Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme delved deep into the race's own history books to explain exactly why organisers have opted in 2027 to make the biggest increase in time trialling in the route in 15 years

Speaking to reporters after the route was revealed on Thursday, Prudhomme insisted that the idea of pushing the number of kilometres against the clock up to a combined total of 71 kilometres was not an anti-Tadej Pogačar measure.