Stage-by-stage guide to cycling's ultimate test

This is the shortest Tour in recent years at 3,462 kilometres. This edition nevertheless is a tough prospect with five summit finishes, including a mountain time trial. The race sets off from the north-east of the country today and winds its way south to the Alps, after which the contenders clash on the slopes of the Pyrenees. The survivors will race onto the streets of Paris on July 29th.

Prologue - Saturday, July 7th: An aperitif in the historical city of Dunkirk, this 8.2 kilometre time trial is a rough indication of which of the chief favourites are in form. Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullrich will clash looking for an early psychological boost, while young Scot David Millar aims to repeat his win of one year ago.

Stage 1- Sunday, July 8th: This flat first stage takes the riders 195 kilometres from Saint Omer to Boulogne-sur-Mer and features just two fourth-category climbs. The three bonus sprints en route will see the sprinters inch closer to yellow, with their team-mates riding hard to set up a bunch finish.

Stage 2 - Monday, July 9th: It may be the Tour de France, but today's 219 kilometre stage from the port of Calais takes the riders into Belgium and a finish in Antwerp. Another flat, fast stage with plenty of attacks and three bonus sprints up for grabs.

Stage 3 - Tuesday, July 10th: A trio of tricky third-category climbs await the riders in the closing stages of this otherwise flat 199 kilometres from Antwerp to Seraing in Liege. In 1995 Miguel Indurain used one of these very ascents, Mont Theux, to jump away from his main rivals. The first real chance for the non-sprinters of the peloton.

Stage 4 - Wednesday, July 11th: Back over the border today in this 215 kilometre leg from Huy to Verdun. In 1993 Lance Armstrong first climbed the Tour podium when he won a stage here; he's unlikely to try again but other strong riders may replicate his tactic and use the decisive climb of the Douaumont as a platform for success.

Stage 5 - Thursday, July 12th: Today's 67 kilometre team time trial is the second big rendezvous for the race favourites. Running from Verdun to Bar le Duc, this spectacular, eyeballs-out group effort will enable the teams of Armstrong and Ullrich to gain precious time over some of the specialist mountain-climbing squads.

Stage 6 - Friday, July 13th: The mountains are nearing and 153 kilometres after the start in Commercy lies the second category Col du Danon, a portent of things to come.

Stage 7 - Saturday, July 14th: Bastille Day always inspires the patriotic French teams and with eight of them in the race this stage from Strasbourg to Colmar should be spectacular. The short distance (163k) plus five categorised climbs will combine to further animate things.

Stage 8 - Sunday, July 15th: The road from Colmar to Pontarlier is flat and fast, this 223 kilometre trip is likely to feature an early breakaway and a frenzied pursuit towards the end.

Stage 9 - Monday, July 16th: The Alps are in sight and the heavily-built sprinters are getting worried, but this relatively flat 185 kilometre stage from Pontarlier to Aix-les-Bains gives them one final opportunity before the flyweights of the bunch come to the fore.

Stage 10 - Tuesday, July 17th: D-day for the contenders. Lance Armstrong has based his past two victories on a crushing ride on the first mountain stage and is aiming to do so again. This 209 kilometre leg from Aix-les-Bains is one of the hardest in the race, with the 2,000 metre Col de la Madeleine, the Col du Glandon and the legendary ascent to the finish of L'Alpe d'Huez in store.

Stage 11 - Wednesday, July 18th: The purgatory continues with a gruelling 32 kilometre mountain time trial from Grenoble to the ski station of Chamrousse. Armstrong secured victory in the recent Tour of Switzerland with a win in this type of stage, but riders like Ullrich and ONCE's Joseba Beloki should also shine.

Thursday, July 19th: No race.

Stage 12 - Friday, July 20th: Back to the action after the first rest day. Legs will be stiff at the start of this 12th stage, stretching from Perpignan to the tough first category Pyrenean ascent of Ax les Thermes, and with the similarly ranked Col de Jau just 68 kilometres into the stage the action may begin early.

Stage 13 - Saturday, July 21st: Probably the hardest stage, the saw-toothed profile features six categorised climbs along the 194 kilometre road from Foix to the summit finish of St. Lary-Soulan, where Eddy Merckx lost the 1974 Tour. The first climb of the day, the Col de Portet d'Aspet, was the scene of the fatal crash of Italian Fabio Casartelli in 1995.

Stage 14 - Sunday, July 22nd: The final mountain stage is a suitably sadistic one to cap things off. It is just 142 kilometres long but the racing will be furious, with the back-breaking Col d'Aspin, the Col du Tourmalet (the Tour's highest peak) and the summit finish of Luz Ardiden all falling within the final 65 kilometres.

Monday, July 23rd: Rest day.

Stage 15 - Tuesday, July 24th: As the main contenders bide their time until the crucial climax of the individual time trial, the other riders in the field once again emerge. This 233 kilometre leg from Pau to Lavaur is ideal for long distance breaks, with a number of small climbs in the opening kilometres acting as springboard for the brave. But the spoilsport sprinters will, as always, try to ensure their recapture before the finish.

Stage 16 - Wednesday, July 25th: Another stage likely to produce a long-distance breakaway, this mainly flat 230 kilometre run from Castelsarrasin to Sarran features the kind of narrow, twisting roads which will help escapers. A slogging run in to the finish may frustrate the pure sprinter.

Stage 17 - Thursday, July 26th: This 194 kilometre journey from Brive-la-Gaillarde is yet another for the flat-specialists, with just two fourth category climbs along the way. Nostalgic French riders will be particularly fired up; the finishing town of Montlucon was for years the venue for their national championships.

Stage 18 - Friday, July 27th: The big decider, a 61 kilometre individual time trial to St. Amand Montrond which is realistically the final clash of the front-runners. In recent years the final victor has been known before this stage. But Ullrich is expected to be closer to Armstrong this time, bringing about the possibility of a cliff-hanging dual a la Roche v Delgado in 1987.

Stage 19 - Saturday, July 28th: The historic city of Orleans is the venue for the start of the penultimate stage, a pancake flat run of 150 kilometres which is punctuated by just one fourth category climb.

Stage 20 - Sunday, July 29th: Finally, Paris! As is traditional, the first half of this 161 kilometre stage from Corbeil Essonnes to the Champs Elysees will be a celebratory procession. Ceasefires, champagne and light-hearted humour start the day, but once on the streets of Paris the speed shoots up. A bunch finish is almost always guaranteed on this most prestigious of flat stages.