Key stages of this year’s Tour de France

DUESSELDORF: The 104th Tour de France begins alongside the River Rhine in the German city of Duesseldorf today, the start of a 3540km journey for the 198 riders.

This year’s race features 23 categorised mountain climbs in the Alps, Pyrenees, Jura and Massif Central. Here are six of the key stages. Stage 1 – Duesseldorf: individual time trial.

Only 14 km long, flat and not particularly technical, it looks on paper a gentle opener for the riders - but it represents an early chance for the contenders to get a few seconds ahead of their rivals.

Reigning champion Chris Froome and leading rival Richie Porte are both strong time triallists. Colombian Nairo Quintana and French hope Romain Bardet are not, and will concentrate on limiting their losses. Forecast wet weather could throw up some surprises although Germany’s Tony Martin will be favourite to get first use of the yellow jersey.

Stage 5 – Vittel to La Planche des Belles Filles, 165.5km:

The first opportunity for the favourites to land a blow on their rivals, with a summit finish in the Vosges resort town. Froome will use the stage he won in 2012 to try to seize the lead. A relatively short ride, but the final 5.9-km climb has a sting in the tail with one of the steepest gradients of this year’s Tour. Stage 9 – Nantua to Chambery, 181km:

Promises to be one of the most actionpacked parts of the Tour, with a climb to start the day and then three hors-categorie ascents to follow: La Biche, the brutal Grand-Colombier and the Mont du Chat, before a white-knuckle descent into Chambery. A total of 4 600 metres of climbing will offer ample opportunities for the mountain men to launch attacks. The race might not be won on this stage but it could be lost. Stage 13 – Saint-Girons to Foix, 101km:

Three first-category climbs over 101 km make for some explosive racing. Bardet, two-time winner Alberto Contador and Dan Martin, the most aggressive riders in the race, are likely to try to blow the stage open. In 2013, on a similar stage, the Team Sky machine suffered a brutal onslaught from their rivals, leaving Chris Froome on his own to fight the likes of Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and ALejandro Valverde. Stage 18 – Briancon to Izoard, 178km:

For the first time, the 2,360-metre Col d’Izoard will host a finish of a stage although it has featured on the Tour 34 times since 1922, building up a fearsome reputation. The 14km climb will provide a battleground for the contenders as they snake their way up the relentless hairpins. Stage 20: Marseille – individual time trial, 23km:

If a week in the mountains has not decided the destiny of this year’s Tour it will all boil down to a sprint through the streets of the old French port, starting and finishing at the Velodrome football stadium.

With only two time trials on this year’s route it will be the last throw of the dice for the all-rounders still hoping to ride triumphantly into Paris. – Reuters