90th Tour de France - July 5-27, 2003

The stages    Route summary    Mountain stages

The Tour in depth

Welcome to Cyclingnews Tour Facts Central. Once the race is underway you'll find links here to each stage's live coverage, results and post-race analysis. For pre-race stage facts, follow the links from the stages for the full course profile and description for each stage.

Below the main table there's a brief summary of this year's major obstacles followed by details of the five crucial mountain stages.

The Stages

Route summary

The 2003 Tour will take place from Saturday, July 5 to Sunday, July 27. The race consists of a prologue plus 20 stages, covering a total distance of 3,427 km Including the prologue, there will be:

• 10 flat stages
• 7 mountain stages
• 3 individual time trial stages (110.5 km total)
• 1 team time trial stage (68 km)
• 3 mountain top finishes
• 2 rest days
• 1 transfer by train (TGV) and 1 by car
• 21 Category 1, Category 2 and Hors Categorie (above category) will be climbed.
• 9 new stage start/finish towns: Meaux, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Saint-Dizier, Joinville, Sallanches, Gaillac, Cap'Découverte, Saint-Maixent L'Ecole, and Pornic

Mountain Stages

Stage 7: Lyon - Morzine (226.5 km)

• km 56 - Col de Portes: 14.8 km climb (av. gradient: 5.5 percent) - Cat. 2 climb
• km 113.5 - Côte Mont des Princes: 6 km climb (av. gradient: 7 percent) - Cat. 2 climb
• km 140.5 - Côte de Cruseilles: 8.5 km climb (av. gradient: 4.2 percent) - Cat. 3 climb
• km 205 - Col de la Ramaz: 14.3 km climb (av. gradient: 6.9 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 218.5 Côte des Gets: 4.2 km climb (av. gradient: 4.6 percent) - Cat. 3 climb

Stage 8: Sallanches - L'Alpe d'Huez (211 km) - Uphill Finish

• km 10 - Côte de Megève: 9.9 km climb (av. gradient: 5.1 percent) - Cat. 3 climb
• km 125.5 - Col du Télégraphe: 12.1 km climb (av. gradient: 6.8 percent) - Cat. 2 climb
• km 149 - Col du Galibier: 18.5 km climb (av. gradient: 6.7 percent) - Cat. H.C. climb
• km 211 - L' Alpe d'Huez: 14.1 km climb (av. gradient: 8 percent) - Cat. H.C. climb

Stage 9: Bourg d'Oisans - Gap (184.5 km)

• km 38.5 - Col du Lautaret: 25.5 km climb (av. gradient: 4 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 86.5 - Col de l'Izoard: 19.4 km climb (av. gradient: 5.9 percent) - Cat. H.C. climb
• km 156 - Côte de Saint-Appolinaire: 6.7 km climb (av. gradient: 7.4 percent) - Cat. 2 climb
• km 176.5 - Côte la Rochette: 3.9 km climb (av. gradient: 6.7 percent) - Cat. 3 climb

Stage 13: Toulouse (Cité de l'Espace) - Plateau de Bonascre (197.5 km) - Uphill Finish

• km 168.5 - Col de Pailhères: 15.5 km climb (av. gradient: 7.8 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 197.5 - Plat. de Bonascre: 9.1 km climb (av. gradient: 7.2 percent) - Cat. 1 climb

Stage 14: Saint-Girons - Loudenvielle (191.5 km)

• km 35 - Col de Latrape: 5 km climb (av. gradient: 7.4 percent) - Cat. 2 climb
• km 67 - Col de la Core: 13.4 km climb (av. gradient: 6.6 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 103 - Col du Portet d'Aspet: 5.9 km climb (av. gradient: 6.8 percent) - Cat. 2 climb
• km 118.5 - Col de Menté: 7 km climb (av. gradient: 8.2 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 156 - Col du Portillon: 8.3 km climb (av. gradient: 6.9 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 180 - Col de Peyresourde: 13 km climb (av. gradient: 7 percent) - Cat. 1 climb

Stage 15: Bagnères-de-Bigorre - Luz-Ardiden (159.5 km) - Uphill Finish

• km 94 - Col d'Aspin: 12.3 km climb (av. gradient: 6.4 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 124.5 - Col du Tourmalet: 17.1 km climb (av. gradient: 7.4 percent) - Cat. H.C. climb
• km 159.5 - Luz Ardiden: 13.4 km climb (av. gradient: 7.6 percent) - Cat. H.C. climb

Stage 16 - Wednesday, July 23: Pau - Bayonne, 197.5 km

• km 67.5 - Col du Soudet: 14.1 kilometres (av. gradient: 7.5 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 98 - Col du Larrau: 2.4 kilometres (av. gradient: 10.5 percent) - Cat. 3 climb
• km 110 - Col de Bagarguy: 8.8 kilometres (av. gradient: 9.2 percent) - Cat. 1 climb
• km 118.5 - Col de Burdincurutcheta: 2.2 kilometres (av. gradient: 6.2 percent) - Cat. 3 climb

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