Chris Froome (Sky) in the shadows of the Arc de Triomphe(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Yellow. 100th Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Sky) soaks up the moment on the podium(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The 2014 Tour de France route was unveiled at the Palais des Congres(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
L'Arc de Triomphe is the familiar sight on the final day.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The final stage of the 2014 Tour de France will again see the peloton circle the Arc de Triomphe and feature an evening finish, albeit at a slightly earlier time than this year. Stage 21 of the Tour is slated to finish on the Champs-Élysées at 8:30pm on Sunday, July 27.
At the 2014 Tour route presentation in October, it had appeared that the finishing circuit would revert to its previous format, in which the peloton turned just short of the Arc de Triomphe. Organisers ASO have since received permission from Paris police to circle the Arc.
"The police commissioner has given his agreement for a route identical to that of 2013," Tour de France assistant director Pierre-Yves Thouault told AFP. "The success of the 2013 Tour convinced us to include the same route which allows us to best promote the race as well as the monuments."
The evening finale and longer finishing circuit were introduced for the 2013 Tour to mark the 100th edition of the race as part of festivities that also saw (almost) all living Tour finishers invited to attend a ceremony in Paris.
AFP reports that one additional alteration to the Parisian finale in 2014 will be the point at which the bunch crosses the Seine en route to the Champs-Élyées circuit. Rather than crossing the Pont du Caroussel near the Louvre, the race will now traverse Alexandre III bridge, opposite the Grand Palais.
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