20 stages :
10 flat stages
3 medium mountain stages
4 high mountain stages
2 individual time trial stages
1 team time trial stage

Distinctive features :
5 mountain finishes
2 rest days
101 kilometres of individual time trials
67 kilometres of team time trials
1 transfer by plane
22 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes will be climbed.
12 new stop-over towns: Saint-Omer, Bar-le-Duc, Commercy, Chamrousse, Plateau de Bonascre, Foix, Lavaur, Castelsarrasin, Sarran, Saint-Amand-Montrond, Evry, Corbeil-Essonnes.

Participation :
20 teams of 9 runners will be invited to take part in the Tour de France 2000. The list of these teams, selected not only on sporting criteria but also for their transparency with respect to the fight against drug-taking, will be released thirty days before the start of the race, in accordance with the rules of the International Cycling Union.

What's at stake: The leaders' jerseys Yellow Jersey, Leader in the general time classification, sponsor: Crédit Lyonnais Green Jersey, Leader in the general points classification, sponsor: PMU Red Polka Dot Jersey, Leader in the best climber classification sponsor: Champion White Jersey, leader in the youth genral time classification sponsor: Aquarel

Other classifications

• Fighting Spirit Classification (sponsored by Cœur de Lion)
• Team Time Classification (sponsored by Crédit Lyonnais)
• Intermediate Sprints in normal stages with 3 sprints from the 1st to the 9th stage then 2 sprints from the 12th to the 20th stage.

Prize

• A total of 16 million French Francs ($2,067,846. U.S.Dollars) of which 2.5 million French Francs ($323,104. U.S.) are for the winner.