Tour de France 2020: The Essential Guide

(Image credit: Bettini)

The world has changed dramatically since the route of the 2020 Tour de France was unveiled last October. The 3,470-kilometre route remains the same, but the global COVID-19 pandemic means that it will be a Tour de France like no other.

The race dates have changed from July to late August/September, and the riders' preparation and teams' selections have changed, leaving everyone fresh, on form and hungrier then ever to win during the short but intense rescheduled season. Everyone on the race will have to respect strict medical protocols to limit the risk of the COVID-19 virus emerging in the peloton and possibly stopping the whole race, but there is a real sense that the riders will race as if there's no tomorrow.

The number of COVID-19 cases in France has grown enormously in recent weeks, and could keep increasing over the next few weeks as the Tour de France rolls through the country, but organisers ASO, governing body the UCI, the French government and even the sponsor-dependent teams and riders seem convinced that the show must go on. It is ultimately their risk. If the race manages to reach Paris with a limited number of cases in the 'race bubble', the sport will have pulled off a high-stakes, calculated gamble. If something happens along the route and the race has to be cancelled, the damage to the sport could be irreparable.

The first mountain finish comes as soon as stage 4 to Orcières-Merlette, with another testing finale on stage 6 to Mont Aigoual. Sadly, the two stages in the Pyrenees seem suited to breakaways, but cannot be taken lightly. The risk of crosswinds along the Atlantic coast on stage 10 to Ile de Ré will mean a restless first rest day, with the haul across the Massif Central also offering chances to attack.

The Col de la Loze that leads up to and beyond the ski resort is a new addition to the race, and has only recently been surfaced. It’s long, at 21.5km, with an average gradient of 7.8 per cent. The first 17 kilometres climb steadily up to Méribel, while it is the final four kilometres, above 2,000m altitude, that will really hurt, with some sections even at 20 per cent on a narrow, straight strip up the mountainside.

However, even before the start in Nice, the script has already changed and will surely change again in the next three weeks. The idea of three leaders combining from each team for an almighty battle has been thrown out of the window: Steven Kruijswijk is out of the Jumbo-Visma team after fracturing his shoulder, while Team Ineos opted to go all-in with Egan Bernal and select dedicated support riders instead of taking Thomas and Froome.

Nairo Quintana has become an honorary Frenchman after his move to Arkéa-Samsic, and could help a French team win again. The 30-year-old Colombian climber was on fire before the lockdown, seemingly rediscovering the motivation and determination that was so obviously lacking in his final years at Movistar. Quintana has yet to find the same form after the lockdown, but this year's race route suits him better than ever before and offers him a real chance of overall victory.

If you prefer an underdog and outsider for a podium spot, there are plenty. Starting with Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), the ever-unpredictable, but always likeable, Mikel Landa (Bahrain McLaren), Critérium du Dauphiné winner Dani Martinez and his EF Pro Cycling teammates Rigoberto Uran and Sergio Higuita, Tour debutant Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and even Bernal's Ineos understudy Pavel Sivakov.

Who? American team, run by Jonathan Vaughters, that started out as Slipstream Sports in 2007, merged with Cannondale in 2014, and was saved in 2017 by EF, who now have them doing adventure rides as well as pro races.
Tour titles: 0
Stage wins: 8
Main man: Rigoberto Urán finished second in 2017 but it's Dauphiné winner Daniel Martínez and a third Colombian, Sergio Higuita, who could shine brightest in an eclectic line-up.

Who? Formerly known as Dimension Data, and before that MTN-Qhubeka, the South African team now has a Japanese title sponsor and Danish influence as Bjarne Riis returned to the sport to manage the squad.
Tour titles: 0
Stage wins: 7
Main man: Giacomo Nizzolo is enjoying an extended spell of form after numerous injury problems and it's wouldn't be a surprise to see him win a stage in the Italian champion's jersey.

Worn by the leader of the points classification. Points are awarded at stage finishes and intermediate sprints (one per road stage), and while the sprinters are the main candidates, it's the more versatile among them - the ones who can compete on a variety of terrain and also get into breakaways - who have the best chance. Peter Sagan is one such rider and has won green in seven of the past eight Tours - that's every one he's finished.

Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.