Tour de France 2018: Challenge for Froome

Chris Froome could face his toughest Tour de France challenge so far in 2018 after organisers named a route and format that could cause problems for the four-time champion.

The race, which starts on the island of Noirmoutier off the Vendee coast on July 7, lacks a long, flat individual time trial where four-time winner Froome often excels.

Six mountain and four steep stages are part of a challenging latter part of the Tour before it ends on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on July 29.

"It's different every year and it's difficult every year," Froome said.

"I like the look of the Alpe d'Huez stage, for me that's the 'Queen' stage on this Tour," he added, referring to the potentially decisive, gruelling mountain climb.

 

Tour de France 2018 stage list:

Stage 1 - Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile to Fontenay-le-Comte, 189km

Stage 2 - Mouilleron-Saint-Germain to La Roche-sur-Yon, 183km

Stage 3 - Cholet to Cholet, team time trial, 35km

Stage 4 - La Baule to Sarzeau, 192km

Stage 5 - Lorient to Quimper, 203km

Stage 6 - Brest to Mur de Bretagne, 181km

Stage 7 - Fougeres to Chartres, 231km

Stage 8 - Dreux to Amiens, 181km

Stage 9 - Arras to Roubaix, 154km

Rest day in Annecy

Stage 10 - Annecy to Le Grand Bornand, 159km

Stage 11 - Albertville to La Rosiere, 108km

Stage 12 - Bourg-Saint-Maurice to L'Alpe d'Huez, 175km

Stage 13 - Bourg d'Oisans to Valence, 169km

Stage 14 - Saint-Pauol-Trois-Chateaux to Mende, 187km

Stage 15 - Millau to Carcassonne, 181km

Rest day in Carcassonne

Stage 16 - Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon, 218km

Stage 17 - Bagneres-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan, 65km

Stage 18 - Tries-sur-Baise to Pau, 172km

Stage 19 - Lourdes to Laruns, 200km

Stage 20 - Saint-Pee-sur-Nivelle to Espelette, individual time trial, 31km

Stage 21 - Houilles to Paris Champs-Elysées, 115km

mds/mp (AFP, Reuters)