Professor Wilcockson is at it again, [much updating below] predicting the entire Tour de France route a week ahead of schedule, based on reports from regional newspapers. You should read all the details there, but treading lightly on their content, here are the stage towns to whet your appetite. Let's see how accurate he winds up being. My guess is, pretty damn accurate.
Stage 1: Rotterdam TT
Stage 2: Rotterdam—Brussels
Stage 3: Brussels—Spa
Stage 4: Wanze—St Amand-les-Eaux
Stage 5: Cambrai—Reims
Stage 6: Epernay—Montargis
Stage 7: Montargis— Gueugnon
Stage 8: Tournus—Lamoura /Les Rousses
Stage 9: Bois d’Amont —Morzine-Avoriaz
Stage 10: Morzine-Avoriaz—La Toussuire
Stage 11: St Jean-de-Maurienne—Gap
Stage 12: Sisteron—Valence
Stage 13: Valence—Mende
Stage 14: Rodez—Revel
Stage 15: Revel—Ax/Les 3 Domaines
Stage 16: Pamiers—Luchon
Stage 17: Luchon—Pau
Stage 18: Pau—Col du Tourmalet
Stage 19: Salies-de-Béarn—Bordeaux
Stage 20: Bordeaux—Pauillac TT
Stage 21: Rambouillet—Paris
Very Pyrenean-focused, which is a nice change of pace from the last couple editions.
[Update] So this was something of a drive-by post -- I'm not a Tour-parcours-ologist, since it's about my fourth-favorite race and since there are people out there devoting a lot more time and effort to divining the Grand Boucle. Phil has astutely pointed out one of those sources, and I heard from the good folks at Steephill with some more information. Thanks to both of you for helping me set the record straight and give the credit where it belongs. Which would be:
Paris-Thover.com, a site by Thomas Vergouwen, dedicated to many things Tour and otherwise, started sleuthing out rumors in August with the help of many readers. This has been the most comprehensive collection of rumors and tips, coming largely from local sources (who undoubtedly know when they've been chosen for a portion of a stage).
Paddy Sweeney of Velo Peloton Vacances Cyclisme has also broken some preliminary bits of info -- reported at Steephill -- including that of a Tourmalet ITT. This rumor (which has the Tourmalet climbed from one side in a mass-start and from the other side in the ITT) jibes well with 2010 being the 100th anniversary of the first major mountain stage over the Tourmalet.
So kudos to Paddy and Thomas for being the true sources, having beaten VeloNews to the punch. And thanks again you guys, as always, for filling in my many blanks.