Tour de France 2019 Route stage 1: Brussels - Brussels
Saturday 6 July - At 194,5 kilometres, the 1st stage of the Tour de France is an out-and-back race in Brussels. The route takes in the iconic Wall of Geraardsbergen, but as the cobbled hill is crested in the first part of the race it won't have an impact on the battle for the first maillot jaune.
The route features 800 vertical metres, which obviously should not worry fast men as these are spread over almost 200 kilometres. But something sprinters should definitely be aware of is the 4% gradient of the 500 metres.
Following the start on Place Royale in Brussels, the Tour de France moves through the boroughs Molenbeek and Anderlecht and continues to the Wall of Geraardsbergen. The cobbled climb – 1.1 kilometres at 9.2% – is followed by the Bosberg, but the combo will not have a major impact on the race.
Over the Bosberg – with still 140 kilometres remaining – the route continues to Edingen and Charleroi, where the 1975 Tour de France celebrated its Grand Départ with a prologue (Francesco Moser win). Now the race turns north to return to Brussels via Villers-la-Ville, Waterloo, Overijse, Tervuren and Sint-Pieters-Woluwe. The passage through Sint-Pieters-Woluwe is to honour Eddy Merckx, as the five time Tour de France winner grew up in this village. He also took his first ever yellow jersey here – in 1969.
It is approximately 10 kilometres from Sint-Pieters-Woluwe to the finish near the Castle of Laeken, the official residence of the King of the Belgians.
The second Grand Départ ever in the Belgian capital is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Eddy Merckx’s first victory on La Grande Boucle. Following his 1969 victory, the Cannibal would take home four more yellow jerseys during his impressive career, which makes him one of four record holders. The other five time victors are Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Jacques Anquetil. Merckx won the race in four consecutive editions – 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 -, and in 1974.
The first Grand Départ in Brussels was held on behalf of during the 1958 Brussels Worlds Fair, an event for which the Atomium was constructed, a landmark building where stage 2‘s team trial is set to finish. Obviously, the Tour de France visited the Belgian capital more often. It will be the eleventh inclusion of Brussels. The first time was in 1947 (René Vietto victory) and the last time in 2010 (Alessandro Petacchi show).
Time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three riders on the line.
Another interesting read: results/race report 1st stage 2019 Tour de France.
Tour de France 2019 stage 1: route, profiles, more
Click on the images to zoom
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Leave a comment
2 comment(s)
Related articles Riders - Tour de France 2019 Withdrawals - Tour de France 2019 Route and stages - Tour de France 2019 Enter Tour de France pool with main prize of 3,000 euros GC Favourites - Tour de France 2019 Visit the Tour de FranceMore articles Tour de France 2021: The Route
Tour de France 2021: Riders
Tour of Flanders 2021: Riders
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 1: Brest - Landerneau
Tour de France 2021 Favourites stage 1: Alaphilippe for first maillot jaune
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 2: Perros-Guirec - Mûr-de-Bretagne
Tour de France 2021 Favourites stage 2: Punchers at Mûr-de-Bretagne
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 3: Lorient - Pontivy
Tour de France 2021 Favourites stage 3: Fast finishers showdown #1
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 4: Redon - Fougères
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 5: Changé - Laval
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 6: Tours - Châteauroux
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 7: Vierzon - Le Creusot
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 8: Oyonnax - Le-Grand-Bornand
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 9: Cluses - Tignes
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 10: Albertville - Valence
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 11: Sorgues - Malaucène
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 12: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Nîmes
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 13: Nîmes - Carcassonne
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 14: Carcassonne - Quillan
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 15: Céret - Andorra la Vella
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 16: Pas de la Case - Saint-Gaudens
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 17: Muret - Col du Portet
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 18: Pau - Luz-Ardiden
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 19: Mourenx - Libourne
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 20: Libourne - Saint-Emilion
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 21: Chatou - Paris
Cycling Calendar 2021
Volta a Catalunya 2021: The Route
Volta a Catalunya 2021: Riders
Giro 2021: Riders
Milan - San Remo 2021: Riders
Strade Bianche 2021: Riders
UAE Tour 2021: Riders
Hi I’m wondering if someone can help me..I’m trying to find our what time stage 1 will start on the tour de France Thankyou
Times have yet to be announced.