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 eight days of racing will begin in the Massif Central on July 23, 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 will move 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.
Tour de France Femmes 2023 stages
Stage 1: Clermont-Ferrand to Clermont-Ferrand, 124km (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.
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.
Stage 3: Collonges-La-Rouge to Montignac-Lascaux, 147km (flat)
The peloton will contest a flatter route on stage 3, July 25, but the 147km route that begins in Collonges-La-Rouge 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%) with a flat 10km to the finish line in Montignac-Lascaux.
Stage 4: Cahors to Rodez, 177km (hilly)
On July 26, stage 4's hilly 177km, will be the longest stage of the event with an altitude gain of 2,400 metres. Beginning in Cahors, 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 before hitting a succession of climbs 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%) before the finish in 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. The flatter 126km route 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%) with a downhill and then flat run-in to Albi.
Stage 6: Albi to Blagnac, 122km (flat)
Albi will also be the start of stage 6 on July 28. 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 fat finish into Blagnac.
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. The 90km route will begin in Lannemezan and tackle the Côte 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.
Stage 8: Pau to Pau, 22km (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 where the overall champion will be crowned.
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)
