PARIS (AFP) - The 2020 Tour de France promises to be one for the climbers after organizers revealed a route on Tuesday which includes 29 high altitude ascents and five summit finishes including the individual time trial.
The race, which starts a week earlier than usual on June 27 to accomodate the Tokyo Olympics, has eight mountain stages and three hilly stages and should suit the 2019 champion Egan Bernal and his Ineos teammate Chris Froome as well as the French duo of Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet.
The 3,470km race rarely strays from the mountains even though there are nine flat stages.
"There are 29 climbs, it will be physically challenging throughout," said Tour chief Christian Prudhomme.
"Even the so called flat stages will be very tough for the pure sprinters. There are traps everywhere along the route."
Team Ineos principal Dave Brailsford, the mastermind of six Tour de France victories, told AFP on the sidelines of the unveiling that he felt undaunted by the route.
************Route of the 2020 Tour de France