Uphill battles, revamped route: plans for 2021 Tour de France announced

The route for the 2021 Tour de France was unveiled by organisers on Sunday after the coronavirus pandemic meant that plans for the Grand Départ had to be amended.

The opening of the event was initially intended to be in Copenhagen - but that is now scheduled to take place in 2022.

Instead, the tour will begin in Brittany, and over the course of three weeks, riders will be faced with three summit finishes (Tignes, Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet and Luz Ardiden), descending finishes in Le Grand Bornand, at the foot of a "revamped" Ventoux and in Andorra, plus two individual time trials with a combined length of 58 kilometres.

The revamp for Ventoux means riders will climb it twice through two different courses, first from the easiest of its three sides, from Sault - 26km at an average gradient of 4.6% - then from its hardest side, from Bedoin - 21km at 7.5% - during the 11th stage between Sorgues and Malaucene, at the bottom of the descent of the third side.

The 18th stage incorporates another iconic ascent, to the Col du Tourmalet, with the stage before going through the Col de Peyresourde before ending at the top of the Col du Portet (16km at 8.7%), 2,215 metres above sea level.

It will also feature the longest ride in 20 years when Stage 7 takes the peloton over 248km from Vierzon to Le Creusot.

The ninth stage will finish in Tignes, two years after the 19th stage was interrupted because of landslides and torrential rains.

Total: 3,383km