the hills and two climbs of the daunting Col du Galibier in the Alps, as well as a trip to Italy in Pinerolo during the 17th and 18th stages.
(For a more detailed break down of the Tour route in 2011, click here.)
The first stage of the event will see the competitors ride from Passage du Gois to Mont des Alouettes, with the final stage between Creteil and Paris taking place on 24 July.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme said of the route: ‘We wanted to provide a huge array of challenges for all kind of riders.
‘We wanted a more balanced route, with three stages in the Pyrenees and three in the Alps during the final week. That way we will maintain the suspense until the very end.’
This year's winner, Alberto Contador, was not present at the unveiling in Paris following revelations he tested positive for clenbuterol during the race.
Team Sky rider Bradley Wiggins, however, voiced his support for the route and is hopeful his team can enjoy greater success than on their race debut in 2010.
‘With the tour you know you're going to have summit finishes, you know there's going to be a time trial, you know it's going to be three weeks long,’ he told Sky Sports News.
‘With no prologue, there is a chance we could lose time on the first stage. However, there's also a great chance for us to win the time trial stage on the second day. The first week will be a hugely important week for the team.
‘Last year was a learning experience for everyone involved. We put the best team together at the time, and had the best preparation. Unfortunately in professional sport it doesn't always happen for one reason or another.
‘But we go away from that and learn from our mistakes and rectify those problems, making it right for next year.
‘We're looking forward to next year. We want to get on the podium and win it if we can. We'll set the bar high and aim to do it.’
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