Belfort hosted the Tour de France on more than a dozen occasions, mostly as a starting venue. In 2019 the race went to Chalon-sur-Saône, where Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to victory.
While clipping into their pedals in Belfort, sprinters will be aware that they have no change to triumph this time. The riders traverse the Vosges Mountains and tackle the Ballon d’Alsace (11.5 kilometres at 5.2%), Col de la Croix des Moinats (5.2 kilometres at 7%), Col de Grosse-Pierre (3.2 kilometres at 8%), Col des Feignes (5.1 kilometres at 2.5%, not classified) and Col de la Schlucht (4.3 kilometres at 5.4%) in the first 80 kilometres.
A downhill of 18 kilometres leads into the Munster Valley before it goes back up again on the Petit Ballon. Tension is expected to rise in the 9.3 kilometres climb at 8.1% before reaching its zenit on the Col du Platzerwasel. The last climb of the Tour is 7.1 kilometres long and averaging 8.4%.
After traversing all these mountains the finish is situated in Le Markstein, a ski station 8 kilometres after the Platzerwasel. That last section is undulating.
La Markstein was included twice in the Tour for men – 2014, 2019 -, but it never before served as a finish for the biggest cycling event on the planet.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 20 2023 Tour de France.
Another interesting read: results 20th stage 2023 Tour de France.
Tour de France 2023 stage 20: routes, profiles, more
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