tour de france 2009 podium

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Contador Wins, but Armstrong Has Other Victory

By Juliet Macur

• July 26, 2009

PARIS — With the Arc de Triomphe in the distance and a sea of fans along the roadside, Lance Armstrong stood on the podium at the Tour de France on Sunday, two spots below what he was used to.

From 1999 to 2005, Armstrong won this race, the most prestigious event in cycling. This time, he was third, behind the winner Alberto Contador of Spain and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.

But for the 37-year-old Armstrong — and for many in the cycling community — it was a victory, even though Armstrong fell short of crossing the finish line first.

“I did my best,” Armstrong said before the 21st and final stage of the race, which is typically a ceremonial ride to the Champs-Élysées for the top overall riders. “I came across some guys who were better than me. That’s all I could ask for.”

With Armstrong at this Tour — a 2,150-mile, or 3,459.5-kilometer, race through four countries and two principalities — the race commanded more worldwide attention than the last three Tours did. Those races had gone on during his short-lived retirement.

This time, Hollywood stars like Robin Williams, Ben Stiller and Matthew McConaughey dropped in, paying a visit to Armstrong, the most famous American cyclist.

And this time, the race was in the headlines for good reasons, not bad. Though Armstrong has been dogged by doping allegations throughout his career, particularly in France, his return to the sport after a three-and-a-half-year break overshadowed that.

Also, for the first time at least four years, there were no positive doping cases among riders competing at the Tour. But, as the Italian rider Danilo Di Luca has proven, positive tests could emerge long after the race was done. Earlier this month, Di Luca, tested positive for taking the blood-booster CERA at the Giro d’Italia, in which he was the runner-up in May.

Here, though, the Armstrong-Contador rivalry — not the sport’s lingering doping problems — made daily headlines as the two Astana teammates challenged each other, both mentally and physically, mile by mile.

“Rivalries, like Armstrong-Contador, Borg-McEnroe, Federer and Nadal — it doesn’t matter who — are what feed sports,” the Tour’s director, Christian Prudhomme, said. “And Contador and Armstrong gave us a duel. In France, when we have this rivalry, every time there is a good guy and a bad guy. I’m not saying which one is which.”

Armstrong, the brash Texan, appeared to win the hearts of the people of France, the country that once loved to hate him. No longer invincible, he is an underdog now. He also is oldest rider to finish in the Tour’s top three since the 40-year-old Frenchman Raymond Poulidor did so in 1976.

The picture of him chatting with other riders during the final stage — nearly every other rider, in fact — was far different from the ultra-focused and cold rider the French once knew.

“I don’t know if it’s true, but this is the image that everyone saw at the Tour,” Prudhomme said of the friendlier Armstrong who showed up for this race three weeks ago. “It’s going to change everything from now on.”

Already, Armstrong’s return has changed the landscape of cycling in the United States. Steve Johnson, the chief executive of USA Cycling, can attest to that . He said that Armstrong’s return this year had directly affected the popularity of the sport in the United States.

USA Cycling’s general memberships grew about 5.5 percent per year during the time Armstrong won the Tour from 1999 to 2005, Johnson said. When he retired, the membership dropped by 3.5 to 4 percent annually. This year, with Armstrong back in the peloton, Johnson said the membership growth was back at 5.5 percent.

Also, the network Versus, which broadcast the Tour, said the average viewership for its live morning coverage was up 95 percent through Stage 18.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Johnson said in a telephone interview from the Provence region of France. “It’s pretty clear that now he’s back and there’s an increased awareness. People are interested in the sport.”

Next year, American fans will see Armstrong riding not for Astana — a team based in Kazakhstan — but for Team RadioShack, a team based in the United States. Last week, he announced the formation of the new team .

On Saturday, Contador said he would not be joining him. He and Armstrong are parting ways, with Contador heading to a new team, too, but one that has not been announced yet.

On the eve of Sunday’s final stage, Armstrong already began to distance himself. He did not celebrate Contador’s victory, cemented by a grueling climb up the infamous Mont Ventoux.

Instead, he said, he already was thinking about next season.

“To be honest with you, went to dinner with the RadioShack guys,” he said, adding, “had a few more glasses of wine than I normally would.”

The Armstrong-Contador rivalry is expected to return next year, though, when each will be representing different teams. Johan Bruyneel, Astana’s team manager who is likely heading to Team RadioShack, said he understood that both riders needed their breathing room — particularly after the way this Tour unfolded.

Bruyneel and Armstrong both say that Contador, who also won the Tour in 2007 , is talented enough to win multiple Tours after this one. Still, they criticized Contador several times here for going against team orders.

In one example, Contador took off up a climb , leaving his own teammate, Andreas Kloden, struggling in the distance. That ruined the chance at a podium sweep for Astana, Bruyneel said. Contador said it was an honest mistake.

“When there are two champions who want to win, of course there’s going to be tension, but we were able to manage it within the team,” Bruyneel said, adding that he considered Contador “the best rider in the world.”

But Contador’s supremacy this year, beating Schleck by 4 minutes 11 seconds and Armstrong by 5:24, caused questions about how he did it. In particular, his amazing performance on the steep climb in Verbier, Switzerland, raised eyebrows.

“It is like a Mercedes sedan winning on a Formula One circuit,” Greg LeMond, the three-time Tour champion from the United States, wrote last week in the newspaper Le Monde. “There is something wrong. It would be interesting to know what’s under the hood.”

Contador also had to address allegations of doping in 2007, when he was allegedly involved in a Spanish doping ring. His involvement in that ring was never proven.

This time, he responded to his naysayers by saying that the mentality of the riders had changed regarding doping in the sport. He said he was always available for drug testing, without excuses. For the last year and a half, the sport has used a biological passport program that monitors riders’ blood profiles. It watches for any variations that could indicate doping.

“It’s good for the sport, for cycling, which I love so much,” Contador said of those doping controls. “I always pass the controls with a happy face and I will keep undergoing them.”

Despite the doubts about him, Contador still appeared ecstatic as he made his way to Paris on Sunday from Montereau-Fault-Yonne, for the 102-mile final stage of this Tour. The British rider Mark Cavendish won the stage, his sixth victory of this Tour.

Contador sat back in his saddle and sipped Champagne with some of his teammates. He grabbed a Spanish flag from a fan and tied it around his neck, letting it fly behind him like Superman’s cape.

As he headed to the podium, his struggle with Armstrong and the other top riders was far away. Like a carefree boy, instead of a 26-year-old man, he skipped there. And for the first time at this Tour, he smiled so widely that he showed his dimples.

As his arch rivals flanked him, it was Contador’s time to rejoice.

“It has been an especially difficult Tour for me,” Contador said, “but I savor it and it is more special because of it.”

Tour de France Winners, Podium, Times

With results for every stage and complete final gc of every tour.

Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 1: 1903 - 1975 is available as an audiobook here. For the print and Kindle eBook versions, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Results for every single stage of every single Tour de France can be found by clicking on the years in the table below.

That's every stage of every Tour!

Other competitions (points, KOM, green jersey, team classification)

Tour statistics (dates, distances, average speed, etc.)

Tour de France prizes, winners and total prize pools, by year

From 1930 to 1961 plus 1967 and 1968, national and regional rather than trade teams competed.

On October 22, 2012 Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour victories.

Content continues below the ads

© McGann Publishing

• Tour de France
• Giro d'Italia
• La Vuelta ciclista a España
• World Championships
• Milano-Sanremo
• Amstel Gold Race
• Tirreno-Adriatico
• Liège-Bastogne-Liège
• Il Lombardia
• La Flèche Wallonne
• Paris - Nice
• Paris-Roubaix
• Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
• Critérium du Dauphiné
• Tour des Flandres
• Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields
• Clásica Ciclista San Sebastián
• UAE Team Emirates
• Arkéa - B&B Hotels
• Astana Qazaqstan Team
• Alpecin-Deceuninck
• Bahrain - Victorious
• BORA - hansgrohe
• Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team
• EF Education-EasyPost
• Groupama - FDJ
• INEOS Grenadiers
• Intermarché - Wanty
• Lidl - Trek
• Movistar Team
• Soudal - Quick Step
• Team dsm-firmenich PostNL
• Team Jayco AlUla
• Team Visma | Lease a Bike
• Grand tours
• Top competitors
• Final GC favorites
• Stage profiles
• Riders form
• Countdown to 3 billion pageviews
• Favorite500
• Profile Score
• Stage winners
• All stage profiles
• Race palmares
• Complementary results
• Finish photo
• Contribute info
• Contribute results
• Contribute site(s)
• Results - Results
• Info - Info
• Live - Live
• Game - Game
• Stats - Stats
• More - More
•   »  

Race information

• Date: 26 July 2009
• Start time: -
• Avg. speed winner: 40.61 km/h
• Race category: ME - Men Elite
• Distance: 164 km
• Points scale: GT.A.Stage
• Parcours type:
• ProfileScore: 1
• Vert. meters: 521
• Departure: Montereau
• Arrival: Paris
• Race ranking: 0
• Startlist quality score: 1557
• Won how: Sprint of large group
• Avg. temperature:

Grand Tours

• Vuelta a España

Major Tours

• Volta a Catalunya
• Tour de Romandie
• Tour de Suisse
• Itzulia Basque Country
• Milano-SanRemo
• Ronde van Vlaanderen

Championships

• European championships

Top classics

• Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
• Strade Bianche
• Gent-Wevelgem
• Dwars door vlaanderen
• Eschborn-Frankfurt
• San Sebastian
• Bretagne Classic
• GP Montréal

Popular riders

• Tadej Pogačar
• Wout van Aert
• Remco Evenepoel
• Jonas Vingegaard
• Mathieu van der Poel
• Mads Pedersen
• Primoz Roglic
• Demi Vollering
• Lotte Kopecky
• Katarzyna Niewiadoma
• PCS ranking
• UCI World Ranking
• Points per age
• Latest injuries
• Youngest riders
• Grand tour statistics
• Monument classics
• Latest transfers
• Favorite 500
• Points scales
• Profile scores
• Reset password
• Cookie consent

About ProCyclingStats

• Cookie policy
• Contributions
• Pageload 0.0805s

Cancellara motors in Monaco parade

Spartacus pounds his way to maillot jaune; And guess what: Contador is right up there with him

Pounding, pounding and pounding as if each turn of the pedals were grinding a mother cow through the mincer, Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara spun his legs the only way he knew how Saturday in Monaco, unleashing the beast within to capture the first maillot jaune of the 2009 Tour de France.

Following an uneventful start to the season, the atypical Swiss savagery that netted the 28-year-old prologue wins in the 2004 and 2007 Tours de France was once again used to full effect, maybe more so than before given the difficulty and distance of the 15.5-kilometre opening stage. And despite his newfound prowess in the mountains that a fortnight ago paved the way to his first Tour de Suisse title, it was perhaps the reason why this slightly trimmer Cancellara proved unbeatable.

"I think now, I'm really back," Cancellara said, whose winning time of 19:32 equated to a superlative 47.610 km/h average.

"I knew on the first uphill portion I should take it easy and not give it everything, not take in too much lactic acid till the top of the climb. [Directeur sportif] Bjarne Riis told me at the casino that I already started really strong, and then I rode my own pace and made the difference on the flatter parts."

Asked how long he wishes to be in yellow, he said, "As long as possible. But we have 3,500 km in front of us. We look to be in yellow at least till the [Stage four] team time trial. It would be nice to get it like London [in 2007], to have it for seven days. Let's enjoy now, but focus on what is coming."

On a course 7.5 kilometres too long to be called a prologue, the reigning Olympic time trial champion's winning margin of 18 seconds to Astana's Alberto Contador was nonetheless huge, the 2007 Tour champion stopping the clock at 19:50, second by one second to Bradley Wiggins of Garmin-Slipstream. Only another Astana-ite, Andreas Klöden, and last year's Tour de France runner-up, Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto, posted times under the 20-minute mark, 19:54 and 19:55, respectively, the pair rounding out the top five places.

"I can be very happy about becoming second behind a rider such as him [Cancellara]," said Contador. "I'm happy with my result, because my objective was to distance myself from my rivals for the general classification. The differences are minimal, but the important thing is that I feel good, that my legs respond well. Now, the race can begin."

Carlos Sastre of the Cervélo TestTeam, the defending Tour de France champion, finished 1:06 behind his former teammate Cancellara, which doesn't rule him out of the race by any means, in 21st on the leader board. "My feelings on the bike were good, but I had a problem with my helmet after the start so this troubled my concentration a bit," said Sastre. "But apart from this incident, my feelings were good and I think that I didn't lose too much time on the important riders."

"What happened before was the hard thing," said Cancellara, "after my crash, after sickness, after not finding my form. I always told myself to look forward, because the season is long; Flanders was my main goal for the season, but I had to say no - I didn't find form. It's been a lot of training, a lot of sacrifice [since then].

"I think I made a great decision: ride the Giro [d'Italia], get kilometres in my body, ride with the team in the Alps, train behind the motorbike, do the Tour de Suisse without thinking how good I am already, but then I showing I am back [by winning the race]."

Significant others

Along with Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer chose to set off early to avoid the threat of rain that never came, departing at 4:37 p.m., his overly hunched position unusual though powerful nonetheless. So powerful, in fact, that the 35-year-old Californian from Santa Rosa held the best time all the way until the 138th out of the scheduled 180 riders to leave - his teammate Klöden - bettered his time of 20:02, eventually slotting Leipheimer into sixth.

"Personally, I don't like to start hard, but you had to start hard on this course," Leipheimer said. "But it's kind of like, you're torturing yourself in the beginning, and then you absolutely have to kill yourself to a point of bleeding out of your ears later on. It's a controlled massacre. It's tough for me to start like that."

Seventh on Saturday, Liquigas' Roman Kreuziger can now be thought of as a dark horse, the 2009 Tour de Romandie winner's time of 20:04 just 32 seconds off the winning pace. "Everyone believes he is a champion in the making, one of the few riders who will be able to take on Andy Schleck," said five-time Tour de France champion, Bernard Hinault, in the official Tour de France guide.

Columbia-HTC's Tony Martin did threaten when he set the fastest intermediate time of 11:27 atop the Moyenne Corniche, the intermediate checkpoint coming after 7.5-km. But compared to Astana's Leipheimer who was three seconds slower at that point, the young German faded slightly over the course's back half, reversing his previous advantage and finishing with a time of 20:05 and eighth place.

The team who mysteriously lost their Tour de France champ in the year they won it, the eyes of Saxo Bank were not just glued to Cancellara but the man they believe to be their next winner-in-waiting, Andy Schleck. His lanky, skinny frame and relatively wide shoulders made not for a pretty sight on the time trial bike, but nevertheless rode well to limit his losses to one minute flat, equating to eighteenth-best, which he should be happy with.

And, of course, there was Lance...

Squatting low minutes before his 4:17 p.m. start, stretching his gluteus, then using the top tube of his Trek time trial bike like a ballet dancer would grip a bar, arms outstretched and pulling his torso rearwards to extend his back, Armstrong was going through the motions like a man on a mission: perhaps a mission to set the first stone in place en route to an eighth Tour de France.

The 37-year-old rocketed out of the start house just like he did 10 years ago at the '99 Tour, climbing the 7.2-km, Cat. 4 ascent to Beausoleil as if it was flat. The eighteenth rider to leave, it was unsurprising to see him qualify fastest at the halfway mark with 11:36 at the 7.5-km checkpoint. Flicking through the corners then powering on the straights back down to Port Hercule, he looked in control, strong, and impressive. By the day's end, his early best time of 20:12 was still good enough for tenth place.

"Very technical, [it was] hard to find the right rhythm, but I'm happy with my ride," said Armstrong, who appeared genuinely contented. "I didn't expect to win or take the [yellow] jersey. It wasn't a super, super performance, but not bad. I was nervous, which is logical. It's a long time since I had that emotion. I felt focused on the course."

Asked how it compared to his feelings four years ago, the last time he raced this great race that he won in 2005, he said, "It's almost like a foreign environment. It's difficult to replicate that intensity and that feeling in training, and I definitely didn't replicate that the last few years [during retirement].

"I'm happy. Even if we don't win [the Tour de France] I'm having a good time, and I want to be there. I have a lot of other things I could be doing right now, but I want to win a race," said Armstrong.

Leadership issues or not, with four riders in the top 10, Astana is the team to beat.

For images of stage one click here

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Get The Leadout Newsletter

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Tour of the Gila: Marlies Mejias Garcia wins stage 2 as Stephens retains race lead

Tour of the gila: scott mcgill wins men's stage 2 inner loop road race.

Itzulia Women

Most Popular

Latest on cyclingnews.

Lizzie Deignan gets green light to race La Vuelta Femenina

Gravel's newest star Torbjørn Røed leaves road behind with Unbound in mind

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Bradley Wiggins awarded podium place for 2009 Tour de France

Bradley Wiggins has been awarded third place in the 2009 Tour de France after Lance Armstrong's result was wiped from the record books.

Wiggins, who won this summer's Tour, finished a then British record-equalling fourth three years ago behind Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck and Armstrong. Now, after the International Cycling Union stripped the Texan of all results from 1 August 1998, ratifying a United States Anti-Doping Agency ruling, Wiggins is a two-times Tour podium rider.

The UCI ruled last week that Armstrong's sequence of seven successive Tour wins would not be reallocated but results from his comeback years, in 2009 and 2010, will be. "In 2009 the placing of Mr Armstrong will be reallocated. Bradley Wiggins is the third-placed rider for the 2009 Tour," the UCI said.

Team Sky, for whom Wiggins rides, have issued a statement regarding the departure of their sporting director, Steven de Jongh, who has admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career.

The statement read: "Steven de Jongh has left Team Sky following three seasons as sports director. After the team reaffirmed its position on anti-doping, Steven disclosed that he had taken a banned substance earlier in his career as a professional rider."

De Jongh said in an open letter sent to the website sent to VeloNation that he had used EPO "on a few occasions" between 1998 and 2000.

Team Sky's principal, Dave Brailsford, said: "There's no doubt about Steven's work with us or his approach. He's been a highly-valued sports director and colleague over three seasons. Steven deserves our respect for the courage he's shown in being honest about the past and it's right that we do our best to support him. He has our best wishes for the next step in his career."

De Jongh wrote in his letter: "I want to stay in this sport but I know that it can't be with Team Sky. It's sad to be leaving but there's no other option."

• Bradley Wiggins
• Tour de France
• Lance Armstrong

Most viewed

Tour de France 2009: Team guide

• Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

We present our definitive guide to all 20 of this year's Tour de France teams.

Here you will find information on each of the 2009 Tour teams, from Ag2r to Saxo Bank. We have included details of key riders, Tour aims, equipment and much more.

Ag2r-La Mondiale

Country: France

Sponsor: Insurance brands

Bikes: BH frames with Campagnolo kit

Website: www.ag2r-cyclisme.com

Managers: Vincent Lavenu, Laurent Biondi

Get The Leadout Newsletter

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Key riders: Vladimir Efimkin (Rus), Cyril Dessel (Fra), Nicolas Roche (Irl)

How will they do? Stage wins and plenty of time in breakaways will be the team plans, bread-and-butter for a French team. Though Valjavec is absent, Vladimir Efimkin will be looking to improve on eleventh place overall, while Dessel, anonymous so far this year, should be active in breakaways as he looks to retrieve his yellow jersey-winning form of 2006.

Nicolas Roche rides his first Tour de France after finishing a promising thirteenth in last year's Vuelta. A climber with a handy sprint on him, he is a good prospect for stage victory.

As a whole, the team is full of handy, attacking riders who could be dangerous from breakaways. Last year: After Martin Elmiger was outsprinted by Kurt-Asle Arvesen in Foix, Cyril Dessel saved their race with a canny breakaway victory into Jausiers, leading into the late, final corner and outsprinting his two companions. Tadej Valjavec and Vladimir Efimkin (technically a stage winner in Bagnères de Bigorre last year after Riccardo Riccò's retrospective disqualification) ghosted into tenth and eleventh places overall. With three in the top twenty-five overall, the team also finished second overall behind CSC.

Tour pedigree: Including former incarnations Chazal and Casino, Ag2r have been a fixture in the Tour de France for the last fifteen years. Their first stage win came from Rodolfo Massi in the 1998 Tour, and they've enjoyed several since, thanks chiefly to mountain-fearing fast man Jaan Kirsipuu.

Surprise package: Former Coupe de France winner Lloyd Mondory packs a decent sprint. Potentially very threatening from a small breakaway group.

Factoid: Evergreen Stéphane Goubert could be the oldest man in the 2009 Tour - the climber turned 39 in March. He is remarkably consistent, if unspectacular, too, finishing inside the top forty of the Tour for the last eight years.

Sponsor: They make agricultural machinery

Bikes: Kuota frames with SRAM components

Website: www.agritubel-cycling.com

Managers: Denis Leproux, Emmanuel Hubert, Frédéric Mainguenaud

Key riders: Romain Feillu (Fra), Christophe Moreau (Fra)

How will they do? These three weeks in July are the highlights of Agritubel's year. Expect to see them up the road often, showing off the sponsor's name. Romain Feillu is their best bet for a stage win, lethal from a small group thanks to his strong sprint. Christophe Moreau will be wanting to end his career with a flourish and could be a danger for the polka-dot jersey, if he is not too far over the metaphorical hill. Plucky trier Nicolas Vogondy is likely to be up the road again this year. Last year: Romain Feillu made it into an early breakaway and finished third, enjoyed a day in the maillot jaune, before the Tour's first time-trial. Feillu was one of the race's most aggressive riders, also scoring two other third place finishes. Speaking of aggressive riders, some may remember Nicolas Vogondy being caught by Mark Cavendish 200 metres from the line in Châteauroux.

Tour pedigree: For a team that has never been in the top tier of pro cycling, they've fared well. In their debut Tour of 2006, Juan Miguel Mercado outsprinted Cyril Dessel into Pau for an opportunistic stage win.

Surprise package: David Le Lay. Since joining mid-summer 2008, he has had a fine year with Agritubel, winning the Circuit de la Sarthe and coming second in the Four Days of Dunkirk and attacking on the Mur de Huy in the Flèche Wallone. Definitely one to watch out for in breakaways.

Factoid: Agritubel can boast two Tour of Britain winners in their ranks - Romain Feillu (2007) and Geoffroy Lequatre (2008).

Country: Kazakhstan

Sponsor: A consortium of Kazakh companies

Bikes: Trek frames, with SRAM components

Website: www.astana-cyclingteam.com

Manager: Johan Bruyneel

Key riders: Alberto Contador (Spa), Lance Armstrong (Usa), Levi Leipheimer (Usa)

How will they do? Very well. The strength-in-depth of their lineup is remarkable. Simply, the Tour will be unsatsifactory if they fail to win overall. Alberto Contador is their best bet for victory, having shown no signs of slowing down after his 2007 overall victory. As much media hype as he may create, Armstrong will do well to finish in the top five overall. Last year: After a chequered year of doping misdemeanours, Tour organisers ASO did not give them a wild-card, leading to some world-class tantrums, most notably the ‘Let Levi Ride' campaign.

Tour pedigree: Non-starters; the team was withdrawn halfway through the 2007 after news of Vinokorov's positive test, and were not given an invitation to last year's race. Third time lucky?

Surprise package: This team has so many proven performers that they have no need for a surprise package.

Factoid: In Armstrong, Contador, Kloden, Leipheimer and Zubeldia, the team has five riders who have finished in the Tour de France top five before.

Bbox Bouygues Telecom

Sponsor: Bouygues Telecom is a French telecoms company, BBOX is the name of its TV, broadband and phone set-top box.

Bikes: Time frameswith Campagnolo components

Website: www.equipebouyguestelecom.fr

Manager: Jean-René Bernaudeau

Key riders: Thomas Voeckler (Fra), Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra)

How will they do? Lacking both a overall contender or sprinter of note, they will be throwing riders up the road in escapes to maximise their chances. A stage win would make the Tour a success for this French team of triers. Thomas Voeckler epitomises their style of racing: plucky and attacking, but often unsuccessful.

Last year: Predictably plucky and attacking. Thomas Voeckler wore the polka-dot jersey for the first five days. Jérôme Pineau was third on the opening stage into Plumelec, but otherwise they were very quiet, faring worst of the French teams in attendance.

Tour pedigree: Still dreaming of the halcyon days of 2004, when housewives' favourite Voeckler spent ten days in the maillot jaune. Only one stage win in the Tour de France, courtesy of Pierrick Fédrigo in 2006.

Surprise package: Twenty-two year old Pierre Rolland starts his first Tour de France, after some promising top-twenty rides at Paris-Nice in recent years. Though this will be a learning experience for him, he should be good for an attack or two.

Factoid: Thomas Voeckler spent his childhood and adolescent years on the Caribbean island of Martinique.

Caisse d'Epargne

Sponsor: French bank

Bikes: Pinarello frames with Campagnolo components

Website: www.cyclisme-caisse-epargne.fr

Managers: Eusebio Unzue, Neil Stephens

Key riders: Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa), David Arroyo (Spa)

How will they do? Not as well as they would have done with Valverde. However,the resultant carte blanche could be good for a team packed with strong climbers and attacking flair, including Tour winner Pereiro and Gutierrez. A stage or top ten finish is very possible.

Last year: Valverde destroyed the opposition to take the first yellow jersey in Plumelec, and Luis Leon Sanchez soloed into Aurillac for a classy win. However, Valverde's ninth-place finish overall may have been slightly disappointing.

Tour pedigree: This team goes way back, to the time of Reynolds and Banesto, and therefore to Tour winners Pedro Delgado and Miguel Indurain.

Surprise package: If he gets a ride in his first Grand Tour, Colombian Rigoberto Uran could fare well. Third in last year's Tour of Lombardy and fifth overall in the Tour of Romandie, the twenty-two year old is a strong climber.

Factoid: Oscar Pereiro has not won a professional race since his 2006 Tour "victory".

Cervélo Test Team

Country: Switzerland

Sponsor: Canadian bicycle manufacturer

Bikes: Cervélo frames with Campagnolo components

Website: snipurl.com/jwdtx

Manager: Jean-Paul Van Poppel

Key riders: Carlos Sastre (Spa), Thor Hushovd (Nor)

How will they do? Sastre will be keen to defend his Tour crown, but a podium finish may be his best bet, with young guns Contador and Schleck and their teams looking stronger. Consistent Hushovd is a good prospect for a stage win somewhere along the route. If Cavendish falters, he will be a favourite to take another green jersey.

Last year: Didn't exist - although Sastre won the Tour and the queen stage up Alpe d'Huez, while Hushovd also took stages.

Tour pedigree: See above.

Surprise package: Jose Angel Gomez Marchante. Beset by illness and injury in recent years, can he rediscover the climbing form that took him to fifth in the 2006 Vuelta?

Factoid: If he starts, 40 year-old Iñigo Cuesta will be the oldest man in the race. When he turned pro in 1994, for Euskadi, Mark Cavendish was only eight.

Sponsor: Offer credit over the phone and online

Bikes: Look frames with Campagnolo components

Website: www.equipe-cofidis.com

Managers: Eric Boyer, Francis Van Londersele

Key riders: David Moncoutié (Fra), Samuel Dumoulin (Fra), Amaël Moinard (Fra)

How will they do? There'll be a lot of pressure on Cofidis to take another stage. Two-time stage winner Moncoutié, now injury-free, will be dangerous on hilly transiton stages. Having lost Chavanel and Monfort over the winter, it could be slim pickings.

Last year: Samuel Dumoulin's third day stage win from a breakaway took off the pressure for the next three weeks. Sylvain Chavanel won late on to make it a bumper Tour for Cofidis.

Tour pedigree: No more relying on David Millar for stage wins.

Surprise package: He's no longer a surprise, but it will be interesting to see if Amaël Moinard can improve on his fifteenth-place finish from last year.

Factoid: Barring a last-minute midget entrant, Samuel Dumoulin will be the smallest rider at the 2009 Tour, at only 159 centimetres (5'2") tall.

Columbia-HTC

Country: USA

Sponsor: Columbia manufactures outdoor clothing. HTC manufactures telecommunications equipment

Bikes: Scott frames with Shimano components

Website: www.highroadsports.com

Managers: Bob Stapleton, Rolf Aldag, Brian Holm, Allan Peiper

Key riders: Mark Cavendish (GBr), Kim Kirchen (Lux), Michael Rogers (Aus)

How will they do?

Very well. Like Rabobank, another team that can produce wins in almost

any competition - however, their cohesion sets them apart. Cavendish,

the sprinter to beat at the moment, will win several stages and a green

jersey if he wins some intermediate sprints, Rogers could finish in the

top ten overall after a promising Giro.

Last year: Superb. Four stages for Cavendish, a stage for Burghardt, the yellow jersey and seventh place for Kirchen.

Tour pedigree:

Harking back to Telekom and the days of Ullrich and Zabel, it's been

both excellent and highly-chequered by suspicion. Still, Columbia is a

very different team now.

Surprise package: No-one - after all, Mark Cavendish doesn't need someone upstaging him.

Euskaltel-Euskadi

Country: Spain

Sponsor: Euskaltel is a Basque telecoms company, Euskadi is the Basque regional government.

Bikes: Orbea frames with Shimano components

Website: www.fundacioneuskadi.com Managers: Miguel Madariga, Gorka Gerrikagoitia

Key riders: Egoi Martinez (Spa), Mikel Astarloza (Spa)

How will they do? They'll be on the attack in the Pyrenees, and Astarloza could provide a top-ten overall finish. A stage victory would be very welcome; the finish in Barcelona would have been perfect for Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez, but he's not riding this year.

Last year: Seventh overall for Samuel Sanchez, who lost the race in the Pyrenees. Egoi Martinez was beaten into second on Prato Nevoso.

Tour pedigree: Haven't won a stage since 2003, when Haimar Zubeldia and Iban Mayo finished fifth and sixth overall. The days of Euskaltel-Euskadi illuminating the race with attacks in the mountains are long gone.

Surprise package: Igor Anton has been anonymous since crashing out of the Vuelta in sixth place last year, but if he finds his mountain legs, he could be lively in the mountains.

Factoid: Basque heritage is usually a prerequisite for joining this squad.

Française des Jeux

Sponsor: The French national lottery

Bikes: Lapierre frames with Shimano components

Website: snipurl.com/jyx7c

Managers: Marc Madiot and Martial Gayant

Key riders: Sandy Casar (Fra). Anthony Geslin (Fra)

How will they do? Attack a lot with the hope of winning a stage. Sandy Casar will ride bravely to a top-twenty finish, Sébastien Chavanel might sneak a bunch sprint top-three finish.

Last year: Close but no cigar. Gilbert was second on the opening stage to Plumelec, while Casar missed out to the tactically-astute Dessel into Jausiers.

Tour pedigree: Aside from a successful patch for a couple of years thanks to Cooke and McGee, they have a rich heritage of valiant attacking, from the likes of Durand, Mengin and Guesdon.

Surprise package: Remy di Gregorio. Has shown promise in the mountains of the Dauphine, but needs to follow through in the Tour de France.

Garmin-Slipstream

Sponsor: Garmin makes satnav equipment, Slipstream is the team management company.

Bikes: Felt frames with Shimano components

Website: www.slipstreamsports.com

Manager: Jonathan Vaughters

Key riders: Christian Vande Velde (USA), David Millar (GBr), Bradley Wiggins (GBr)

How will they do? Wiggins and Millar are contenders for the race's opening time-trial, while the team, brimming with time-trial specialists, have also been preparing assiduously for the TTT. Christian Vande Velde is the lelader, though his preparation has been a race against time after crashing out of the Giro d'Italia.

Last year: No stage win last year, though Frischkorn, Pate and Millar all had top-three finishes.

Tour pedigree: The 2008 Tour was their debut.

Surprise package: Daniel Martin. Nobody knows what to expect from him in a Grand Tour, but second place in the Tour of Catalunya suggests he is one handy climber. An outside bet for the white jersey.

Factoid: Winning is in his blood: Daniel Martin is the nephew of 1987 Tour de France winner Stephen Roche.

Country: Russia

Sponsor: Katusha is the title of the Russian Global Cycling Proeject. The team's chief paymasters are energy companies Itera and Gazprom.

Bikes: Ridley frames with Campagnolo components

Website: www.katushateam.com

Managers: Serge Parsani, Andrei Tchmil

Key riders: Vladimir Karpets (Rus), Gert Steegmans (Bel), Filippo Pozzato (Ita)

How will they do? After strong riding in the Classics, glamour-model-cum-cyclist Filippo Pozzato will be eager for a third Tour stage win. Despite being relatively quiet thus far, muscular Flandrian Gert Steegmans will be up there in the sprints. Vladimir Karpets could scrape into the top ten if he shows the consistency that has been so perplexingly lacking in previous Tour rides.

Last year: Didn't exist last year.

Tour pedigree: See above - though the bare bones of their squad originates from Tinkoff, who won a Giro stage.

Surprise package: Alexandre Botcharov has the unenviable talent of always finishing highly without ever winning: in 11 years as a pro, he has two wins.

Factoid: No Russian has ever won the Tour de France; Denis Menchov's fourth place in 2008 is the country's best-ever overall finish.

Lampre-N.G.C.

Country: Italy

Sponsor: Lampre makes sheet metal

Bikes: Wilier frames with Campagnolo components

Website: snipurl.com/jwnhz

Managers: Fabrizio Bontempi, Giuseppe Saronni

Key riders: Alessandro Ballan (Ita), Marzio Bruseghin (Ita)

How will they do? Probably not as well as they want to. Their big race of the year, the Giro d'Italia, was rather fallow, with Ballan out with a virus, Cunego bombing and Bruseghin scraping into the top ten. Suddenly, a team of previously-indifferent Italians need a stage win here to try and resurrect a bad year.

Last year: Atrocious. Damiano Cunego crashed and abandoned. Alessandro Ballan was outsprinted in Foix. The team finished bottom of the money list, with over half as much money as the next-placed outfit, Barloworld.

Tour pedigree: Generally follow the idea "if it ain't the Giro, it ain't worth racing". Daniele Bennati won a few before he jumped ship to Liquigas

Surprise package: Former Petacchi leadout man Mirco Lorenzetto had such good sprint form in the early season that his name was put forward as an outside bet for Milano-San Remo, only to succumb to illness. However, the fact his name is prefixed with "former Petacchi leadout man" itself explains that he isn't up there with the Cavendishs of the sprinting world.

Sponsor: Liquigas produces bottled gas

Bikes: Cannondale frames with Campagnolo components

Website: www.teamliquigas.it

Managers: Roberto Amadio, Mario Chiesa

Key riders: Daniele Bennati (Ita), Roman Kreuziger (Cze), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita)

How will they do? With Daniele Bennati and Roman Kreuziger, they have two bona fide challengers for the green and white jersey. Bennati has recovered from a niggling injury and could be Cavendish's main rival; super-talented Kreuziger, only 23, is tipped to finish in the top six overall this year. Team-mate Vincenzo Nibali could squeeze into the top ten too.

Last year: They really missed an injured Bennati. Chicchi, Pozzato and Kreuziger chipped in with top tens aplenty, but it wasn't quite the same.

Tour pedigree: In line with other Italian teams: generally not too bothered if they've had a good Giro. Their only stage win came from Filippo Pozzato in Autun in the 2007 Tour. Just don't mention Ivan Basso.

Surprise package: Tour of Romandie winner Kreuziger could surprise many with his performance.

Country: Germany

Sponsor: Milram is a brand owned by German dairy Nordmilch

Bikes: Focus frames with SRAM components

Website: www.team-milram.com

Managers: Vittorio Algeri

Key riders: Linus Gerdemann (Ger), Gerald Ciolek (Ger), Fabian Wegmann (Ger)

Follow the pattern of their last two seasons: try hard and be visible

in their blue-cow-kit, but ultimately fall just short of the mark.

Their best bet is a breakaway victory by the likes of Gerdemann or

Last year: A couple of third places for veteran Zabel. But they led the gruppetto by example.

Tour pedigree: Considering the team has had Petacchi and Zabel on board, very poor. They are yet to find a Tour de France stage.

Surprise package: Niki Terpstra showed his potential with a well-taken Dauphiné stage win, outfoxing his breakaway rivals.

Country: Belgium

Sponsor: Quick Step makes flooring

Bikes: Specialized frames with Campagnolo components

Website: www.qsi-cycling.com

Managers: Patrick Lefévère, Wilfried Peeters

Key riders: Tom Boonen (Bel), Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)

How will they do? Despite failing another test for cocaine, Tom Boonen may be allowed to race if a court rules in his favour and would be (pun intended) Quick Step's crack sprinter. A lot has changed since Boonen won the green jersey in 2007 - Mark Cavendish is now the force to be a reckoned with, and Boonen's sprinting hasn't looked as sharp as in the past. In Sylvain Chavanel and Carlos Barredo, the team has two of the peloton's most useful baroudeurs.

Last year: Gert Steegmans stepped in to save the team's blushes on the final day, powering to stage victory on the Champs Elysées.

Tour pedigree: Svorada, Zanini, Steels, Boonen, Freire... bunch sprinting is their thing. Recently, the team has also proven a dab hand on transition stages too, as breakaway stage winners Vasseur, Tosatto and Knaven can attest to.

Surprise package: The only thing surprising about Jérôme Pineau is that he hasn't won a Tour de France stage yet. After several near misses, perhaps moving to a foreign team will help to break his duck.

Country: Netherlands

Sponsor: Dutch bank

Bikes: Giant frames with Shimano components

Website: snipurl.com/jwu9q

Managers: Erik Breukink, Erik Dekker, Adri van Houwelingen

Key riders: Denis Menchov (Rus), Oscar Freire (Spa), Robert Gesink (Ned)

How will they do? Very well. This team is brimming with quality, for every type of stage or competition. Menchov, Freire and Gesink will be gunning for the yellow, green and white jerseys respectively. But can Giro d'Italia winner Menchov peak twice? Can Freire beat Cavendish legitimately, without the Brit abandoning the race? Because of such wide-reaching goals, it will be interesting to see how the team copes. They even have Juan Antonio Flecha for breakaways.

Last year: Oscar Freire won a stage and the green jersey through impressive consistency. Menchov finished fourth overall.

Tour pedigree: Traditionally, long-serving Rabobank have always performed well at the Tour; they're on a ratio of a stage win per year. Just don't mention Rasmussen.

Surprise package: Robert Gesink is heralded as the lanky, emaciated Dutchman who can bring back the Dutch Tour glory days of the 1980s, when the likes of Winnen, Theunisse and Rooks terrorised the opposition in the mountains. It remains to be seen how the precocious youngster copes with the Tour de France, but a top-ten finish and white jersey win are possible.

Country: Denmark

Sponsor: Saxo Bank is an investment bank

Bikes: Specialized frames with SRAM components

Website: snipurl.com/jywr6

Manager: Bjarne Riis

Key riders: Andy Schleck (Lux), Frank Schleck (Lux), Fabian Cancellara (Swi), Jens Voigt (Ger)

They will rally behind Andy Schleck and help him on to the podium; this

is arguably the strongest team all-round at the 2009 race. The question

is, does the fresh-faced talent have the stamina and experience to

reach the top step?

Last year: A first Tour win as directuer for Riis from Sastre, as well as two stage wins and the team classification.

Tour pedigree: From early days as CSC and Jalabert, this outfit has perennially performed with aplomb here.

Surprise package:

Kurt-Asle Arvesen can't really be called a surprise package since he

won a stage of last year's Tour but after the quiet year he's had so

far, we reckon he's aiming to do something at the 2009 Tour too.

Silence-Lotto

Sponsor: Silence is a brand of anti-snoring pills made by Omega Pharmaceuticals. Lotto is the Belgian national lottery

Bikes: Canyon frames with Campagnolo components

Website: www.silence-lotto.com

Managers: Marc Sergeant, Henrik Redant, Roberto Damiani

Key riders: Cadel Evans (Aus), Philippe Gilbert (Bel)

How will they do? Evans, Evans, Evans. Everything is set up to help the sometimes-prickly Australian win the Tour de France; the team bolstered the squad with the likes of Dekker. Lang and Wegelius over the winter. However, defensive-minded Evans may be left behind in the mountains by Schleck and Contador.

Last year: Evans held the yellow jersey until Alpe d'Huez. Expected to overturn a 1'34" deficit to Sastre in the Tour's long final time-trial, he fell unexpectedly short of the mark and finished second overall. Again. Meanwhile, an ageing Robbie McEwen failed to deliver his customary stage win.

Tour pedigree: This team goes back to the mid-80s. Used to rely on McEwen for stage wins, but it's ok now they have Evans for second places...

Surprise package: Thomas Dekker briefly looked like being the next big thing, but he's gone off the boil a bit this year. Still only 24, he needs a good Tour to underline his talents, but may be confined to Evans domestique duty.

Skil-Shimano

Sponsor: Skil makes power tools, Shimano makes bicycle components

Bikes: Koga Miyata frames with Shimano components

Website: www.skilcyclingteam.com

Manager: Rudie Kemna

Key riders: Jonathan Hivert (Fra), Kenny van Hummel (Ned)

How will they do? Very little. With no Tour de France experience whatsoever in their team, they are on a hiding to nothing. Will bravely have a go in some attacks though. A stage win would be a big surprise - and a massive success - for the Professional team.

Last year: Did not get invited.

Tour pedigree: This will be their first Tour.

Surprise package: Kenny van Hummel had a purple patch in May where he won just about every bunch sprint going; consequently, he currently leads the UCI Europe Tour. He's no A-list sprinter, but could raise a few eyebrows with some top tens.

RELATED LINKS Tour de France 2009 - Cycling Weekly's full coverage

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.

Trek becomes American UCI Cyclocross series title sponsor, adding a fourth race to the series in October at its headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin.

By Kristin Jenny Published 25 April 24

These are the key actions that make an event actually inclusive and do more than just lip service.

By Marley Blonsky Published 25 April 24

Useful links

• Tour de France
• Giro d'Italia
• Vuelta a España

Buyer's Guides

• Best road bikes
• Best gravel bikes
• Best smart turbo trainers
• Best cycling computers
• Editor's Choice
• Bike Reviews
• Component Reviews
• Clothing Reviews
• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Greenville Criterium

Tour of turkey, tour de romandie, uci mtb eliminator world cup - barcelona, spartanburg regional healthcare crit, uci bmx racing world cup tulsa, athens orthopedic clinic twilight crit, la vuelta españa femenina, curiosity lab criterium, spin the district: union city, eschborn-frankfurt, uci mtb fort william, spin the district: hapeville, gp morbihan (coupe de france), giro d'italia, every podium in the history of the tour de france.

Year-by-year breakdown of the three riders to make the Tour de France podium and the time margins.

Join Pro to watch the 2020 Tour de France live and on-demand in Canada.     

HISTORY OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE HOMEPAGE

• Tom Dumoulin
• Nairo Quintana
• Chris Froome
• Vincenzo Nibali
• Geraint Thomas
• Egan Bernal
• Thibaut Pinot
• Alejandro Valverde
• Romain Bardet
• Rigoberto Uran
• Lance Armstrong

Related Content

Apr 24, 2024

Apr 23, 2024

Apr 22, 2024

Mar 24, 2024

Nov 5, 2023

Nov 4, 2023

Oct 30, 2023

Apr 25, 2024

Tour de France 2009

Related articles.

WATCH: Behind the Bike

Catch up on the latest episodes from British Cycling's original series, 'Behind the Bike'. Get a behind-the-scenes perspective of road races, BMX events, track cycling, and more.

British Cycling members can now exclusively watch the first episode of Behind the Bike: Tour of Britain, a three-part series that shares a unique insight into the Tour experience from the perspective of riders and team staff from the Great Britain Cycling Team.

World champion Fin Graham claims double golds at National Para-cycling Championships

The 2022 National Disability and Para-cycling Championships saw the best riders in the country crowned national champions over the bank holiday weekend, with the circuit championships in Rhyl, and the time trial championships in Chester.

Morgan soars to Stars of South West road race win after collarbone break jeapordised season

After a four month hiatus,  the Under-23 Men’s National Road Series returned at the August bank holiday weekend with  the Stars of the South West road race .

ROAD EVENTS

Find Events Near Me:

• Leisure rides
• Challenge rides & Sportives
• Circuit races

Get into British Cycling

Register with british cycling today, it's free, first name:, please enter your first name., please enter your surname., email address:, please enter your e-mail address., confirm email:, please confirm your e-mail address., please enter a password., confirm password:, please confirm your password., i'm interested in:, the type of riding i do is:.

Register Now

Upgrade to enjoy these benefits...

Discounts on top cycling brands

Enjoy over 100 offers on bikes, kit and more.

Peace-of-mind insurance

£20m third-party liability cover

Free legal support

Get the help you need in case of an incident

Members Voice forum

Have your say on things you care about

Login to your British Cycling account.

Membership number:, this field is required..

• I don't know my username/password
• Not registered yet?
• Need further help? Contact us

Retrieve your account details

Forgotten password.

If you do not know your password, enter your username and we will send a password reset to your registered email address.

Username / Membership No:

Forgotten username / membership number.

If you don't know your username, enter the email address with which your account is registered and we will send you a reminder.

E-Mail Address:

We have found a match between your Facebook account and British Cycling.

To link accounts please enter your British Cycling password. You only need to do this once.

2-FOR-1 GA TICKETS WITH OUTSIDE+

Don’t miss Thundercat, Fleet Foxes, and more at the Outside Festival.

GET TICKETS

BEST WEEK EVER

Try out unlimited access with 7 days of Outside+ for free.

Start Your Free Trial

Powered by Outside

Tour de France

2009 tour route revealed, the men favored to contest for the yellow jersey in the 2009 tour de france applauded the route revealed in paris on wednesday, calling it “difficult, but interesting.” the 96th edition of the tour de france will begin on july 4 in the mediterranean principality of monaco, race director christian prudhomme announced at the palais des congrès of paris on wednesday..

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

The men favored to contest for the yellow jersey in the 2009 Tour de France applauded the route revealed in Paris on Wednesday, calling it “difficult, but interesting.”

The 96th edition of the Tour de France will begin on July 4 in the Mediterranean Principality of Monaco, race director Christian Prudhomme announced at the Palais des Congrès of Paris on Wednesday.

With Prince Albert II of Monaco by his side, Prudhomme unveiled an unusual Tour route that culminates with a stage that finishes atop Mont Ventoux — the “giant of Provence” — before an exceptionally long transfer on the high-speed TGV train for the traditional finish in Paris on the cobbled streets of the Champs Elysées on July 26.

Cofidis team manager Eric Boyer was among those bristling with excitement after learning that the Ventoux could be the race decider on July 25.

“Racing the Ventoux on the penultimate stage! It’s daring,” said Boyer. “If the Tour can be decided there, it would be fantastic.”

The Tour will also visit Spain, with a stage start in Girona — home to many professional racers — and a finish in Barcelona.

Two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans applauded the route, noting that he still has hopes of securing the top step on the podium in Paris.

“This is a difficult, but interesting route,” Evans said. “I think it suits me. Twice I’ve finished just off the top step of the podium, so I have to believe I’ve got a chance.”

Evans, however, remained uncertain if the men against whom he will be competing will include seven-time winner Lance Armstrong.

“If there’s anyone who can come back and win the Tour, even at the age of 37, it’s Armstrong,” said the Australian.

Armstrong’s participation in next year’s Tour remains uncertain but not impossible, according to his Astana team.

The seven-time Tour winner recently announced his comeback to cycling after a three-year hiatus but in recent weeks has placed doubts on bidding to win an eighth yellow jersey.

The 37-year-old American appeared to snub Tour bosses last week when he announced he would definitely race next year’s Giro d’Italia for the first time.

On Wednesday his team manager at Astana, Johan Bruyneel, said nothing had yet been decided, and hinted the American could still race the world’s biggest bike race next July.

“Nothing has been decided yet. We know that Lance will definitely race the Giro d’Italia. For the Tour, it’s still 50-50,” said Bruyneel. “But one thing’s for sure. He’s fitter at this period of the year in 2008 than he was, say, in 2003 or 2004.”

[nid:84439]In the presence of the race’s last three champions, Spaniards Oscar Pereiro, Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre, Prudhomme unveiled an innovative race route that should keep the suspense going until the penultimate stage.

Beginning in Monaco on July 4, with a hilly 15km time trial, the race will notably feature a team time trial, on stage four, for the first time since 2005. Finishing times and gaps will count for the overall classification.

Featuring seven mountain stages, 10 flat stages and three summit finishes, the race will include a second individual time trial to be held over 40km around Lake Annecy on stage 18.

Prudhomme said that the 2009 Tour will also feature a distinctly maritime theme, with visits to three of Europe’s greatest lighthouses in Monaco, Marseille and Barcelona. The 2009 route will take a clockwise course around France, visiting the Pyrenees, moving to the center of France, then proceeding through the Vosges and the Alps before a decisive bend to Mont Ventoux.

That means there will be no race against the clock on the penultimate stage, with organizers opting instead, thanks to quick travel possibilities afforded by the TGV fast train, to end a seven-year wait to re-incorporate the difficult Mont Ventoux climb.

Armstrong famously lost to the late Italian climber Marco Pantani on the bald slopes of the Ventoux in 2000.

Although the stage to Ventoux looks difficult, the accumulation of efforts over three tough days in the Alps, plus the race’s second time trial, should also help shape the outcome of the race.

Because of Armstrong’s return, Contador — who recently made history when he added this year’s Vuelta a España crown to his 2008 Giro d’Italia title and Tour de France crown in 2007 — still does not know whether he will race as team leader.

But he said: “I think it’s a very interesting course and that it will be decided before the Mont Ventoux. But whoever’s wearing the yellow jersey that day (stage 20) will have huge pressure on his shoulders.”

Stages for the 2009 Tour de France Stage 1 – July 4 – Monaco – Monaco, 15km (individual time-trial) Stage 2 – July 5 – Monaco – Brignoles, 182km Stage 3 – July 6 – Marseille – La Grande-Motte, 196km Stage 4 – July 7 – Montpellier, 38km (team time-trial) Stage 5 – July 8 – Le Cap d’Agde – Perpignan, 197km Stage 6 – July 9 – Girona (Spain) – Barcelona (Spain), 175km Stage 7 – July 10 – Barcelona – Andorra 224km Stage 8 – July 11 – Andorra-la-Vieille – Saint-Girons, 176km Stage 9 – July 12 – Saint Gaudens – Tarbes, 160km ? – July 13 – Rest day at Limoges Stage 10 – July 14 – Limoges – Issoudun, 193km Stage 11 – July 15 – Vatan – Saint Fargeau, 192km Stage 12 – July 16 – Tonnerre – Vittel, 200km Stage 13 – July 17 – Vittel – Colmar, 200km Stage 14 – July 18 – Colmar – Besanon, 199km Stage 15 – July 19 – Pontarlier – Verbier (Suisse), 207km ? – July 20 – Rest day at Verbier Stage 16 – July 21 – Martigny (Switzerland) – Bourg-Saint Maurice, 160km Stage 17 – July 22 – Bourg-Saint Maurice – Le Grand Bornand, 169km Stage 18 – July 23 – Annecy – Annecy, 40km (individual time-trial) Stage 19 – July 24 – Bourgoin-Jallieu – Aubenas, 195km Stage 20 – July 25 – Montélimar – Mont Ventoux, 167km Stage 21 – July 26 – Montereau-Fault-Yonne – Paris Champs Elysées, 160km ? 10 flat stages. ? 7 mountain stages ? 1 medium mountain stage. ? 2 individual time-trial stages. ? 1 team time-trial stage. Distinctive aspects of the race ? 3 mountain finishes. ? 2 rest days. ? 55 kilometers of individual time-trials. ? 20 Category 1, Category 2 and hors categorie passes will be climbed.

Photo Gallery

Popular on Velo

\n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018hard miles\u2019 wants to be the first great bicycling movie since \u2018breaking away\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/hard-miles-wants-to-be-the-first-great-bicycling-movie-since-breaking-away\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/hard-miles-wants-to-be-the-first-great-bicycling-movie-since-breaking-away\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018hard miles\u2019 wants to be the first great bicycling movie since \u2018breaking away\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/hard-miles-wants-to-be-the-first-great-bicycling-movie-since-breaking-away\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018hard miles\u2019 wants to be the first great bicycling movie since \u2018breaking away\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018hard miles\u2019 wants to be the first great bicycling movie since \u2018breaking away\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-leaves-liege-in-frustration-i-was-setting-all-time-power-numbers\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-leaves-liege-in-frustration-i-was-setting-all-time-power-numbers\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-leaves-liege-in-frustration-i-was-setting-all-time-power-numbers\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/xpedo-new-power-sonik-omni-and-thrust-omni-meter-pedals-sea-otter-classic\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/xpedo-new-power-sonik-omni-and-thrust-omni-meter-pedals-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/xpedo-new-power-sonik-omni-and-thrust-omni-meter-pedals-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight\"}}\u0027>\n xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/thesis-n1-do-everything-drop-bar-bike\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/thesis-n1-do-everything-drop-bar-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/thesis-n1-do-everything-drop-bar-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything\"}}\u0027>\n the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/fuego-xl-sea-otter-results\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/fuego-xl-sea-otter-results\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/fuego-xl-sea-otter-results\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/cadex-race-integrated-bar-first-look\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/cadex-race-integrated-bar-first-look\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/cadex-race-integrated-bar-first-look\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\"}}\u0027>\n the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"new titanium brand chandi brings decades of frame building experience to its beautiful bikes","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/new-titanium-brand-chandi-brings-decades-of-frame-building-experience-to-its-beautiful-bikes\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/new-titanium-brand-chandi-brings-decades-of-frame-building-experience-to-its-beautiful-bikes\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"new titanium brand chandi brings decades of frame building experience to its beautiful bikes\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/new-titanium-brand-chandi-brings-decades-of-frame-building-experience-to-its-beautiful-bikes\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"new titanium brand chandi brings decades of frame building experience to its beautiful bikes\"}}\u0027>\n new titanium brand chandi brings decades of frame building experience to its beautiful bikes\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-the-rockies-canceled-due-to-low-registration-future-uncertain\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-the-rockies-canceled-due-to-low-registration-future-uncertain\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-the-rockies-canceled-due-to-low-registration-future-uncertain\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain\"}}\u0027>\n ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\"}}\u0027>\n sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-seizes-liege-bastogne-liege-with-dominant-solo-display\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-seizes-liege-bastogne-liege-with-dominant-solo-display\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-seizes-liege-bastogne-liege-with-dominant-solo-display\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display\"}}\u0027>\n tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"trek launches carback radar rear bike light with 2 km daytime visibility","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/trek-carback-radar-rear-bike-light-challenges-garmin\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/trek-carback-radar-rear-bike-light-challenges-garmin\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"trek launches carback radar rear bike light with 2 km daytime visibility\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/trek-carback-radar-rear-bike-light-challenges-garmin\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"trek launches carback radar rear bike light with 2 km daytime visibility\"}}\u0027>\n trek launches carback radar rear bike light with 2 km daytime visibility\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the ritchey montebello brings steel goodness to all-road","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/ritchey-montebello-brings-steel-goodness-to-all-road\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/ritchey-montebello-brings-steel-goodness-to-all-road\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the ritchey montebello brings steel goodness to all-road\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/ritchey-montebello-brings-steel-goodness-to-all-road\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the ritchey montebello brings steel goodness to all-road\"}}\u0027>\n the ritchey montebello brings steel goodness to all-road\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\"}}\u0027>\n highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\"}}\u0027>\n haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"key takeaways: li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge 2024","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/key-takeaways-liege-bastogne-liege-2024\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/key-takeaways-liege-bastogne-liege-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"key takeaways: li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge 2024\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/key-takeaways-liege-bastogne-liege-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"key takeaways: li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge 2024\"}}\u0027>\n key takeaways: li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge 2024\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"kona bikes bails on sea otter classic with no explanation","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/kona-bikes-bails-on-sea-otter-classic-with-no-explanation\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/kona-bikes-bails-on-sea-otter-classic-with-no-explanation\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"kona bikes bails on sea otter classic with no explanation\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/kona-bikes-bails-on-sea-otter-classic-with-no-explanation\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"kona bikes bails on sea otter classic with no explanation\"}}\u0027>\n kona bikes bails on sea otter classic with no explanation\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"sea otter randoms: limited edition saddle, updated ritte, salsa e-bike and more","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/sea-otter-randoms-limited-edition-saddle-updated-ritte-salsa-e-bike-and-more\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/sea-otter-randoms-limited-edition-saddle-updated-ritte-salsa-e-bike-and-more\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: limited edition saddle, updated ritte, salsa e-bike and more\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/sea-otter-randoms-limited-edition-saddle-updated-ritte-salsa-e-bike-and-more\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: limited edition saddle, updated ritte, salsa e-bike and more\"}}\u0027>\n sea otter randoms: limited edition saddle, updated ritte, salsa e-bike and more\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>careers >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>terms of use >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>site map >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>my newsletters manage cookie preferences privacy request healthy living.

• Clean Eating
• Vegetarian Times
• Yoga Journal
• Fly Fishing Film Tour
• National Park Trips
• Warren Miller
• Fastest Known Time
• Trail Runner
• Women's Running
• Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
• FinisherPix
• Outside Events Cycling Series
• Outside Shop

© 2024 Outside Interactive, Inc

The Long Road to Mont Ventoux

Every stage, every meal, every interview, and every pedal stroke have mattered as the peloton prepares for one final showdown on the slopes of Mont Ventoux.

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Tour de France

What Do Riders Eat During the Tour de France?

How Fast Do the Pros Ride in the Tour de France?

Challengers of the 2024 Giro d'Italia and TdF

2024 Tour de France May Start Using Drones

The 2024 Tour de France Can’t Miss Stages

Riders Weigh In on the Tour de France Routes

2024 Tour de France Femmes Can't-Miss Stages

How Much Money Do Top Tour de France Teams Make?

2024 Tour de France/ Tour de France Femmes Routes

How Much Did Tour de France Femmes Riders Earn?

5 Takeaways from the Tour de France Femmes