Tour de France 2021 route: Stage profiles, previews, start times, dates, distances

A stage-by-stage look at the 2021 Tour de France route with profiles, previews, distances, dates and estimated start times (all times Eastern).

Stage 1: BREST→LANDERNEAU

Date: Saturday, June 26

Start time: 6:00 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 197.8 km (122.9 miles) – Hilly

Preview: The 1st stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers approximately 198 km. The race starts in Brest and ends in Landerneau in what should be an exciting finish to see who can claim the first yellow jersey of the Tour. It includes 6 categorized climbs, though none tougher than a Category 3, and an intermediate sprint at 135.1 km.

Stage 2: PERROS-GUIREC→MUR-DE-BRETAGNE

Date: Sunday, June 27

Start time: 7:00 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 183.5 km (114 miles) – Hilly

Preview: The 2nd stage of the 2021 Tour de France is a 183.5-kilometer hilly stage that starts in Perros-Guirec and ends on the Mur-de-Bretagne in Guerledan. It features another 6 categorized climbs, all Category 3 or 4, including two climbs of the Mur-de-Bretagne. Between bonus seconds behind awarded atop the first Mur-de-Bretagne ascent and an uphill sprint to the finish line on the last climb, there could be an early swap of the yellow jersey.

Stage 3: LORIENT→PONTIVY

Date: Monday, June 28

Start time: 7:00 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 182.9 km (113.6 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 3rd stage of the 2021 Tour de France is simpler flat stage, covering approximately 182.9 km and only featuring a pair of Category 4 climbs. In between those two climbs on the route from Lorient to Pontivy is an intermediate sprint at 118.3 km. With a flat road to the finish line, this stage should see the “pure” sprinters compete head-to-head for the first time in this year’s Tour.

Stage 4: REDON→FOUGERES

Date: Tuesday, June 29

Start time: 7:15 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 150.4 km (93.5 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 4th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 150.4 km, as the best sprinters in the world will be on display for a second straight flat stage. The race from Redon to Fougeres is the only non-time trial stage in this year’s Tour without a single categorized climb. The stage features an intermediate sprint in the 2nd half of the stage at 114.4 km before another bunch sprint is expected at the finish line.

Stage 5: CHANGE→LAVAL

Date: Wednesday, June 30

Start time: 6:05 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 27.2 km (16.9 miles) – Individual Time Trial

Preview: The 5th stage of the 2021 Tour de France is the first of two individual time trials, this one starting in Change and ending in Laval. It’s the first year since 2017 that the Tour has featured multiple individual time trials, which suggests the yellow jersey could be decided by which of the GC riders are the best time trialists. The rider who finishes the 27.2 km route on Stage 5 could very well be the new leader until at least the second week of racing.

Stage 6: TOURS→CHATEAUROUX

Date: Thursday, July 1

Start time: 7:45 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 160.6 km (99.8 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 6th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 160.6 km from Tours to Chateauroux and is another stage designed for a finish-line showdown between the sprinters. One Category 4 climb comes at 72.6 km before the green jersey race takes over. An intermediate sprint at 104.3 km precedes what should be another exciting bunch sprint to end the day.

Stage 7: VIERZON→LE CREUSOT

Date: Friday, July 2

Start time: 4:50 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 249.1 km (154.8 miles) – Hilly

Preview: The 7th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 249.1 km, the longest stage since 2000. The race starts in Vierzon and ends in Le Creusot. The intermediate sprint comes before five categorized climbs, including the first Category 2 climb of the Tour, which will award bonus seconds atop the Signal d’Uchon. The course suggests it could be a successful day for the breakaway or a small group of all-rounders contending to wear yellow at the end of the first week.

Stage 8: OYONNAX→LE GRAND-BORNAND

Date: Saturday, July 3

Start time: 7:00 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 150.8 km (93.7 miles) – Mountain

Preview: The 8th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 150.8 km and is the first mountain stage of the race. After a first week without a lot of difficult climbing, the stage from Oyonnax to Le Grand-Bornand features three Category 1 climbs. With bonus seconds being awarded at the top of the Col de la Colombiere, the final climb of the day, the attention turns to the best climbers in the peloton.

Stage 9: CLUSES→TIGNES

Date: Sunday, July 4

Start time: 6:50 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 144.9 km (90 miles) – Mountain

Preview: The 9th stage of the 2021 Tour de France from Cluses to Tignes covers approximately 144.9 km and will be the most grueling stage of the Tour to this point. There’s five categorized climbs, all of which are Category 2 or higher, including the first HC climb of the Tour on the Col du Pre. Plus, the finish line marks the first of three summit finishes of the Tour, following a 21 km ascent up the Montee de Tignes.

Stage 10: ALBERTVILLE→VALENCE

Date: Tuesday, July 6

Start time: 6:55 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 190.7 km (118.5 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 10th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 190.7 km following the first of two rest days. Unless there’s extreme crosswinds, expect a simple day on the course from Albertville to Valence. Just a single Category 1 climb and the intermediate sprint come in the first half of the stage before the peloton sets itself up for a probable bunch sprint at the finish line in a day suited for the green jersey contenders.

Stage 11: SORGUES→MALAUCENE

Date: Wednesday, July 7

Start time: 5:50 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 198.9 km (123.6 miles) – Mountain

Preview: The 11th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers approximately 198.9 km and features two different climbs up the same mountain. After leaving Sorgues, riders will encounter five categorized climbs in total, the last two a Category 1 climb and an HC ascent both up Mount Ventoux. Bonus seconds will be awarded atop the final climb before the majority of the final 22 km are downhill to the finish line in Malaucene.

Stage 12: SAINT-PAUL-TROIS-CHATEAUX

Date: Thursday, July 8

Start time: 7:20 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 159.4 km (99 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 12th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 159.4 km. The route from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Nimes is another flat stage that suits the sprinters, with no obstacles until a Category 3 climb at 83.7 km, just after the halfway point in the stage. With a late intermediate sprint in play, the green jersey race will be the highlight of the day.

Stage 13: NIMES→CARCASSONNE

Date: Friday, July 9

Start time: 5:55 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 219.9 km (136.6 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 13th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers a lengthy 219.9 km on the second straight day with a flat stage, starting where the previous day finished in Nimes. Once an early Category 4 climb is out of the way, the attention turns to the sprinters. While it does look like a straightforward day for the green jersey race, the finish town of Carcassonne has never seen a bunch sprint when it has hosted a finish line in the Tour.

Stage 14: CARCASSONNE→QUILLAN

Date: Saturday, July 10

Start time: 6:15 a.m. on Peacock, NBC

Distance: 183.7 km (114.1 miles) – Hilly

Preview: The 14th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 183.7 km. The race starts where it finished Stage 13 in Carcassonne and finishes in Quillan. The hilly stage features five categorized climbs, three of which are Category 2. The final climb of the day will award bonus seconds atop the Col de Saint-Louis. On paper, this looks like a day for the breakaway, with the heavier mountain stages still to come in the third week of the race.

Stage 15: CERET→ANDORRE-LA-VIEILLE 

Date: Sunday, July 11

Start time: 6:10 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 191.3 km (118.9 miles) – Mountain

Preview: The 15th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 191.3 km, a long mountain stage starting in Ceret and finishing in Andorre-la-Vieille. Let the third week of the Tour begin with four categorized climbs, including three Category 1 climbs, and bonus seconds up for grabs atop the Col de Beixalis. The riders will also endure the highest point of the Tour at over 2,400 meters on the Port d’Envalira.

Stage 16: PAS DE LA CASE→SAINT-GAUDENS

Date: Tuesday, July 13

Start time: 6:55 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 169 km (105 miles) – Hilly

Preview: The 16th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 169 km following the final rest day of the race. Now that they’ve gotten another quick rest ahead of the most pivotal racing, the yellow jersey contenders might let the breakaway succeed on this hilly stage from Pas de la Case to Saint-Gaudens. Four spread-out categorized climbs make this an exciting opportunity for a strong breakaway specialist.

Stage 17: MURET→SAINT-LARY-SOULAN

Date: Wednesday, July 14

Start time: 5:45 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 178.4 km (110.9 miles) – Mountain

Preview: The 17th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 178.4 km, kicking off the first of the final two mountain stages of the Tour, both of which are summit finishes. The GC battle heats up starting in Muret, where a flat lead-up to three tough categorized climbs will put the yellow jersey contenders to the test. The stage ends in Saint-Lary-Soulan on the Col du Portet – the HC summit finish taking riders to an elevation of over 2,200 meters.

Stage 18: PAU→LUZ ARDIDEN

Date: Thursday, July 15

Start time: 7:25 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 129.7 km (80.6 miles) – Mountain

Preview: The 18th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 129.7 km, with the short-distance mountain stage a good indicator of a challenging day of climbing. After leaving Pau, the peloton will tackle two small Category 4 climbs in the first half of the day before two HC climbs in the second half. It’s the only stage in the Tour with multiple HC climbs, the latter a summit finish at Luz Ardiden. It’s the last opportunity for the GC riders to put themselves in good position ahead of the Stage 20 time trial two days later.

Stage 19: MOURENX→LIBOURNE

Date: Friday, July 16

Start time: 6:05 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 207 km (128.6 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 19th stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 207 km. Expect a casual day from the peloton on this flat stage following the last of the mountains the day earlier and the need for strong legs the next day in the time trial. If a courageous breakaway doesn’t take advantage of this, we should see another sprint finish in Libourne.

Stage 20: LIBOURNE→SAINT-EMILION 

Date: Saturday, July 17

Start time: 6:55 a.m. on Peacock, NBCSN

Distance: 30.8 km (19.1 miles) – Individual Time Trial

Preview: The 20th stage of the 2021 Tour de France is the second individual time trial that covers 30.8 km. The stage starts in Libourne, where the previous stage finished, and ends in Saint-Emilion. After what happened on last year’s Stage 20 individual time trial, when the yellow jersey amazingly switched hands, brace for another exciting day that could decide the winner of the Tour for the second straight year.

Stage 21: CHATOU→PARIS – CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES

Date: Sunday, July 18

Start time: 10:05 a.m. on Peacock, NBC

Distance: 108.5 km (67.4 miles) – Flat

Preview: The 21st stage of the 2021 Tour de France covers 108.4 km. The race starts in Chatou and includes a Category 4 climb at 7.4 km and an intermediate sprint at 68.3 km. The Yellow Jersey is traditionally often solidly settled on the shoulders of the final winner at the start of this last stage, but for the sprinters who dream of triumphing on the Champs-Élysées, it’s the opportunity to take on one of the toughest challenges of the year.