Tomorrow, Sunday 12 October 2014, it's time for the end of season classic in France, the 108th edition of Paris-Tours. This year it will take place between Bonneval (where the U23 race used to start) and the Avenue de Grammont in Tours.

As usual, this classic is one of the last races of the season in France and the riders thus want to seize the opportunity to show themselves once more before the off season period.

In this article you'll find all information about this end of the season 2014 classic: the race route on Google Maps and a downloadable version in Google Earth, the profile and the time- and route schedule.

The Paris-Tours 2014 race route

In the most recent history, tomorrow's start in Bonneval is probably the farthest start from Paris ever for Paris-Tours. After a start in Chartres in 2009, in La Loupe in 2010, in Voves in 2011, in Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais in 2012 and in Authon-du-Perche in 2013, we thus go a little bit further south for a start half way in betweenn Voves and Authon-du-Perche, in Bonneval. Bonneval, that's where the U23 edition of Paris-Tours used to start in the previous years and where the last time trial of the Tour de France 2012 started, going towards Chartres.

The distance of the 2014 edition is similar to the previous editions with 237.5 kilometers compared to 235 last year, 235.5 in 2012, 230.5 in 2011 and 233 in 2010. After the start from the Place de la Grève in Bonneval at 11.05AM, the riders will follow the rues des Fossés Saint-Jacques, de la Résistance, Saint-Roch, la Promenade du Mail, rue Charles Jouanneau, avenue de la Gare, rue de Chartres, rue de Voves (D17) and in Pulois a local road towards Méroger (C3) to get on the D14.2 where the km 0 will be located at 4.5 km from the initial start location; they'll get there at 11.15AM. They'll follow this road for a few kilometers but rapidly turn left to make the race a bit longer, north of the start city. Once they get in La Bourdière-Saint-Loup, they go back south, via Brou and Châtillon-en-Dunois (where Paris-Tours U23 will start this year) and just before Cloyes-sur-le-Loire they'll get back on the usual race route for Paris-Tours. The feeding zone will, as usual, be in Vendôme.

In the final part of the race, the riders will again have to climb the Côtes de Crochu, de Beau Soleil and de l'Epan at respectively 29, 10 and 7 kilometers from the finish line. The finish line will again be in the Avenue de Grammont despite the fact that it was announced it would be the last time in 2010. The roadworks for the tram did reduce the long straight line in this avenue from 2,700 to 660 meters but in 2012 it gained back some length, up to 800 meters, and this will still be the case this year.

The Paris-Tours 2014 race route on Google Maps, the time- and route schedule and the profile

Hereunder you'll find the race route of Paris-Tours 2014 on Google Maps, its profile and the time- and route schedule. Click on the images to open them:

The Paris-Tours 2014 race route in Google Earth

Would you like to do a virtual fly-over of this race route? Or would you simply like to view it in Google Earth?
>> Click here to download the Paris-Tours 2014 race route in Google Earth (KML file)

Paris-Tours 2014 on TV

In case you're not able to assist to this race on the side of the road or at the finish in Tours you can still follow it live on TV: in France on France 3 between 3.20PM and 5.00PM and on Eurosport between 3.30PM and 4.45PM.

The other countries which broadcast this race live or slightly delayed are:
- several European countries on Eurosport and several Asian countries on Eurosport Asie
- Belgium on RTBF and VRT (Sporza)
- Denmark on TV2
- Spain on Teledeporte
- Italy on RAI
- Luxembourg on RTL
- Norway on TV2 Sport
- The Netherlands on Nederland 1 (NOS)
- Switzerland on RSI, RTS and SF
- several African countries on Supersport
- Australia on SBS
- the United States on NBC Sports Network
- Japan on J Sports 4
- New-Zealand on Sky Sport

The main favourites, the list of participating riders and their bib numbers

The 5 last winners of Paris-Tours are Philippe Gilbert (2008 and 2009), Oscar Freire (2010), Greg van Avermaet (2011), Marco Marcato (2012) and John Degenkolb (2013) and this year again chances are high that the race ends in a sprint, despite the exciting finish with a breakaway still being ahead (or even being formed) in the last few kilometers! With his good results in these past few weeks (victory at the Flanders Championship, at the Grand Prix d'Isbergues, 3 stage victories and the overall victory in the Eurométropole Tour), Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr) is naturally one of the biggest favourites of the race, but John Degenkolb (Team Giant-Shimano) is also one of them and other sprinters might even take away the win from them!

Hereunder you can find the list of participating riders in Paris-Tours 2014 and their bib numbers:

door Thomas Vergouwen
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this publication is published in: Paris-Tours | OpenStreetMap/Google Maps/Google Earth

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