Paris – Tours: Mark Cavendish competes with his new rainbow jersey

Hotel de Ville@the northern end of the Avenue de Grammont

The end of season classic, Paris-Tours, is this Sunday. Paris is somewhat of a misnomer as the race actually starts at Voves to the south of Chartres. The course meanders around the Beauce passing to the north of Châteaudun before passing through Vendôme, Amboise, Truyes, Veigné and Ballan-Miré before finishing in Tours on the Avenue de Grammont – a famous sprinters' finish. 

The finish on the Avenue de Grammont won't be quite what it used to be. Until last year the full length of the Avenue, running from north to south, was used – 2600 metres – but the construction of a tramway has reduced the finish to 600 metres. 

This will be Mark Cavendish's first race as World Champion wearing the rainbow jersey and he will doubtless be wanting to add Paris-Tours to his palmares.