Tour de France 2021 – The Grande Boucle

Looking back at last year’s cycling calendar, it was clearly shaped by the COVID pandemic. Race starts, stage towns and start lists were shuffled and reshuffled. The Tour de France didn’t start until autumn, alongside the Giro and the Vuelta. The 108th edition of the Tour de France is still taking place during the pandemic, but the traditional June start date gives hope for a touch of normality. And it has to be said: last year the hygiene and safety concepts were not only tested, but implemented exemplarily. The Tour organizers set a new kind of benchmark here. Not only the other Grand Tours benefited, but also the smaller one-day races. This year the bubble system will again be used, as well as mobile and regular PCR tests. The permitted spectator numbers will also be lower than at a normal Tour. Nevertheless, we can hardly wait for the start and look forward to a fantastic Tour de France 2021. The fireworks begin on 26/06/2021 in Brest in Brittany. On 18/07/2021 the race goes from the cycling-mad town of Chatou to Paris for the grand finale on the Champs-Élysées.

Here is our overview of the participating teams, selected Tour favorites, and highlight stages.

• AG2R Citroën Team (FR)

• Astana - Premier Tech (KAZ)

• Bahrain Victorius (BHR)

• BORA-hansgrohe (DE)

• Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux (BEL)

• Team BikeExchange (AUS)

• Cofidis (FR)

• Deceuninck-Quick-Step (BEL)

• EF Eduvation-Nippo (USA)

• Groupama-FDJ (FR)

• Israel Start-Up Nation (ISR)

• Team Qhubeka Assos (ZAF)

• Movistar Team (ES)

• Ineos Grenadiers (GB)

• Team Jumbo-Visma (NL)

• Team DSM (DE)

• UAE Team Emirates (UAE)

• Trek-Segafredo (USA)

• Lotto Soudal (BEL)

As in the 2020 Tour, Total DirectÉnergie (FR), TeamArkéa-Samsic (FR) and B&B Hotels p/b KTM (FR), formerly B&B Hotels–Vital concept, will start. These UCI ProTeams are once again the lucky wildcard recipients. New to the race is Alpecin – Fenix (BEL), which secured a start as the top team in the 2020 UCI ProTeams ranking. So there will be 23 teams in total. Last year there were “only” 22 teams fighting for the yellow jersey.

Our rider and team favorites for 2021

UAE Team Emirates - Tadej Pogačar
The Slovenian-led team around 2020 TdF winner Tadej Pogačar will have to fight hard for every stage win from now on. The competition won’t let this youngster fly away this year and will attack hard. We’re curious to see whether Pogačar can defend his three jerseys. The Slovenian captured the yellow jersey, the mountains jersey and the white jersey as best young rider.

Roglič, Kruijswijk, Van Aert – Team Jumbo Visma
The Dutch favorite Team Jumbo-Visma must draw lessons from the 2020 Tour. One is starting without Tom Dumoulin. The Dutchman surprisingly withdrew for personal reasons. The heralded trio of Roglič, Kruijswijk and Dumoulin can again not start together – a little déjà vu from 2020? Roglič stands at a crossroads in his career, and we expect fierce attacks on yellow. It remains to be seen whether Wout Van Aert will support the Slovenian as a super-domestique or target the polka-dot jersey himself.

Ineos Grenadiers
Welshman Geraint Thomas will try to build on his successes from 2018 (1st) and 2019 (2nd) and lead Ineos Grenadiers as team captain. The two time trials suit the rouleur and world-class engine, and the first TT will immediately reveal his rivals’ form. For youngster Tao Geoghegan Hart it will be his first Tour de France. As the surprise 2020 Giro winner, expectations are high. The British powerhouse starts without this year’s Giro champion Egan Bernal. After moving back to the Brits, things are also looking up for Richie Porte. As the 2021 Critérium du Dauphiné winner, he’s in better shape than last year.

Wilco Kelderman & Peter Sagan - BORA-hansgrohe
The strong German squad BORA-hansgrohe attacks yellow with new captain Wilco Kelderman, who is meant to take pressure off the still-recovering Buchmann after his early-2021 crash. Peter Sagan will do everything to take the green jersey and keep it to Paris – provided the extraordinary puncheur starts the Tour. The final roster is still open. The rejuvenated team should bag one or two stage wins. Team boss Ralph Denk leaves room for speculation on the TdF lineup.

Team BikeExchange – Simon Yates
The former Mitchelton-Scott squad around Simon Yates fields another hunter of the yellow jersey. He knows what success over multiple days feels like at a Grand Tour and can manage tactics for himself and the team. With teammates back to their best, BikeExchange will target several stage wins.

Julian Alaphilippe & Sam Bennett – Deceuninck-Quick Step
With Bennett and Alaphilippe, the Belgian team has two major head-turners. After sprinter Bennett wore the green jersey for 14 days and defended it to Paris, he’ll want to repeat that feat. We’re curious who will challenge him. Reigning road world champion Alaphilippe will surely fight for a stage, but the main target will likely be yellow. Deceuninck-Quick Step is stacked again this year.

The middle of the pack

AG2R- Citroën Team
With Romain Bardet gone, the podium is a distant prospect. Nevertheless, the roster can aim for stage wins. As a climber on this course, Parte-Peintre has a good shot at the white jersey for AG2R-Citroën Team.

Astana Premier Tech
The Kazakh Astana Premier Tech around leader Jakob Fuglsang will hunt stage wins. For Aleksandr Vlasov, the white jersey is within reach if the team runs like clockwork.

Mikel Landa - Bahrain Victorious
Mikel Landa regularly makes the Tour’s top ten, but has shown little progression lately. The team will likely prioritize stage wins over a podium for the leader. The opposition is simply too strong for a serious GC tilt. But maybe Bahrain Victorious springs a surprise?

Groupama-FDJ - David Gaudu
The still-young Gaudu will captain the French Groupama-FDJ. He more than lived up to his megatalent billing at the 2020 Giro, with two stage wins and 8th overall. With Thibaut Pinot targeting the 2021 Giro, the young climber can step further out of his shadow. Arnaud Démare can also eye a strong points classification.

Caleb Ewan - Lotto Soudal
Popular Belgian squad Lotto Soudal will again focus on stages. Ambitious Caleb Ewan starts as leader and will also target green. He proved his form with two stage wins last year. German rider John Degenkolb will be a key helper.

Movistar Team
Enric Mas impressed last year and will be rewarded with a shared leadership this Tour. The other half goes to newcomer Miguel Ángel López. We’re excited to see if Spanish Movistar Team can extend its team classification winning streak – unbeaten since 2018.

Team DSM - Romain Bardet
After nine years at AG2R, Bardet joined the rebranded Team DSM. Last year, still as Team Sunweb, they showcased textbook attacking tactics. Expect more of the same and a fight for stage wins. A top-ten GC is unlikely with Bardet.

Big names – big hopes?

Guillaume Martin - Cofidis
The stage-win drought continued in 2020 – the last one came in 2008. That’s clearly Cofidis’s main goal. With Guillaume Martin, the best French rider at the 2020 Tour, the chances look good, especially as he has improved significantly. With solid team support he should also make the top ten overall.

Trek-Segafredo
The American team around Vincenzo Nibali lost another key rider with Richie Porte’s departure. More than one or two stage wins seems unrealistic for Trek-Segafredo. The former favorite will aim for a decent overall placing; with Bauke Mollema that’s within reach. But he also has the Giro in his legs – we’ll see if there’s enough for all-out attacks.

The newcomer – Alpecin Fenix
For Belgian Alpecin Fenix it’s a first Tour de France. To tick off debut boxes, Mathieu van der Poel will also make his Tour debut – as captain. The young star has a very good chance to slip into yellow, at least briefly. His grandfather, Raymond Poulidor – the eternal second – would be proud!

The Grand Tour in numbers

›     3,394 km across 21 stages
›     8 flat stages
›     6 hilly stages
›     5 mountain stages
›     5th and 20th stages are individual time trials
›     27 climbs, summit finishes or passes of cat. 2, 1 or Hors Catégorie
›     Longest stage: 7th stage, 249 km from Vierzon to Le Creusot
›     Shortest stage: 21st stage, 108 km Chatou to Paris
›     Highest point: Port d’Envalira 2,408 m (Souvenir Henri Desgrange)
›     2 rest days

Our highlight stages

Again this year, the Tour de France route stays almost entirely on French soil. The original Grand Départ in Copenhagen was canceled due to the pandemic and the upcoming football Euros. Only stages 15 and 16 start in Andorra.

The Grand Départ is in Brittany, a region with a very special relationship to cycling and the Tour. For the seventh time the peloton starts there, this year in Brest. In 2021, the Tour is also something of a mini Brittany tour – all four departments are included.



The first four stages in Brittany mix hilly and flat. The opening two stages feature ramps up to 14%. A nice gift for top puncheurs, but less so for sprinters. Their legs will be even heavier on day two when, after a short sprint, the Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan is climbed again. As compensation there’s a sprint section to Pontivy, with a thrilling bunch finish. The 29 June stage is less flat than the day before, but still sprint-friendly – a proper warm-up for both puncheurs and sprinters.

The first individual time trial, from Changé to Laval, comes on stage 5. At 27 km it’s unusually long for a TT, so it still offers a good chance for certain puncheurs – especially if they already wear yellow and love racing against the clock.

The longest stage arrives early on day seven. Bonus seconds await the three fastest riders. The finale should be very exciting, with a series of climbs that hardly allow a breather. A little trick by the course designers to give fans more action? Or to tire legs and minds for the first mountain stages to come?

The first mountain stage includes three category-one climbs. It runs from Oyonnax to Le Grand-Bornand. Climbers will feel at home and can claw back time lost in the TT. There are bonuses to “climb” again. The bunch will tighten up and every chance must be taken. Stage nine ramps up the high-mountain challenge. With a rest day following, there will be no energy saving. Category-1 and category-2 climbs alternate, with the first Hors Catégorie in the middle. A flat 2 km run-in makes the sprint spicy. Stage 11 tackles Mont Ventoux twice to over 1,830 meters – a definite highlight. First, a gentler ascent and a very fast – and tricky – descent to Malaucène. Then the hard side via Bédoin, and an even faster plunge back to Malaucène. Without the right balance between climbing and descending, the finish will be unhappy.



Stage 13 hugs the Golfe du Lion. The flat terrain contrasts sharply with the prior week. The real issue is the wind – which can be brutally tiring. Sprinters will seize every lull. The longer distance gives breakaways a shot, unless the sprinters’ teams control things. The finish is in Carcassonne.

From Céret to Andorra la Vella on stage 15. Riders must conquer the Souvenir Henri Desgrange at 2,408 m on Port d’Envalira. The truly demanding part, however, is Col de Beixalis (1,796 m, 6.4 km at 8.5%) in Andorra. The climbs up to Col de Beixalis are more manageable thanks to wider roads. The descent is extremely narrow and steep – a stern test of technical skill. Stage 15 sets the tone for the following days, with two HC summit finishes and the Souvenir Jacques Goddet.

The intensity peaks across stages 15–18 are:

• Montée de Mont-Louis (8.4 km at 5.7%; 1,560 m; cat. 1)

• Port d’Envalira (10.7 km at 5.9%; 2,408 m; cat. 1)

• Col de Beixalis (6.4 km at 8.5%; 1,796 m; cat. 1)

• Col de la Core (13.1 km at 6.6%; 1,395 m; cat. 1)

• Col de Peyresourde (13.2 km at 7%; 1,569 m; cat. 1)

• Col de Val Louron-Azet (7.4 km at 8.3%; 1,580 m; cat. 1)

• Col du Portet (16 km at 8.7%; 2,215 m; HC)

• Col du Portet (16 km at 8.7%; 2,215 m; HC)

• Col du Tourmalet (17.1 km at 7.3%; 2,175 m; HC)

• Luz Ardiden (13.3 km at 7.4%; 1,726 m; HC)

They offer climbers a last chance to shine – and to take time before the TT and final sprint stages. The maillot jaune hunters will also have to give everything; mere seconds from the time trial won’t suffice.

The final time trial is again on stage 20. It’s around an hour of racing over 30.8 km. For comparison: last year it was only about 6 km in a similar time. The course is very flat, with just one rise mid-route, so specialists can go all-in. Climbers will struggle to hold the speed.

The final 21st stage of the 2020 Tour de France is the Le Grand Final from Chatou to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The course is quite flat, with a small rise at kilometer 7.4. The pace will be blistering and a new, lengthened finishing straight adds extra spice. Traditionally, the yellow jersey is not attacked on the final day – the winner can savor the last kilometers in the yellow winner’s jersey and soak up the celebrations.

Classification jerseys, special jerseys and unique team kits

Once again there are special designs this year – both for the Tour jerseys and for some participating teams. The special jerseys pay homage to France in blue, white and red, to Breton and five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault, and to La Grande Boucle itself. The Grand Départ in the northwest also, traditionally, gets its own jersey.



Some teams will also ride in special-edition kits designed especially for the Tour. These include, for example, BORA-hansgrohe and Team Jumbo-Visma. In addition, TotalEnergies will unveil an exclusive new team design.

The Tour’s second pandemic year

Miraculously, teams got through the last Tour without a single positive PCR test. The much-discussed bubble system worked. Therefore, the safety concept will be reused:

• Maintaining a minimum distance of 2 m

• Strict cleaning measures

• No contact with fans (e.g., selfies or autographs)

Rider and team safety remains in focus. To allow regular testing and handle the high volume, a mobile lab will again be used, regularly testing all 184 riders as well as other team members. If there are two positive tests within a team, the entire squad must go home. That consistent, prudent approach was evident at the 2020 Giro. To prevent crowds, spectator numbers at start and finish points are expected to be limited. Controlling the entire route is more difficult, as seen in 2020. It was obvious that some masks were worn poorly at times, and distancing wasn’t always observed – even around riders – in the heat of the race. We therefore hope for a more relaxed situation in summer and more distance among on-site spectators. We’re also looking forward to the varied and beautiful French landscapes – postcard scenes in Brittany, historic Renaissance châteaux in the Loire Valley, the medieval fortress of Carcassonne, coastal stretches and stark, rugged mountains that inspire dreams of France. Some will surely want to explore these vistas on their next summer cycling holiday. The Tour de France is also a showcase of hospitality, openness, and sporting togetherness. Especially in tough times, it shows how flexible and inventive cycling can be – and is. So we look forward to an exciting Tour de France 2021 that brings more normality, and we hope for a 2022 edition with countless cheering fans embracing at roadside, starts and finishes – and for special stages abroad again: in short, a “perfectly normal cycling year.”


Photos: BORA hansgrohe/Bettiniphoto, Getty Images, Photo News, Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash, Wikipedia