The 2019 Tour de France will start in Brussels on July 6 and include three mountain summit finishes above 2,000 meters — the Col du Tourmalet pass, Tignes and Val Thorens.
“That’s really going to stand this route apart from previous editions,” four-time Tour winner Chris Froome said.
Tour organizers revealed the full route Thursday.
It’s the 106th edition of the Tour, celebrating 100 years of the yellow jersey worn by the race leader. Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas became the first Welshman to win the Tour this past July.
The 2019 Tour also marks 50 years since the first of Belgian Eddy Merckx‘s five titles, making Brussels a fitting start.