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PARIS -- For the first time in 25 years, all five mountain ranges of continental France will be featured in next years Tour de France, in a stretched-out endurance test of racing that smiles on the climbing strengths of defending champion Chris Froome and his Colombian rival, Nairo Quintana.In their quest to keep the 113-year-old race young, Tour organizers have again unearthed fresh challenges from the geography of France for the three-week slog, with new climbs and, on stage 18, an unprecedented mountain-top finish on the punishing Col dIzoard high in the Alps -- a rocky, hostile and lunar terrain that could be the final big battleground for the winners check of 500,000 euros ($550,000).Thats going to be one of the really decisive stages, said Froome, the race winner for Team Sky in 2013, 2015 and again this year.Before that, on stage 12 in the Pyrenees, the Tour climbs to the Peyragudes ski station where parts of the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies were filmed in 1997.From its July 1 start in Dusseldorf, Germany, to the July 23 finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, the 3,516-kilometer (2,185-mile) route will wind over climbs in the Vosges, Jura, Massif Central, Pyrenees and Alps. Not since the Tour of 1992 have organizers made riders take on all five mountain ranges.It looks hard, said Australian rider Richie Porte, who finished fifth for the BMC Racing team this year.The toughest climbs -- graded two, one and unclassified on cyclings rising scale of difficulty -- will be slightly fewer next year: 23 in total compared to 28 this year and 25 in both 2015 and 2014. But they will be scattered across a 14 day-spread, rather than being concentrated in two blocks in the Alps and Pyrenees, and will include six especially teeth-grindingly steep ascents. The Col du Grand Colombier in the Jura has 22-percent gradients. Riders will have to arrive at the Tour in good climbing form, and maintain that strength, to compete for the title.With just three mountain-top finishes, including the Izoard, that are so often decisive on the Tour, title contenders like Froome may have to also race hard on other terrains to shake off their rivals.Its definitely going to be a climbers race from what I can tell, Froome, who was at the route unveiling in Paris, told cyclingnews.com. Its very light on time-trial kilometres but thats all part of the race and thats something Im going to have to focus my training on, being the best I can be on the climbs.Certainly, from my first reaction there were quite a few stages going up over 2,000 metres. The Izoard goes up to 2,300 metres; thats going to be an absolute beast of a stage. Initial feelings are that its going to be a race that is won or lost in the mountains. Of course, its the Tour and anything can happen so we have to be ready for all eventualities.Just five days in, the 198 riders will face the relatively short but very sharp shock of climbing to the Planche des Belles Filles ski station in the Vosges, with leg-searing 20-percent gradients, in eastern France.The first big shake-up, Porte said.With little time for riders to catch their breath, the Tour then swings south for more climbs on stages eight and nine in the Jura, before crossing France to the west.The peloton will spend one very long day -- 214 kilometers (133 miles) -- followed by one short one -- 100 kilometers (62 miles) -- in the Pyrenees. The race then heads north again to the Massif Central range, where climbs and possible strong winds up high could catch out unwitting riders on stage 15 to Le Puy-en-Velay, part of it on roads so off the beaten track that they dont appear on some maps.The sort of stage where we can hope for unusual things to happen, said race director Thierry Gouvenou, who helped draw up the route.Two individual time trials -- the first over 13 kilometers (8 miles) on day one in Dusseldorf; the last, over 23 kilometers (14 miles), on the penultimate stage in Marseille -- will bookend the Tour before the finish in Paris but promise to be too short to be decisive in the overall outcome.Its very light on time trials, so, for sure, the race is going to be won or lost depending on what happens in the mountains, said Froome, who named two-time runner-up Quintana first among his list of expected rivals. Im going to have to be as good as I can be in the mountains. Thats going to be my focus.In a remarkable piece of showmanship on the final stage in Paris, the riders will race through the iconic Grand Palais, a giant steel-and-glass structure built for the worlds fair in 1900, on their way to the sprint finish on the Champs-Elysees, with the aim of highlighting one of the sites that could be used for Olympic events if Paris wins its bid to host the 2024 Games.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Fake Custom Jerseys Online . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Custom Arizona Cardinals Jerseys . 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STANFORD, Calif. -- Kansas State and Stanford both enter the season with inexperience at quarterback with Wildcats starter Jesse Ertz and Cardinal counterpart Ryan Burns combining for one career collegiate pass.Burns, though, has one big advantage that Ertz doesnt heading into No. 8 Stanfords opener at home against Kansas State on Friday night. He can just give the ball to Christian McCaffrey.I dont expect to put the whole ball of wax on his shoulders and have him win the game for us, Stanford coach David Shaw said. I expect him to play his role as I expect everybody else that steps on the field to do their job and let the other guys around them do theirs.Burns beat out Keller Chryst for Kevin Hogans old job despite having thrown just one pass in three seasons at Stanford. He must fill a big void as Hogan was the winningest quarterback in school history and led the Cardinal to three Rose Bowl trips in his four years as a starter.He has a dynamic offense around him led by McCaffrey, last years Heisman Trophy runner-up when he broke Barry Sanders record by gaining 3,496 all-purpose yards. Throw in fifth-year receiver Michael Rector, deep threat Francis Owusu and tight end Dalton Schultz and Burns will have plenty of help around him.We all feel extremely confident with him in at quarterback knowing that he knows all the plays, knows all the checks, McCaffrey said.Ertz earned the starting job for the second straight summer. He tore his ACL on the first play of the season last year and left for good one play after that.He has yet to throw a pass in college and lacks many proven options at the skill positions. Junior college transfer Byron Pringle will give a boost to a receiving group that has only one player (Deante Burton) with at least five career starts.Here are some other things to watch when Kansas State visits Stanford:WILD CAFF: McCaffrey did it all last year, rushing for 2,019 yards, adding a team-high 45 catches for 645 yards and being a dynamic returner. He even threw two TD passes..dddddddddddd McCaffrey is adding another role this season after short-yardage ace Remound Wright graduated after running for 24 TDs on 217 carries the past two seasons. McCaffrey will get a chance to pad his TD numbers by getting some of those carries close to the goal line.He can do anything on the field, so you just have to be aware and be up for the challenge, safety Dante Barnett said.NEW LINE PART I: Ertz will have an inexperienced line protecting him with RT Dalton Risner (13 starts) and RG Terrale Johnson (four starts) the only players with starting experience coming back. Redshirt freshman Scott Frantz and Tyler Mitchell man the left side and C Reid Najvar has played just four career games as a reserve.Its not necessarily the most desirable thing, but I like the way they have come along and progressed, coach Bill Snyder said.NEW LINE PART II: Stanford also has had to retool its line this season after losing three starters from a year ago. RG Johnny Caspers is the only starter back in the same spot as he was a year ago, with LT Casey Tucker moving over from the right side. RT A.T. Hall, C Jesse Burkett and LG David Bright fill the other three spots.PLAY WRECKER: The Wildcats had 38 sacks last season, including 9 1/2 from DE Jordan Willis, who has caught the eye of Shaw with his strong play on tape.Hes one of those guys that when you watch him, you earn respect, Shaw said. No matter what game you put on, he hits the quarterback.DEFENSIVE DEPTH: Stanford played most of last season with just three healthy defensive linemen. This year that will be a much deeper position with DT Harrison Phillips coming back from a knee injury and DE Dylan Jackson emerging as a starter along with returner Solomon Thomas. Shaw said he plans to rotate six players on the line with Eric Cotton, Jordan Watkins and Luke Kaumatule getting time that should keep the starters fresher. ' ' '