SPORT

At 12.10 pm today, in front of the Allianz Riviera, the Tour de France's third stage will proceed. This parkour, which takes the racers from Nice to Sisteron, is known as the "sprinting stage." It consists of 198km, 2,300 meters of elevation gain, and four mountain passes. The Var sprinter, Christopher Laporte, described it as: "a real pain in the neck." Furthermore, the Tour de France motto this year is "2020": 2 meters away from racers, 0 autographs, 2 mandatory gestures (masks and gel), and 0 selfies. Set to finish on 20 September, this sport’s event will be far from ordinary.

COVID-19… In France, we went almost three months in complete confinement with the need for a signed authorization to go out for groceries. Now, a series of events were cancelled for various reasons that all centre on the risks of being contaminated. The Tour de France, however, has managed to ruse its way into happening. For some, this news is far from a welcoming one; for others, it's a sign that things are returning to normal. During these uncertain times, one might comfort themselves with a line from the 1673 French play Le Malade Imaginaire by Molière: "Nature, on its own, when we let it, gently pulls itself out of the mess it has fallen into."

Therefore, let us be optimistic and enjoy the events that come our way while retaining appropriate social distancing, wearing masks, and applying the hydro-alcoholic gel. As the citation by Molière ends: "It is our worry, it is our impatience that spoils everything; and almost all men die of their cures, not of their diseases." 

On that note, here are the general details you should know about the twenty-one stages of the Tour de France in its up-and-down course:

Stage 1:

• Date: 29August
• Departure / Arrival: Nice Moyen Pays > Nice
• Distance: 156 km

Stage 2:

• Date: 30 August
• Departure / Arrival: Nice Haut Pays > Nice
• Distance: 186 km

Stage 3:

• Date: 31 August
• Departure / Arrival: Nice > Sisteron
• Distance: 198 km

Stage 4:

• Date: 01 September
• Departure / Arrival: Sisteron > Orcières-Merlette
• Distance: 160.5 km

Stage 5:

• Date: 02 September
• Departure / Arrival: Gap > Privas
• Distance: 183 k

Stage 6:

• Date: 03 September
• Departure / Arrival: Le Teil > Mont Aigoual
• Distance: 191 km

Stage 7:

• Date: 04 September
• Departure / Arrival: Millau > Lavaur
• Distance: 168 km

Stage 8:

• Date: 05 September
• Departure / Arrival: Cazères-sur-Garonne > Loudenvielle
• Distance: 141 km

Stage 9:

• Date: 06 September
• Departure / Arrival: Pau > Laruns
• Distance: 153 km

REST:

• Date: 07 September
• Location: La Charente-Maritime

Stage 10:

• Date: 08 September
• Departure / Arrival: Ile D’Oleron le Chateau-D’Oleron > Ile de Re Saint-Martin-de-Re
• Distance: 168.5 km

Stage 11:

• Date: 09 September
• Departure / Arrival: Chatelaillon-plage > Poitiers
• Distance: 167.5 km

Stage 12:

• Date: 10 September
• Departure / Arrival: Chauvigny > Sarran Corrèze
• Distance: 218 km

Stage 13:

• Date: 11 September
• Departure / Arrival: Chatel-Guyon > Puy Mary Cantal
• Distance: 191.5 km

Stage 14:

• Date: 12 September
• Departure / Arrival: Clermont-Ferrand > Lyon
• Distance: 194 km

Stage 15:

• Date: 13 September
• Departure / Arrival: Lyon > Grand Colombier
• Distance: 174.5 km

REST:

• Date: 14 September
• Location: Isère

Stage 16:

• Date: 15 September
• Departure / Arrival: La Tour-du-Pin > Villard-de-Lans
• Distance: 164 km

Stage 17:

• Date: 16 September
• Departure / Arrival: Grenoble > Meribel Col de la Loze
• Distance: 170 km

Stage 18:

• Date: 17 September
• Departure / Arrival: Meribel > La Roche-sur-Foron
• Distance: 175 km

Stage 19:

• Date: 18 September
• Departure / Arrival: Bourg-en-Bresse > Champagnole
• Distance: 166.5 km

Stage 20:

• Date: 19 September
• Departure / Arrival: Lure > La Planche des Belles Filles
• Distance: 36.2 km

Stage 21:

• Date: 20 September
• Departure / Arrival: Mantes-la-Jolie > Paris Champs-Élysées
• Distance: 122 km

Find out more on the Tour de France's official website: https://www.letour.fr/fr/ 

 - Charlotte Gillet