The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) has announced the route details for the 2021 Tour de France Grande Parle to be held in Denmark from July 2-4. At an official presentation on Tuesday, event director Christian Prudhomme presented a course map and profile of the opening three stages, which will pass through the host city of Copenhagen, Roskilde, Nyborg, Vejle, and Sundaborg.

"The first few days of the Tour de France often set the tone and atmosphere of the race.

"It is exciting to think that in July 2021, the final touches to the start will be made in the heart of a city that is alive and breathing with cycling. The first three stages will showcase the Danish landscape and create a wide range of scenarios where power riders, echelon experts, and sprinters will get their chance to shine.

Copenhagen announced its application to host the opening stage of the Tour de France four years ago. Last year, Prudhomme confirmed the bid in a Danish newspaper, making it the northernmost Grand Depart in Tour de France history. This is the first time the Tour de France has visited Denmark.

ASO revealed the profile of the first three stages during a presentation in Vail; ASO had announced the distances and host cities for the opening three stages of the 2021 Tour de France last February, with slight changes to the length of the second and third stages.

In addition, the Danish trade union Dansk Metal became the first Danish partner to become an official fan of the 2021 Grande Parle.

"We are very pleased to conclude this sponsorship," said René Nielsen, vice president of Dansk Metal.

"The start of the Grand Boucle in Denmark will no doubt be a great experience for many Danes, and Dansk Metal wants to contribute to that."

The race will start on Friday, July 2, with a 13 km individual time trial in Copenhagen. Organizers have announced that the course is flat as a pancake and that record average speeds are expected.

The course winds through the city with more than 20 corners, but ASO said that none of the corners are sharp and riders will only need to use their brakes on one tight corner with 4 km to go.

Stage 2 will take place on Saturday, July 3, on a 199-km course between Roskilde and Nyborg. Roskilde is located on the Danish island of Zealand, west of Copenhagen.

The course is suitable for classic specialists, with riders crossing a "windy" final 18 km bridge section, crossing the Great Belt and racing up to Naivoli.

By mid-stage, there are three mountains - Côte d'Assnes-Indelcke (62.5 km), Côte da Hove-Stradef (73 km), and Côte de Korp Strandbakke (83 km) - with an intermediate sprint at Carambault (124 km).

The third stage on Sunday, July 4, is 182 km from Vejle to Sønderborg and could be the first mass sprint in the Tour de France. The peloton will follow the coast from north to south, passing through beautiful fjords on the way to the finishing town of Sønderborg. [There are three mountain sections: Côte de Caullevej (27.5 km), Côte de Hailesminde Strand (83 km), and Côte de Génér Strand (123.5 km). There is also an intermediate sprint on Christianfeld (91 km) sandwiched between the last two climbs.