Finally the time has come! The 2015 Tour de France is just around the corner. Below you will find an overview of all 21 stages, our favorites for the yellow jersey, the TV broadcast times and much more. Jan Ullrich also gives us an exclusive tip on the course and outcome of the individual stages - and remembers one or the other anecdote from his active time. In addition, each individual stage has its own page - there you will find a detailed preview, all maps and profiles and after the end of the stage you can also read about it there and find out about the results.
[tab:route]Tour de France 2015 – Stage #1: Utrecht (NED) – Utrecht
- Date: Saturday 04 July
- Eurosport: 14:00 - 17:45
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:50
- Length: 14 km (individual time trial)
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The start of a Tour de France is always something very special – for the riders who have been working on it for months, but of course also for the organizing city. Utrecht will be upside down today! My very first Tour de France started in 1996, also in Holland, in Hertogenbosch, a little further south. That was a big thing for me! There is no prologue this year, today's individual time trial counts as the first stage. With 14 completely flat kilometers, there will hardly be any big gaps, and the specialists will be annoyed that there is no longer a second, longer individual time trial. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Tony Martin that he drives into the yellow jersey here.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #2: Utrecht (NED) – Zeeland (NED)
- Date: Sunday 05 July
- Eurosport: 13:15 - 17:45
- ARD: 14:45 - 17:35
- Length: 166km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: I view this stage with mixed feelings. Certainly, when the drivers drive along the coast, there are spectacular images. But it is very likely that a strong wind increases the great nervousness that already prevails at the beginning of a tour. None of the favorites want to lose time due to a wind swell, everyone will want to ride at the front and there will be falls. I hope that none of the favorites are eliminated in this way. In the race, after a hectic start, a breakaway group will flee, but the sprinter teams will bring them back in time. Fast men like Mark Cavendish, André Greipel, Nacer Bouhanni, Alexander Kristoff or - if he's at the start - Marcel Kittel will fight for victory among themselves.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #3: Antwerp (BEL) – Huy (BEL)
- Date: Monday 06 July
- Eurosport: 13:15 - 17:45
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 154km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The Tour de France visits Belgium and pays tribute to Eddy Merckx. He turned 70 in June, his place of birth is passed at kilometer 47. Driving from the Flemish to the Walloon part of Belgium, a breakaway will stage itself, but the teams of strong punchers will not let them escape. For Alejandro Valverdo, Joaquim Rodriguez or even Michał Kwiatkowski the chance of getting the yellow jersey on the final steep climb is too great. On the Mûr de Huy, with its incline of up to 23 percent, we will see the top favorites for overall victory for the first time. But even if one of them doesn't have a good day, the gaps will be small.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #4: Searing (BEL) – Cambrai
- Date: Tuesday 07th July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:45
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 221km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The tour reaches French soil and celebrates this with a very difficult stage: today there are seven sections with cobblestones, so-called pavés. You can't win the tour over these 13,3 kilometers, but you can lose. In 2004, fellow favorite Iban Mayo fell victim to a similar stage. I'm curious to see whether Vincenzo Nibali will repeat his excellent performance from last year, when he outperformed all his competitors in infernal conditions. Flyweight Nairo Quintana in particular will be happy if he didn't lose any time at the finish. I would wish John Degenkolb the much-awaited stage win, but everyone will be watching the Roubaix winner. In any case, there will not be a random winner, especially since at 223 kilometers it is also the longest day of this year's Tour de France.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #5: Arras – Amiens Métropole
- Date: Wednesday 08 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:45
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 189km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The route planners are expecting an attractive course of the race from today's course with its many changes of direction. Of course you always have to be aware of where the wind is coming from, but I'm sure: Today there will be a mass sprint and no nasty surprises for the contenders for overall victory. I wish the up-and-coming Bora Argon 18 team a stage win and why shouldn't their sprinter Sam Bennett make it in Amiens today? He has proven his good form with two stage wins at the Bayern Tour and has already shown the rear wheel to Nacer Bouhanni and Peter Sagan at the Qatar Tour.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #6: Abbeville – Le Havre
- Date: Thursday 09 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:45
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 191km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: Spectacular pictures are guaranteed today! The peloton rides along the steep chalk cliffs of Normandy. The sea is almost always in sight on the coastal road. Accordingly, a strong side wind is to be expected and unfortunately also one or the other fall. Such stages are not to be underestimated for the favorites, because you have to be constantly alert, you have to move well in the field and at the same time you must not forget to eat and drink. The hill on the last kilometer could make the legs of athletic sprinters like André Greipel or Marcel Kittel thick. This could be an arrival for Alexander Kristoff.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #7: Livarot – Fougères
- Date: Friday 10 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:45
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 190km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: In my time, the first tour week consisted mostly of stages like this: flat to wavy through the interior of the country, around 200 kilometers long, one or two sprint classifications. If you're going for the general classification, these are the days you just have to tear yourself down: don't waste time, don't fall, always eat enough. For the sprinters, on the other hand, today is an important day, after that they won't get anything for a long time. They'll put their teams to work to retrieve breakaways in time. Marc Cavendish and Peter Sagan are in very good form this year. I reckon that both will win at least one stage.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #8: Rennes – Mûr de Bretagne
- Date: Saturday 11st July
- Eurosport: 16:00 - 17:45
- ARD: 14:30 - 17:55
- Length: 179km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The final is difficult and favors punchers like Alejandro Valverde. The final ascent over two kilometers and an average incline of seven percent will be too much of a good thing for many sprinters. The favorites for overall victory will drive attentively and maybe even test themselves a little, but there won't be any significant gaps. It is much more important today not to be involved in any falls on the small streets of Brittany. On "my" tour in 1997, Toni Rominger got it, breaking his collarbone in a fall a few kilometers before the finish line in Plumelec and then ending his career.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #9: Vannes – Plumelec
- Date: Sunday 12 July
- Eurosport: 15:00 - 17:45
- ARD: 15:45 - 17:30
- Length: 28 km (team time trial)
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: In the team time trial, the time for each team is taken after the fifth rider. This means a lot of tactical considerations for the sporting directors: who drives in front when, which drivers push themselves hard at the beginning, who can fall behind, who has to stay in front until the end? The team time trial comes surprisingly late this time. If a team only has six men in the race because drivers have already had to give up due to falls and injuries, this means a big handicap. Then you lose time as a classification driver, even if you have done everything right up to this point. So there is a little bit of luck involved. One thing is certain: strong time trialists are not preferred on this tour, there has rarely been so little fighting against the clock.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #10: Tarbes – La Pierre Saint-Martin
- Date: Tuesday 14th July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:00
- ARD: 15:10 - 17:10
- Length: 167km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The first mountain stage! Today the top favorites will have to put their cards on the table. It is not yet possible to say for sure who will win the Tour de France, but who is weakening in the group of favorites. I suspect that one team - probably Sky - will take responsibility and blow together into the steep final climb. The field will quickly shrink, and then it's a matter of: Who stays close, who can maybe even attack, who has to let go? I'm excited to see which riders will surprise us alongside the frequently mentioned Nibali, Froome, Quintana and Contador. Thibaut Pinot, Tejay van Garderen and Louis Meintjes have already proven their good form this year.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #11: Pau – Cauterets
- Date: Wednesday 15 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 15:10 - 17:30
- Length: 188km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The combination of Aspin and Tourmalet is pure tour history and a bit more difficult to ride in this order than vice versa. The road is really steep around the somewhat disfigured ski resort of La Mongie. A breakaway group made up of strong climbers will probably make it to the finish today. The Tourmalet is too far from the finish for the classification riders to go on the offensive here - unless a favorite shows weaknesses and their competitors want to exploit this. The route planners opted for a slightly easier final climb with Cauterets. Other calibers would have been within reach with Luz-Ardiden and Hautacam. Nevertheless, this is a difficult stage.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #12: Lannemezan – Plateau de Beille
- Date: Thursday 16 July
- Eurosport: 11:15 - 17:15
- ARD: 15:10 - 17:15
- Length: 195km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The longest and hardest Pyrenees stage this year! Today the contenders for the Tour victory will put up a hot fight and in all probability they will also decide the stage victory among themselves. If Nairo Quintana survives the flat stages and cobblestones without losing too much time, he can ride the yellow jersey today. For him, the Plateau de Beille is the ideal terrain. I didn't warm to this mountain. In 1998 I had a defect right at the beginning of the climb, the chase that followed really hurt and there was nothing I could do about Pantani's attack. In 2004 I couldn't keep up the pace of the group around Armstrong, Basso and Klödi. Regardless of my experience, there is no question that the Plateau de Beille is one of the most difficult final climbs that the Tour de France has to offer.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #13: Muret – Rodez
- Date: Friday 17 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 198,5km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: In today's transfer stage to the mountains, there will be many escapees who calculate something. The pure sprinters will perhaps wave off because of the steep wave in the final. It would be up to drivers like John Degenkolb, Peter Sagan or Simon Gerrans to commission the tracking work. But if the escape group is determined, it could be enough for them. Maybe this is a day for the breakaway king Thomas Voeckler or fast paced riders like Bob Jungles or Tim Wellens.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #14: Rodez – Mende
- Date: Saturday 18st July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:15
- Length: 178,5km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: We'll probably see two races today: At the front, a breakaway group will fight for the stage win, although I give Rui Costa, Daniel Moreno or Daniel Martin a good chance. At the back, the classification riders will get serious on the steep final climb. I've never raced the Montée Laurent Jalabert, as the mountain is also known, but it's steep and there have always been time gaps in recent events - albeit not big ones. In any case, it will be an exciting finale!
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #15: Mende – Valence
- Date: Sunday 19 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 15:00 - 17:35
- Length: 183km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: How today's stage goes depends to a large extent on how many sprinters are left and how the stage wins are distributed. It's the last chance for a mass sprint before the grand finale in Paris, with only mountain stages in between. Who's still hungry, who's got legs? Cavendish, Kittel, Bouhanni, Greipel and Co. would have to let their teams work consistently on terrain that is conducive to breakaways. The outcome of the race also depends on how the wind blows in the Rhone valley.
Tour de France 2015 - Stage #16: Bourg-de-Péage - Gap
- Date: Monday 20 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 16:05 - 17:25
- Length: 201km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: It's probably going to be the same as in Mende today: in the front, stable escapees are fighting for the stage victory, in the back the favorites are attacking for the overall victory. Alberto Contador in particular likes to throw down the gauntlet when he has good legs. The Col de Manse offers good terrain for this, but you should definitely not underestimate its winding descent on a bad road. The only memory I have of this track, and it's not pretty, is that in 2003, the lower part of the descent was part of the Tour stage where Joseba Beloki fell badly and Lance Armstrong had to swerve into the field. I drove a few positions behind. I felt so sorry for Beloki, he never really got going again after that...
Tour de France 2015 - Stage #17: Digne-les-Bains - Pra Loup
- Date: Wednesday 22 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 15:10 - 17:25
- Length: 161km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The first of three mountain finishes in the Alps, after already three mountain finishes in the Pyrenees. The 2015 Tour de France is really tough! Today I hope first and foremost that everyone will reach the finish line in good health and that there will be no falls. The descent from Allos is really tough. And with the Dauphine, Romain Bardet set an example with courage and high risk, which may be imitated today: he attacked right before the top of the pass, skied the descent on the last groove and defended the lead he had gained on the final climb. Such daring can work, but it can also go terribly wrong if you make a mistake. I don't expect huge gaps in the top favorites today.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #18: Gap – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
- Date: Thursday 23 July
- Eurosport: 14:15 - 17:30
- ARD: 15:10 - 17:30
- Length: 186,5km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The first few meters already lead uphill - you have to warm up really well before the start of the stage. For the top favourites, this is probably the most harmless of this year's Alpine stages, if you can even call it that. The Glandon is far from the finish and the switchbacks from Montvernier will probably not allow for large gaps. A breakaway group will prevail today, maybe something for Pierre Rolland, Edvald Boasson Hagen or Mathias Frank. Don't underestimate how strenuous long descents in the Alps can be. From the Glandon, for example, it's 20 kilometers downhill, up a very narrow, very steep road. That requires concentration down to the tips of your hair, below you have to take a deep breath, eat and drink.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #19: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – La Toussuire
- Date: Friday 24 July
- Eurosport: 13:30 - 17:45
- ARD: 15:10 - 18:00
- Length: 138km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: A hammer stage! Once again it's uphill right after the start, at the top of the first hill the sprinters are left behind and have to go full throttle. Such short stages in the mountains with many meters in altitude invite you to a general attack. In 1997 Festina attacked as a unit on a similar stage and made life really difficult for me in the yellow jersey. Today there will be an escape group in which the contenders for the dotted jersey of the best climber will duel. Whether Rafael Majka can defend his title depends heavily on the tasks he has to perform for Alberto Contador. I suspect that today the favorites for overall victory will also fight for the stage.
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #20: Modane – L'Alpe d'Huez
- Date: Saturday 25 July
- Eurosport: 13:15 - 17:00
- ARD: -
- Length: 110,5km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: An even shorter stage than yesterday - depending on the route. Even if you have to cross the Col de la Croix de Fer due to road closures at Galibier, it will be a difficult stage! After Alpe d'Huez there will be an elimination run for the favorites and I don't think a breakaway will be able to hold on. It's quite possible that the yellow jersey will come out on top and take the stage win or give it away generously. Alpe d'Huez is easy to drive, 18 to 20 km/h are usually on the speedometer. Above is the tour winner. From Alpe d'Huez to the Champs-Élysées the very next day, that has never happened before on the tour!
Tour de France 2015 – Stage #21: Sèvres – Paris
- Date: Sunday 26 July
- Eurosport: 16:15 - 19:30
- ARD: 17:20 - 19:30
- Length: 109,5km
- Detailed stage preview
Jan Ullrich says: The final stage is something very special. The stress falls away from you, you actually enjoy the racing kilometers. One chats, congratulates one another, takes press photos. I have always particularly liked this Tour d'honneur. When you turn onto the circuit at the Arc de Triomphe, your hair stands on end, you almost shiver with goosebumps. The crowds, the cheers, the overwhelming city of Paris, these are unforgettable moments for you as a driver. The last laps are really raced again and at the end there is a Sprint Royale. But mostly this is a day to enjoy. I'm very excited to see who will make it to the finish line in yellow!
[tab:Favorites]The first week of the Tour makes it impossible to predict the course of the race with wind-prone stages and cobblestones. But you should have these six candidates for the top places in this year's Tour de France on your screen.
The Madrilene has set himself the goal of getting the rare double of Giro and Tour victory this year. With his triumph in Milan a few weeks ago, he has already successfully completed the first part of his mission. There is no question that he meets all the requirements for the Tour victory. How well he recovered from the exertions of the Giro d'Italia will be decisive. He himself says that the victory in Italy cost him more strength than he had hoped.
On the four-day Route du Sud, however, he was in a winning mood again and not only won the king's stage before Nairo Quintana, but also the overall ranking. His enormous tactical cleverness and his experience from 13 Grand Tour participations speak for Contador. He knows exactly how to divide up his energy and how to snatch time from his competitors even on supposedly inconspicuous stages. However, after weeks in top form in the difficult third week of the tour, the lights could go out for him.
After being the strongest rider in the Tour de France in 2012 and winning the 2013 edition in a commanding manner, the experts agreed that Chris Froome would dominate the Tour of France for a long time. Last year, however, he lost time early on and retired after several falls with broken bones. He was then beaten by Alberto Contador at the Vuelta. This year his form is on the up and after an ambitious fight he won an exciting Dauphiné tour against Tejay von Garderen.
He initially struggled with the extremely hilly course of the 2015 Tour and toyed with the idea of starting a Giro. Now he is taking on the challenge of the Tour and is relying on a very strong Team Sky. Born in Kenya and raised in South Africa, Froome has yet to show he can handle the wind crags and cobblestone stages of week one. In the mountains he will attack with his unorthodox driving style.
The reserved Colombian lets actions speak for themselves: in 2013, on his first tour, he finished second overall behind Chris Froome, won the stage to Semnoz, won the white jersey for the best young professional and the mountains classification. In 2014 he was the first Colombian to win the Giro d'Italia, confirming his outstanding talent for three-week tours. This season he showed good early form with the win at Tirreno-Adriatico. He then prepared for the tour in his home country at an altitude of 2.700 meters.
Back in Europe, second on the Route du Sud, he showed that he is a force to be reckoned with. Getting through the cobblestone stage as best you can will be crucial for the flyweight climber. He inspected the tracks in the spring and took part in some smaller classics in Belgium as training. The difficult mountain stages in the Pyrenees and Alps are tailor-made for him. If he can get to the bottom of the mountains without wasting too much time, he's the hottest pick for victory.
The defending champion has not let his cards be looked at so far. At the Critérium du Dauhiné he drove tactically, clearly distanced Chris Froome on one day and slipped on the yellow jersey. Then he couldn't or didn't want to keep up with the Brit on several occasions and fell far behind in the overall standings. Whether he is playing poker or whether his form still shows deficits could not be determined with certainty. He also showed weaknesses here and there at the Dauphiné last year, but was in top form just in time for the Tour de France.
By his own account, he started the season better than last year. The few time trial kilometers on this year's tour will benefit him, he already shone on the cobblestones last year. The question will be whether he can keep up with the very best in the mountains and set his own accents. And over Astana hangs the sword of Damocles of the latest doping suspicions, which do not affect Nibali personally, but may have influenced his concentration.
The young Frenchman finished third last year and won the best young professional's white jersey. He showed an attractive, offensive driving style and, after a mixed year, confirmed his excellent performance from 2012. He has also overcome the mental blockade that inhibited him on descents. In the immediate preparation for the tour, he already set a clear exclamation mark when he won the king's stage of the Tour de Suisse on the Rettenbachferner. In the same race, however, he also showed why one does not really believe that he is capable of the really big coup: riding in the yellow jersey, he let the competition take a few seconds from him day after day and finally lost the tour in the final individual time trial. However, the mountainous profile of this year's Tour suits him and he'll want to make an impact - not least for the French crowd who have been waiting for a Tour victory for 30 years.
After two fifth places at the Tour - achieved in 2012 and 2014 - Tejay van Garderen now wants to go higher. In view of this year's route planning, he will only be able to use his time trial strength to a limited extent. His outstanding climbing skills are all the more important. He recently demonstrated this with an extremely strong performance on the Dauphiné Tour: He wore the leader's yellow jersey for several days, showed himself to be offensive on the climbs and only had to admit defeat to Chris Froome on the last day after a tough fight. His performance should have given him a lot of confidence. Supported by a strong squad, he is definitely a candidate for the Tour podium, depending on how the race goes.
[tab: Streams and TV]TV
In Germany, cycling fans really are spoiled for choice when it comes to tour broadcasting and reporting this year. As in previous years, Eurosport will report live from the Tour de France every day. For the first time in a long time, the tour will also be shown on public television, more precisely on ARD. There are also live pictures from the peloton every day. If you look at the transmission times, it becomes clear that there is no way around Eurosport for cycling fans this year either – nowhere is there more and longer reporting from France.
internet streams
You also have a choice when it comes to Internet streams this year: it can be received free of charge in Germany ARD live stream. If you don't want to miss anything when you're on the go, you can use Das Erste's Live TV app, which is available for Apple and Android.
Eurosport also offers its fans a live stream via the Eurosport Player, which is available in the browser as well as for all mobile devices. In contrast to the ARD offer, however, costs are due here: A 1-month subscription costs €6,99 - quite manageable for die-hard cycling fans.
If you want to follow the tour abroad and there are no pictures on TV, you can, as always, go to www.cyclingfans.com look around. All internationally receivable Internet streams for the Tour de France are collected there.
Leave a Comment