Tour de France Femmes 2023: Route, stages and TV

The Tour de France Femmes is made up of 8 stages of racing. There are no rest days which means teams and riders will battle for the coveted jerseys every day.

Can a route around Clermont-Ferrand ever be that flat? The opening stage of this year’s race will see the peloton do a lap around the city. The winner of this stage will go on to wear the Yellow Jersey, however the Cote de Durtol (1.7km at 7.2%) will ensure it’s no easy feat.

The second stage is where we expect a shake up in the General Classification. A total of 6 categorised climbs await on the final circuit around Mauriac with some spicy gradients. A gentle uphill finish will see the battle is continued all the way to the finish line.

Though this stage is categorised as flat, there are still hills. It’ll be a good day for teams to protect their sprinters and lead them all the way to the finish in hopes of grabbing the Green Jersey.

A very long day in the saddle will prove to be decisive during Stage 4. At 177km, it’s 15km longer than Paris-Roubaix Femmes meaning many in the peloton won’t have raced for this long in one day. With just 40km to go, riders will need to shift gears and tackle 4 consecutive tough climbs. We have no doubt there will be multiple battles on the road, especially as the leaders acknowledge the halfway point of the race.

Another “flat” stage with 4 categorised climbs gives sprinters the opportunity to shed their rivals on each climb. A long finish straight could see a reduced peloton head for the line in a bunch sprint.

A fast day out is ahead for Stage 6. The 4 categorised climbs are short-lived giving way to multiple attacks. At around 20km before the finish line, riders will descend a short hill and race along the flats all the way to Blagnac. Who will be duelling along the 1.1km finishing straight?

It’s short but it packs a punch. This 90km stage leaves Lannemezan and makes a beeline for the mountains. Taking on the Col d’Aspin and Tourmalet mountain passes for a summit finish, the GC leader after this stage will be best placed to win the overall. Will we see Annemiek launch a solo attack like last year?

Just 22km lies between the riders and the end of the Tour de France Femmes. A small climb at the halfway point favours those with something left in their legs after the Tourmalet. If there are small time gaps in the top 5 riders, this stage could prove decisive.

The following broadcasters will be showing the final 2 hours of each stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift:

Don't miss this behind-the-scenes documentary about what it takes to do the opposite of what is expected of you. Emily Chappell stars alongside former and current professional riders as this film showcases the courage, talent and perseverence of the women's peloton.

"I have wanted to ride in the Tour de France as a child," says Emily reflecting on what it means to contribute to this film. "I'll never be a racer myself, but finally being able to stand at the side of the road and cheer on the women's peloton still felt like I'd had a dream come true. And this film shows us that I wasn't the only one."

Sit back and prepare to be in awe of the women who are trailblazing for the generations after them.