2023 Tour de France Femmes route

The route for the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift hits new heights with 956 kilometres and a grand finale in the Pyrenees with a mountaintop finish on the iconic Tourmalet on stage 7 and a final stage 8 time trial in Pau.

The rebirth of the Tour de France Femmes began in Paris in 2022 and next year's 2024 edition will begin in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This year's edition of the eight days of racing will begin in the Massif Central on July 23, 2023, in the city of Clermont-Ferrand, the capital of the Auvergne region.

It is the second edition of the rebirth of the women's Tour de France after a successful return last year saw the race begin on the famed Champs-Élysées and at the top of La Planche des Belles Filles where Annemiek van Vleuten claimed the yellow jersey and the overall title.

The 2023 Tour de France Femmes is set to take place from July 23 to 30 and will take in a whole new area of France. 

The Grand Départ moved away from the hustle and bustle of the Paris circuits – and out from under the men's race – and begin in an all-new location in 2023.

"This route is different. We want to explore new regions and tackle other mountain ranges. There are some similarities, too, as we built this on a robust framework using the same key ingredients that made it a success last summer," said Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme, together with Tour de France Femmes race director Marion Rousse on stage at the Palais des Congrès.

Rousse agreed with the route similarities and overall structure, stating that although the race will not begin in Paris on the same platform as the final stage 21 of the three-week men's event, the route will continue in its new tradition of carrying on the Tour de France brand with the women's race during a 'fourth week'.

"The women will race eight stages from Sunday to Sunday and extend the drama for a fourth week with the same script focusing on the feats and failures of the champions, and the role of breakthrough characters against a magnificent backdrop. Like last year, there will be similarities between the two courses," Rousse said.

Cyclingnews will have live coverage of all eight stages of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, along with race reports, galleries, results, and exclusive features and news.

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Stage 1: Clermont-Ferrand to Clermont-Ferrand, 123.8km (flat)

The race will open for stage 1 on July 23 in Clermont-Ferrand for a 124km flat race with a decisive final that includes the Côte de Durtol (1.7km), a perfect launch-pad for attacks, located 9km before the finish in Clermont-Ferrand.

However, the ascent will likely not be challenging enough to separate the sprinters in the field and so riders such as Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) will aim to, once again, win the opener and take the first yellow jersey of the eight-day race.

Wiebes left the Giro d'Italia Donne early, after securing a stage win, so that she could focus specifically on the Tour de France Femmes sprints.

Other riders who will make a mark on the stage will be Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), Maike van der Duin (Canyon-SRAM Racing), and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), who returns to the Tour de France Femmes having recovered from injuries sustained in a crash at the Ride London Classique.

With the coveted jersey up for grabs, watch for an all-out battle for the finish line in Clermont-Ferrand. 

Stage 2: Clermont-Ferrand to Mauriac, 148km (hilly)

The second day of racing on July 24 sees stage 2 begin in Clermont-Ferrand with a 148km hilly route into Mauriac with 2,500 metres of elevation. 

The route will include six ascents; Côte de Mont-Dore (1.3km at 6.6%), Côte de a Stèle (1.8km at 5.1%), Côte des Plaines (4.5km at 5.5%), Côte des Boissieres (1.2km at 7.2%), pass through the finish line for a final circuit that then includes ascents over Côte de Merlhac (1.9km at 5.5%) and Côte de Trébiac (3.5km at 5.8%) located just 1.5km from the finish line in Mauriac.

The hilly circuit might not be challenging enough to ride the likes of Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) but it is perfect for her teammate Lotte Kopecky, who indicated that she would play a support role but also a wildcard at the eight-day race.

A great stage for the puncheurs, also look for a breakaway to gain time on the field, riders like Elisa Longo Borghini and Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek), Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) will also be aiming for success in Clermont-Ferrand.

Stage 3: Collonges-La-Rouge to Montignac-Lascaux, 147km (flat)

The peloton will contest a flatter route on stage 3, July 25, and another opportunity for the fast women of the peloton.

The race for the green points jersey will likely be heating up at this stage of the race and riders in contention for that special classification will be eyeing every opportunity before the race hits the mountains.

The stage 3, a 147km route, begins in Collonges-La-Rouge, and even though it is mostly flat, it still includes five shorter ascents; Côte du Peyroux (4.8km at 4%), Côte du Pératel (2km at 5.3%), Côte de l'Escurotte (2.6km at 4.7%), Côte de Andrieux (2.6km at 4.1%) and Côte de Saint-Robert (1.1km at 6.2%), so it won't be an 'easy' day for anyone in the field.

 Following the ascents there is a flat 10km to the finish line in Montignac-Lascaux.

Stage 4: Cahors to Rodez, 177km (hilly)

It's back to the hills on July 26 with stage 4's lumpy 177km race into Rodez. It also marks the longest stage of the event with an altitude gain of 2,400 metres. 

More than just a transfer stage, the race will begin in Cahors, and the route will include five ascents. Col de Crayssac (2.3km at 4.8%) is at the start of the stage, and then it's flat through the valley where a breakaway could set off ahead of the final selection of climbs.

The late-race succession of climbs are Côte de Sant-Jean-de-Laur (3km at 4%), Côte de Colombiès (5.5km at 4.2%), Côte de Moyrazès (4.6km at 5.5%), Côte de Lavernhe (2.2km at 7.1%) and Côte Saint-Pierre (570m at 10.1%).

After cresting the last ascent, the peloton will descend the final nine kilometres into Rodez.

Stage 5: Onet-Le-Château to Albi, 126km (flat)

As the race heads further south into the Pyrénées, stage 5 on July 27, will begin in Onet-Le-Château. 

It is one of the flatter stages with a 126km route that will include four ascents: Côte des Combalous (800m at 8.1%), Côte de Najac (2.1km at 7.4%), Côte de Laguépie (1.5km at 9%) and Côte de Monestiés (1.6km at 6.4%).

The peloton will then descend into a flat 10km run-in to Albi.

Last year, one of the main discussion topics was the speed at which the peloton raced every single day. These flat to hilly stages into the foothills of the Pyrénées will be raced aggressively as teams undoubtedly try to wear down the GC contenders such as Annemiek van Vleuten and Demi Vollering in the battle for the overall classification.

Likewise, teams with strong sprinters will be vying for every opportunity at a bunch kick to the finish line in Albi.

Stage 6: Albi to Blagnac, 122km (flat)

Albi will also be the start of stage 6 on July 28, and at this point of the race, the overall classification could still be wide open for the taking.

The 122km flat route will include four ascents; Côte de La Cadène (2.5km at 4.5%), Côte de Puycelsi (1.8km at 6%), Côte du Clos Pourtié (2.6km at 4.8%) and Côte de la Gayre (1km at 4.9%) before a flat finish into Blagnac.

It will likely be the last day for the sprinters as the race heads to the Tourmalet on stage 7 and a time trial in Pau on stage 8.

Stage 7: Lannemezan to Tourmalet Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 90km (mountain)

The queen stage of the Tour de France Femmes takes place on the penultimate stage 7 on July 29 with a summit finish at the iconic Tourmalet, an ascent that race director Marion Rousse said will forever be inscribed into the history of the event.

The 90km route will begin in Lannemezan and tackle the Col d'Aspin (12km at 6.5%) first before the final ascent to the Col du Tourmalet (17km at 7.3%), marking the most decisive stage of the event.

It will almost certainly be a decider in the general classification and a possible place for a showdown between defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), who recently won the Giro d'Italia Donne for the fourth time in her career,  and Demi Vollering (SD Worx). But do not discount other climbing talents such as Juliette Labous (Team DSM-Firmenich) and Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek), nor FDJ-SUEZ duo Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Marta Cavalli, Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) and Mavi Garcia (Liv Racing TeqFind).

At last year's Tour de France Femmes, Van Vleuten launched a rampage through the Vosges where won back-to-back mountain finishes at Le Markstein and La Planche des Belles Filles to win the overall title.

This year, however, the Tour de France Femmes will end with an individual time trial in Pau.

Stage 8: Pau to Pau, 22.6km (ITT)

New to the Tour de France Femmes, and a highly requested addition, the race will culminate with an individual time trial on July 30. 

Stage 8 will take place in Pau and the peloton will race a 22km time trial to close out the event and if the gaps in the general classification are close, this will be the test that could decide the overall champion of the Tour de France Femmes.

Annemiek van Vleuten is a former two-time time trial world champion and the Olympic champion in the discipline. If she hasn't sealed her place at the top of the GC, she could still win it in Pau, but she will have tough competition from other strong time trialists in the field.

Tour de France Femmes 2023

• Stage 1: Clermont-Ferrand to Clermont-Ferrand, 124km (Flat)
• Stage 2: Clermont-Ferrand to Mauriac, 148km (hilly)
• Stage 3: Collonges-La-Rouge to Montignac-Lascaux, 147km (Flat)
• Stage 4: Cahors to Rodez, 177km (Hilly)
• Stage 5: Onet-Le-Château to Albi, 126km (Flat)
• Stage 6: Albi to Blagnac, 122km (Flat)
• Stage 7: Lannemezan to Tourmalet Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 90km (Mountain)
• Stage 8: Pau to Pau, 22km (TT)