I think the race will definitely start in Geraardsbergen again.
I'm fairly sure the race won't finish in Turkey
I was goint to post this, but you've thought it through a lot more. G-bergen to the Black Sea over the Transfagarsan would be a great route. Nordkapp to Gibraltar would lack the diversity that the countries of Eastern Europe bring.
The Black Forest would be good as well. I did a tour round it last year and there is some great cycling - and some horiffic rough cycle tracks for people who don't take care with route planning!
Also I expect there might be checkpoints and parcours that pretty much force people to actually stay in the Alps.
I was goint to post this, but you've thought it through a lot more. G-bergen to the Black Sea over the Transfagarsan would be a great route. Nordkapp to Gibraltar would lack the diversity that the countries of Eastern Europe bring.
The Black Forest would be good as well. I did a tour round it last year and there is some great cycling - and some horiffic rough cycle tracks for people who don't take care with route planning!
Also I expect there might be checkpoints and parcours that pretty much force people to actually stay in the Alps.