Organiser ASO unveiled the 103rd edition of the Tour de France today in Paris. LottoNL-Jumbo’s Robert Gesink, sixth this year, along with Sports Director Nico Verhoeven and General Manager Richard Plugge travelled to France’s capital to see the “tough” 2016 course.

The Tour begins on Saturday, July 2 in Normandy, includes 54 time trial kilometres, and climbs to four summit finishes. It enters the Pyrenees first and the Alps in the final week, with the climb to Mont Ventoux on Bastille Day a highlight.

Robert Gesink
"I'm going to study the route in detail, but at first glance, it looks like a tough tour," said classification rider Robert Gesink. "The mountain time trial [17km] is always hard, but do not underestimate the individual time trial of 37 kilometres. Also, maybe the descents will play a decisive role, like in the stage over the Joux Plane to Morzine. First, though, I’m going to sit quietly and study the route.”

Besides the four uphill finishes, the Tour counts 28 classified mountains with points on offers. That is three more than 2015’s edition.

Nico Verhoeven
"This Tour is trickier than you may think. We have been given our homework, now we must study,” Verhoeven said after the presentation. "A 37-kilometre individual time trial to Pont d'Arc and a mountain time trial... That immediately strikes you. I also have to study the road book in detail, but we will build on the innovative steps we have taken this year in time trials. Along with Bianchi, we will look closely at the bikes for the  mountain time trial, which should not weigh a gram extra. Four uphill arrivals and some difficult descents... It is a challenging Tour."

 

Date	Stage	Start	Finish	km
2 juli	1	Mont-Saint-Michel	Utah Beach	188
3 juli	2	Saint-Lõ	Cherbourg-Octeville	182
4 juli	3	Granville	Angers	222
5 juli	4	Saumur	Limoges	232
6 juli	5	Limoges	LeLloran	216
7 juli	6	Arpajon-sur-Cère	Montauban	187
8 juli	7	L'Isle - Jourdain	Lac de Payolle	162
9 juli	8	Pau	Bagnères-de-Luchon	183
10 juli	9	Val d'Aran	Andorra Arcalis	189
11 juli		Rest Day
12 juli	10	Escaldes-Engordany	Revel	198
13 juli	11	Carcassonne	Montpellier	164
14 juli	12	Montpellier	Mont Ventoux	185
15 juli	13	Bourg-Saint-Andéol	Pont d'Arc	37
16 juli	14	Montélimar	Villars-les-Dombes	208
17 juli	15	Bourg-en-Bresse	Culoz	159
18 juli	16	Moirans-en-Montagne	Bern (Zwi)	184
19 juli		Rest Day
20 juli	17	Bern	Finhaut-Emosson	206
21 juli	18	Sallanches	Megève	184
22 juli	19	Albertville	Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc	17
23 juli	20	Megeve	Morzine	146
24 juli	21	Chantilly	Paris	146