2017 Tour With Less Hills Suits Froome

PARIS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2016 ) : Tour de France organisers on Tuesday unveiled a 2017 course light on mountain climbs that should boost reigning champion Chris Froome's bid for a fourth title.

The visually spectacular 104th race over 3,516 kilometers (2,183 miles) starts in Dusseldorf, Germany on July 1 with the traditional time trial. There are only five real mountain stages, fewer than 2016.

"This Tour de France route has been designed to be won by a true champion," Tour director Christian Prudhomme insisted, without naming Froome, winner in 2013, 2015 and 2016 or any favourite. If the playing field has been levelled by cutting down on mountains the alternative challenges opens the door to he who dares, Prudhomme promised.

The opening 13km time trial offers world champion time-triallist Tony Martin the chance to clinch the yellow jersey on stage one as the Tour embarks from his native Germany for the first time in 30 years.

As the tour starts in the north, Prudhomme, president of tour organisers ASO explained the route has to be 'J' shaped, and this year misses the north and west of France entirely as it enters France via Belgium.

With nine varied flat stages, five hilly ones designed to open up the challenge, the five real mountain stages are designed to have a visual backdrop which will amplify the exploits of the athletes who excel there.

And if the crucial penultimate day's time trial starting at the Marseille Velodrome football stadium is only 23km long, it will be run in searing heat and feature a 1km stretch at 18 per cent gradient. Contrary to nearly all the preceding Tours there will never be more than two consecutive days of climbing either.