With the Tour de France only nine days away, its 'younger brother', the Tour de l'Avenir, has been presented by race organiser ASO. The event, carried out for the 54th time, will take place from September 5-14 this year, taking its U23 riders from Chalette-sur-Loing in Northern France down to Mirepoix in the South, close to the Pyrenees.
The 1380km-route is designed to be selective as it will make the peloton take on the Massif Central, France central mountain range, as well as the Pyrenees. A prologue of 7.5km as well as a time trial totaling 21km adds to the race's resemblance with the Tour de France.
The Tour de l'Avenir will be carried out as a UCI Nations Cup Under 23 event. 20 national teams, each counting six riders, will be at the start line.
The stages outline as follows:
Prologue - September 5: Chalette-sur-Loing, ITT (7,5 km)
Stage 1 - September 6: Chalette-sur-Loing-Avallon (131 km)
Stage 2 - September 7: Vézelay-Commentry (195,5 km)
Stage 3 - September 8: Néris-les-Bains-St-Symphorien (209 km)
Stage 4 - September 9: St-Symphorien-sur-Coise-St-Flour (181,5 km)
Stage 5 - September 10: Saint-Flour-Carmaux (212,5 km)
Stage 6 - September 11: Blaye-les-Mines-Blaye-les-Mines, ITT (21 km)
Stage 7 - September 12: Saint-Juéry-Revel Saint-Ferréol (134 km)
Stage 8 - September 13: Revel-Guzet (149,5 km)
Stage 9 - September 14: Seix-Mirepoix (144,5 km)
