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| July 4, 2009 | to | July 5, 2009 |
As the 2008 Tour de France comes to its climax on the Champs-Elysees in Paris after another exciting (Mark Cavendish (UK) won 4 stages) and controversial 3 weeks, eyes turn to future years. Although the detailed route will not be published until November, we do know that:
The 2009 Tour de France cycle race will start in Monaco with a time trial on Saturday 4 July 2009 followed by the first stage proper on Sunday 5th July 2009 when the tour enters into France.
There are rumours that Edinburgh has made a serious bid to host the start of the 2010 Tour de France, and also that London is keen to repeat the success of the 2007 London start in 2012 to coincide with the Olympics!
For more info see www.letour.fr
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) traverses France (with an excursion into Italy) starting in Brittany on 5 July and ending on the Champs Elysees in Paris on 27 July 2008.
Love it or hate it, you may not be able to ignore it. Roads are closed, towns come to a halt as a large proportion of the local population plus many spectators from around the world (plus press and publicity) descend on the individual stages. It is quite a spectacle with a great atmosphere - and yet unless it is a time trial or mountain stage, the actual racing cyclists can be come and gone in a matter of minutes. Mountain stages get manic with enthusiasts parking on the mountainside several days in advance to get a good position.
Because the French take the Tour so seriously be prepared for road and town closures on the route - it seldom affects main autoroutes, but other roads can be closed for several hours.
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
For details of the 2008 stages see www.frenchduck.com
The Tour has produced a short video which flies you across the landscape of France following the route of the 2008 Tour (worth seeing even if you are not interested in the race!):-
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
| July 27, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 21, the final day is usually a gentle ride through the outskirts of Paris (the overall winner is usually known by now), but there are still points to be won for the sprints and the glory of a stage win on the Champs-Elysees - so the last 5 laps around central Paris can be very exciting. Sunday 27 July 2008 starting from Etampes (91 Essonne, Ile de France) and finishing 143 km later on the Champs Elysees (75 Paris, Ile de France)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 26, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 19, the penultimate day is a team time trial on Saturday 26 July 2008 and starts from Cerilly (03 Allier, Auvergne) and runs for 53 km to finish in St Amand Montrond (18 Cher, Centre)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 25, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 18 is on Friday 25 July 2008 and starts from Roanne (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) and runs for 165.5 km to finish in Montlucon (03 Allier, Auvergne) via (Vichy (03 Allier, Auvergne) and Lapeyrousse (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne).
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 24, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 18 is on Thursday 24 July 2008 and starts from Bourg d’Oisans (38 Isere, Rhone-Alpes) and runs for 196.5 km to finish in St Etienne (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 23, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 17 is on Wednesday 23 July 2008 and starts from Embrun (05 Hautes-Alpes, Provence), and runs for 210.5 km up some of the most testing mountain passes in France such as the Col de la Galibier (73 Savoie, Rhone-Alpes) to finish on the punishing climb to Alpe d’Huez (38 Isere, Rhone-Alpes)!
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 22, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 16 is on Tuesday 22 July 2008 and starts from Cuneo on the Italian side of the Alps and runs for 157 km through the mountains to finish back in France at Jausiers (04 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence) via Isola (96 Alpes-Maritimes, Provence).
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 20, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 15 is on Sunday 20 July 2008 and starts from Embrun (05 Hautes Alpes, Provence) and runs for 185 km through the Alps to finish in Prato Nevoso, Italy
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 19, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 14 is on Saturday 19 July 2008 and starts from Nimes (30 Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon) and runs for 194.5 km through the heart of Provence to finish in the foothills of the Alps at Digne-les-Bains (04 Alpes-de-Haut Provence, Provence, Cote d’Azur) via St Remy-de-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) and Apt (84 Vaucluse, Provence)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 18, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 13 is on Friday 19 July 2008 and starts from Narbonne (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) and runs for 182 km to finish in Nimes (30 Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon) via the Pic St Loup wine region (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 17, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 12 is on Thursday 17 July 2008 and starts from Lavelanet (09 Ariege, Midi-Pyrenees) and runs for 168.5km through the southern Languedoc and Cathar country and Fitou and Maury (66 Pyrenees-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon) to finish in Narbonne (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 14, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 10 is on Monday 14 July 2008 (Bastille Day) and starts from Pau (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) via Jurancon to Hautacam (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees) through the mountains, a route of 156km - being Bastille Day there is always tremendous pressure and expectation that a French cyclist will win today!
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 13, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 9 is on 13 July 2008 and starts from Toulouse (31 Haut-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) and runs 224km up in to the Pyrenees to Bagnères-de-Bigorre (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi=Pyrenees)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 12, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 8 is on 12 July 2008 and starts from Figeac (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) and runs 170km via Gaillac (81 Tarn, Midi-Pyrenees) to Toulouse (31 Haut-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees).
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
