Tour De France 2014: A Visual Companion

TOUR DE FRANCE 2014:A VISUAL COMPANION Running from Saturday 5th - 27th July 2014, the 101st Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,656km THIS YEAR'S STAGES BY THE NUMBERS: Flat Stages Hill Stages Mountain Stages Altitude Finishes Individual Time-trial Stage Rest Days THIS YEAR THERE ARE 9 NEW STAGE CITIES: Leeds, Harrogate Pays du Val d'Adour York Maubourguet Sheffield Risoul Cambridge Oyonnax Ypres STAGES THE GRAND DEPART STAGE 1 -LEEDS SAT 191km 5TH JULY STAGE 2 198km SUN - HARROGATE 6TH JULY CAMBRIDGE STAGE 3 159km MON 7TH JULY LONDON THE TOUR HARROGATE O YORK OLEERS SHEFFIELD STAGE 4 LE TOUQUET- PARIS-PLAGE TUE 8TH JULY 164km LILLE STAGE 5 -YPRES CAMBRIDGE WED 159km 9TH JULY ARENBERG PORTE DU HAINAUT LONDON STAGE 6 ARRAS ..... THU 194km 10ΤΗ JULΥ REIMS STAGE 7 ÉPERNAY FRI 11TH JULY 233km NANCY E TOUQUET- PARIS-PLAGE ARENBERO POR DU HAINAUT I ULLE STAGE 8 ARRAS TOMBLAINE SAT REIMS 161km 12TH JULY PARIS CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES NANCY ÉPERNAY GÉRARDMER TOMBLAINE STAGE 9 166km GIRARDMER SUN 13TH JULY PLANCHE BELLES FILLES MULHOUSE BESANCON 161km STAGE 10 BOURO-EN-BRESSE MON OYONNA PLANCHE BELLES 14TH JULY FILLES SAINT-ETIENNI CHAMROUSSE RIGUEU GRINOBLE STAGE 11 BESANÇON BERGERAC RISOUL TALLARD WED 186km 16TH JULY NIMES MAUBOURGUET VAL D'ADOUR SAINT-GAUDENS OYONNAX CARCASSONNE STAGE 12 BOURG-EN-BRESSE SAINTLARY AONERES DE SOULAN LUCHON THU 183km 17TH JULY SAINT-ÉTIENNE STAGE 13 183km LOOK OUT FOR FRI 18TH JULY - CHAMROUSSE STAGE 5: Ypres to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, aka The Cobbled Stage -GRENOBLE STAGE 14 177km SAT 19TH JULY RISOUL -TALLARD STAGE 15 222km SUN 20TH JULY The stage stretches out over 15.4 kilometres of some of France's most challenging cobbled roads. NIMES "If you're not scared, you're not ready. You need all your wits about you." - Johan Van Summeren, 2011 Paris-Roubaix winner CARCASSONNE STAGE 16 237km TUE 22ND JULY BAGNÉRES-DE -LUCHON STAGE 8: Tomblaine to Gérardmer, aka The Impossible Climb SAINT-GAUDENS STAGE 17 125km WED 23RD JULY SAINT-LARY -SOULAN - PAU STAGE 18 145km THU The first proper climb of the tour begins at the Col la Croix des Moinats in Gérardmer, with a maximum gradient of 16%. 24TH JULY HAUTACAM MAUBOURGUET VAL D'ADOUR STAGE 19 STAGE 20: Bergerac to Érigueux aka "The Final Trial" FRI 208km 25TH JULY BERGERAC STAGE 20 54km SAT 26TH JULY ÉRIGUEUX -ÉVRY The nail-biting 54km time trial at the end of the tour is where we're most likely to see the biggest divides occur. STAGE 21 136km SUN "Having the time trial at the end is designed so that the climbers don't have to chase, but can ride in front and not become demor- alized." - Christian Prudhomme, General Director, Tour De France 27TH JULY PARIS CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES WORLD TOUR TEAMS Ag2r La Mondiale (Fra) Lotto Belisol (Bel) Astana Pro Team (Kaz) Movistar Team (Spa) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep Cycling Team (Bel) BMC Racing Team (USA) Orica-GreenEdge (Aus) Cannondale Pro Cycling (Ita) Team Europcar (Fra) FDJ.fr (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano (Ned) Garmin Sharp (USA) Team Sky (GBr) k Katusha Team (Rus) Tinkoff Saxo (Den) Lampre-Merida (Ita) Trek Factory Racing (USA) WILDCARD TEAMS Bretagne-Séché Environnement (Fra)I IAM Cycling (Sui) + Cofidis (Fra) Team Netapp - Endura (Ger) THE JERSEYS Different colour jerseys are awarded to certain riders throughout the Tour: The Yellow Jersey General Classification The Green Jersey Points Classification The green jersey represents the race's best sprinter, with the competition running right up until the final stage. Awarded to the overall Tour winner. Last Worn By: Chris Froome (Team Sky) Last Worn By: Peter Sagan (Cannondale) The Polka Dot Jersey Mountains Classification The White Jersey Young Riders Classification The King Of Mountains' jersey is awarded to the climber with the most points. Awarded to the highest -ranked rider aged under 25 in the overall competition. Last Worn By: Nairo Quintana (Movistar) Last Worn By: Nairo Quintana (Movistar) PREVIOUS WINNERS 2013 2012 2011 1. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky Procycling 1. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky Procycling K 1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 2. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team - 2. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky Procycling 2. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 3. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver Katusha 3. Vincenzo Nibali (It) 3. Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek- Liquigas-Cannondale THIS YEAR'S FAVOURITES Alberto Contador Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank Two-time Tour de France champion and winner of both the Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour of the Basque Country, this year could see the Spaniard reclaim his top spot on the podium. Vincenzo Nibali Astana Riding off the back of a very successful 2013, after securing an impressive first at the Giro D'Italia, the Italian looks set to perform exceptionally well at this year's Tour. Chris Froome Team Sky Defending champion Froome hasn't had the easiest of years so far, but a repeat win at the Tour of Oman has once again showcased this riders phenomenal skillset. sky YCLIN Richie Porte Team Sky An incredibly strong contender, assisting both Froome and Wiggins achieve victory in previous races, is this year's Tour Porte's chance to take the limelight? BANK SANK Peter Sagan Cannondale Having won the green jerseys at the last two Tours, Peter Sagan has proved that although he is not the fastest sprinter, he's definitely the most versatile. ABOUT THIS INFOGRAPHIC This Infographic was created on behalf of Merlin Cycles, one of the UK's longest established online bike shops and mail order cycling specialists in operation today. MERLIN CYCLES.COM Find out more at www.MerlinCycles.co.uk