Has the Tour de France deliberately tried to make Tadej Pogacar's pursuit of a sixth yellow jersey more difficult in 2027? The decision to include 71 kilometres of individual time trialling and just three summit finishes has fuelled debate about whether the organisers are attempting to bring the Slovenian's dominance to an end. Former Tour stage winner Cyril Saugrain, however, believes the changes are designed to open up the general classification battle rather than specifically disadvantage Pogacar.

"We're seeing a real change compared to recent years, with 71 kilometres of individual time trialling. That really changes things," the Frenchman told RTBF following Thursday's route presentation in Paris.

"There's a clear desire to bring back time trials that could shake up the general classification. I don't think there's any intention to stop Tadej Pogacar from winning. What is certain, though, is that the route has been designed to favour riders who are strong against the clock."

The 2027 edition features the most individual time trialling since 2012, split between a 38-kilometre test from Blois to Chambord on stage seven and another 33 kilometres around Toulouse on stage 16. Remco Evenepoel stands out as a potential beneficiary, although Pogacar's own strength against the clock means the additional kilometres are far from a guarantee that his rivals will gain time.

Could the hilly stages prove more dangerous than the mountains?

Saugrain, who won stage four of the 1996 Tour de France, also highlighted the possible significance of the less mountainous days. Only three stages finish at the summit of a climb, with Grand Colombier, Les Saisies and Col du Portet providing the major uphill conclusions.

"That doesn't seem like an awful lot to me, but it could give us more suspense in the mountain stages," Saugrain explained. "There are plenty of hilly stages that could spring some nice surprises. Those are sometimes the kinds of stages where you're more likely to lose time than on the really big mountain stages."

The route still takes in substantial climbing across the Alps and Pyrenees, alongside six classified hilly stages. The opening week alone features demanding terrain in Britain and northern France before the first individual time trial, while stage eight from Bourges to Le Creusot provides another opportunity for an unpredictable day immediately before the race reaches the Grand Colombier.

Seven stages have also been classified as flat, giving sprinters a significant presence in the 2027 route. "Those sprint stages tend to be quite controlled, which isn't really what we're looking for," Saugrain said. "But it could allow certain teams to come with a squad built around a particular sprinter."

The Tour begins in Edinburgh on 2 July, with its opening three stages taking the peloton through Britain before the race moves to France. The second individual time trial in Toulouse comes on stage 16, followed two days later by the queen stage over the Col du Tourmalet to the Col du Portet. The contenders will then face another demanding mountain stage across the Basque climbs to Laruns before the final weekend.