But Spaniard Contador, Tour champion in 2007 and 2009 and arguably the best climber in the world, can look forward to stretching his rivals in the Pyrenees, which will be the highlight of cycling's showcase event in 2010.
Four stages, including a gruelling 16th stage with four daunting climbs, will be held in the mountains that form the border between France and Spain.
A hundred years after first featuring on the Tour map, the Pyrenees could be the scene of a classic battle between Contador and seven-times champion Lance Armstrong.
"The route is better than last year's because there are more mountains," Contador said.
"Finishing with the Tourmalet is great for me," he added, referring to the last mountain stage which ends at the top of the 2,115-metre high Col du Tourmalet.
Armstrong, 38 and third this year, reflected: "Well, it's not your traditional Tour. (But) I was never one to say I like this Tour, I dislike this Tour. It's the Tour.
"The best man always wins and you always do the Alps and the Pyrenees and you always have some demanding time trials."
The three-week race over almost 3,600 kilometres will start with an 8km prologue in Rotterdam before diving into the heartland of cycling - Belgium.
The first stage will take the riders along the North Sea, with 12km and 6km sections on an embankment, with crossing winds likely to split the peloton.
"With these two sections on an embankment, with the strong winds blowing, there could be some trouble," said Prudhomme.
The opening stage to Brussels will also go through Antwerp and Meise, the hometown of five-times winner Eddy Merckx.
A tribute will be paid to the classics, with the second stage going through roads used on Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Leaders will have to be extremely cautious in the third stage, which features treacherous cobbled sections used for Paris-Roubaix, the Queen of the Classics.
"There will be 11km of cobblestones in the last 30km. There will be some damage," said Prudhomme.
Contador, who has never taken part in the Paris-Roubaix race, said: "Cobblestones are nice on TV, but not on the bike."
Armstrong, who has more experience in the one-day classics, should not suffer too much, according to his mentorJohan Bruyneel, who is set to leave Astana to join Armstrong's RadioShack outfit next season.
"He (Armstrong) feels good on these kind of stages, for him it's not a problem at all," the Belgian said.
Although the Alpine stages will not prove too arduous, a single-stage detour in the Jura mountains is expected to prove tricky, with 56km of climbs over the last 120km in the seventh stage to Station des Rousses.
"That could cause havoc," said Prudhomme.
Those that survive the Pyrenees will then head to Bordeaux for the last rest day before a final individual, 51km time trial to Pauillac through the Bordeaux vineyards.
The race will end on the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 25.
Tour d'France 2010 stages:
July 3: Prologue - Rotterdam, 8 km
July 4: Stage 1 - Rotterdam - Brussels, 224 km
July 5: Stage 2 - Brussels - Spa, 192 km
July 6: Stage 3 - Wanze - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, 207 km
July 7: Stage 4 - Cambrai - Reims, 150 km
July 8: Stage 5 - Epernay - Montargis, 185 km
July 9: Stage 6 - Montargis - Gueugnon, 225 km
July 10: Stage 7 - Tournus - Station des Rousses, 161 km
July 11: Stage 8 - Station des Rousses - Morzine Avoriaz, 189km
July 12: Rest day - Morzine Avoriaz
July 13: Stage 9 - Morzine Avoriaz - St Jean de Maurienne, 204km
July 14: Stage 10 - Chambery - Gap, 179 km
July 15: Stage 11 - Sisteron - Bourg les Valence, 180 km
July 16: Stage 12 - Bourg de Peage - Mende, 210 km
July 17: Stage 13 - Rodez - Revel, 195 km
July 18: Stage 14 - Revel - Ax 3 Domaines, 184 km
July 19: Stage 15 - Pamiers - Bagnes de Luchon, 187 km
July 20: Stage 16 - Bagneres de Luchon - Pau, 196 km
July 21: Rest day - Pau
July 22: Stage 17 - Pau - Col du Tourmalet, 174 km
July 23: Stage 18 - Salies de Bearn - Bordeaux, 190 km
July 24: Stage 19 - Bordeaux-Pauillac, individual timetrial 51km
July 25: Stage 20 - Longjumeau - Paris Champs Elysees, 105 km
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