The 2023 Tour de France sets off Saturday from the Basque city of Bilbao, opening a 21-day itinerary laced with dramatic scenery and daily challenges designed to induce sporting drama.

AFP Sport takes a look at five of the most eye-catching stages along the 3,404-km route where the main narrative will be Tadej Pogacar's quest to take the champion's yellow jersey back from Jonas Vingegaard.

Stage 1

Beautiful Basque Country

Opening the three-day excursion is a cracking circuit around Bilbao. Running through narrow, wooded hills it will deliver the first yellow jersey of a mountainous 110th edition of the world's greatest bike race. The hilly stage 1 route passes tourist hot spots such as Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum and offers an invitation to attack-minded mavericks such as Dutch phenomenon Mathieu van der Poel. The passionate Basque fans will play their role in the opening act, with stage 2 also loaded with televisual landscapes encouraging possible thrills and spills and ending with a downhill dash to San Sebastian's scenic horseshoe bay.

Stage 9

Volcanic ascent

Exposed, stark and brutally steep, the 13 km ascent of the world heritage site volcano Puy de Dome, where Fausto Coppi and Luis Ocana once secured epic victories, provides the peloton a backdrop fit for heroes. Eye candy for the casual observers across the globe on stage 9 will also be cheered on by massive holiday weekend crowds for a first ascent of this volcano since 1988. The riders will race its final super-steep 4 km in splendid isolation with even team cars banned. Champion Vingegaard and his key rival Pogacar may lay down a marker here. Some of the leading candidates will probably stagger over the finish line with their chances in tatters.

Stage 17

Double whammy

From Mont Blanc to Courchevel, stage 17 could witness the pivotal moment. Not only because of the 60-odd kilometers of climbing that culminate with the 28 km slog up the Col de Loze mountain to 2,304 meters altitude, but also because the stage follows the Tour's only individual time-trial. Any rider who puts the hammer down the day before, risks overcooking in this relentless Upper Savoy showdown.

Stage 20

Last-chance saloon

The 2023 champion will only be confirmed on stage 20 in the far east Vosges mountains. A fading front runner could be taken on any one of the six climbs, especially if illness has taken the kind of toll of recent races when leaders have suddenly found themselves stripped of teammates.

Stage 21

Manx Missile's final launch

Veteran sprint legend Mark Cavendish is due to retire this season, and what a final fling stage 21 would prove to be if the 'Manx Missile' edges ahead of all-time great Eddy Merckx by swooping to a record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage win. Offering his devoted fans one last glimpse of the trademark victory roar with a fifth victory on the cobbled Champs Elysees in Paris would be a fitting sendoff for the Briton's remarkable career.