The Race
The 2019 Tour de l'Avenir: a new direction

The Tour de l’Avenir, which will take place from August 15 to 25, 2019, remains faithful to its vocation as a major conservatory of world cycling and a stepping stone to the professional world – particularly to the Tour de France, for which it is a feeder event.
However, the upcoming 56th edition changes direction with a Grand Départ from Marmande (in the Lot-et-Garonne department), after two years in which the route ran diagonally from Brittany to the Alps. This time, it is from the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine that the brightest hopes in under-23 years old cycling will take off, but the Savoie remains the final destination, with four final stages that will confront the young peloton to the testing mountains.
This new course direction only enhances the mountainous character of the race, since the southwest will connect to the Alps via the Massif Central, with a stage from Aveyron to Haute-Loire which, alone, will bring about three thousand meters of climbing.
Throughout the ten stages, and the return of one rest day, all types of racers — puncheurs, baroudeurs, sprinteurs, rouleurs — will nevertheless find plenty to express themselves, starting with a hilly stage around Marmande, followed by a team time trial in the Dordogne, and later, a stop at Privas in a transition stage between the Massif Central and the Alps. All opportunities not to be missed.
The Alpine portion, once again raced entirely in the department of Savoie, will be characterized by short and intense stages. In particular, it will repeat the innovative formula successfully tested last year of an ultra-short stage of twenty or so kilometers that will end on the Col de la Loze in Méribel, via a newly created road, never used in a cycling race; as a nod to the Tour de France organisers whom, constantly looking for novelty, have often regarded the Tour de l’Avenir as a life-size test.
The other Savoyard stages will also be marked by high altitude finishes in the stations of La Giettaz, Tignes at above two thousand meters altitude, and the final arrival in Corbier.
The event, open to international riders under twenty-three years old, remains raced by national teams. The succession of the Slovenian Tadej Pogaçar is now open, and new talents will be discovered on the next Tour de l’Avenir.

Stage 1
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15 August
Thursday 15 August
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Marmande
Marmande
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Flat
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134 km
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+921 m
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Stage 2
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16 August
Friday 16 August
|
Eymet
Bergerac
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TT
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33 km
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+366 m
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Stage 3
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17 August
Saturday 17 August
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Montignac-Lascaux
Mauriac
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Hilly
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170 km
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+2,645 m
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Stage 4
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18 August
Sunday 18 August
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Mauriac
Espalion
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Hilly
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164 km
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+2,301 m
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Stage 5
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19 August
Monday 19 August
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Espalion
Saint-Julien-Chapteuil
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Hilly
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163 km
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+3,139 m
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Stage 6
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20 August
Tuesday 20 August
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Saint-Julien-Chapteuil
Privas
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Hilly
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125 km
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+1,854 m
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-
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21 August
Wednesday 21 August
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Brides-les-Bains &
Méribel
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REST
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Stage 7
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22 August
Thursday 22 August
|
Grésy-sur-Isere
La Giettaz
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Medium-mountain
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106 km
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+2,653 m
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Stage 8
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23 August
Friday 23 August
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Brides-les-Bains
Méribel - Col de la Loze
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Mountain
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23 km
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+1,300 m
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Stage 9
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24 August
Saturday 24 August
|
Villaroger
Tignes
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Mountain
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74 km
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+2,462 m
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Stage 10
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25 August
Sunday 25 August
|
Saint-Colomban-des-Villards
Le Corbier
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Mountain
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79 km
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+2,701 m
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The Prizes
Yellow Jersey
Green Jersey
Polka Dot Jersey
Stage Victory
Most Aggressive Rider
Super Combative Rider
Team Classification
U23 UCI Nations Cup Classification
History
The Tour de l’Avenir was created in 1961 by Jacques Marchand, editor of the newspaper L’Équipe.
The race has changed name several times in its history. From 1972 to 1979, it was called the Trophée Peugeot de l’Avenir in reference to its official sponsor. Then from 1986 to 1990, this event took the name of Tour de la Communauté Européenne since it was organised by the European Community and the European Parliament. And finally in 1992, the race acquired its current name of Tour de l’Avenir.
Originally, the Tour de l’Avenir brought together national teams of eight riders, half of whom had to be under 25 years old. Gradually, the race was opened up to professionals. Since 2007, the event is the exclusive domain of young riders aged 19 to 23 years old.
The Tour de l’Avenir is now part of the UCI U23 Nations Cup (category 2.Ncup).
Last year
Winner | Tadej POGACAR (SLO) |
Second | Thymen ARENSMAN (NLD) |
Third | Gino MADER (CHE) |
Green Jersey | Damien TOUZÉ (FRA) |
Polka Dot Jersey | Alejandro OSORIO CARJAVAL (COL) |
Super Combative Rider | Joseph ARERUYA (RWA) |
Team Classification | Colombia |