The 2009 Tour de France sounds a lot like one of those old-fashioned Cook's tours of Europe — 6 countries in 21 days.
Of course, the racing bicyclists will spend most of their time in France, where the peloton will battle on the legendary Mont Ventoux on the next to last day before taking a bullet train to the finale in Paris.
The 2009 Tour de France bike race runs from July 4 – 26, and starts in the Principality of Monaco, before it takes detours into Spain, Andorra, Switzerland, and Italy along its 2,170-mile clockwise course around France.
Climbing
This is a good race for the climbing specialists to show off their abilities. The race features 20 major climbs, including 3 mountaintop finishes.
That could favor 2007 winner Alberto Contador, as the three most amazing climbers from 2008 will be watching on TV. KOM leader Bernhard Kohl of Austria and Italy's Leondardo Piepoli and Riccardo Ricco will be facing drug suspensions during the Tour, earned during last year's race.
The 2009 Tour also features the return of the team time trial as well as two individual time trials of 34 miles. The race has 10 flat stages for the sprinters and 7 mountain stages and 1 medium mountain stage. There's no prologue; the stage through Monaco's Monte Carlo will be an individual time trial.
Ventoux
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme made the most of scheduled the Ventoux so close to the finish. In an editorial at the official website:
“Never, in over one hundred years, has a mountain been so close to Paris. And what a mountain, twenty four hours before the Champs Élysées: the Giant of Provence, the Ventoux! Thanks to this mythical climb, unique in its genre, not only will the suspense be maintained; it will increase in magnitude right up to the gates of the capital.”
Contador told reporters that summiting Ventoux so late in the contest will prove a severe mental, as well as physical test. The lone peak rises at an average 7.6 gradient over 13.1 miles. The Spaniard said:
“I really think that everything will be decided before the Mont Ventoux but for the one wearing the yellow jersey at this moment, there will be a terrible pressure.”
Armstrong
Maybe Ventoux was chosen as a penultimate stage to challenge the climbers. Skeptics might believe it was scheduled at the end of the Tour just to prove that this is no race for old men, or for former Tour de France winners coming out of retirement like Lance Armstrong.
The Texan didn't appear at Wednesday's Tour route presentation in Paris on Wednesday; he's in Austin preparing for this weekend's Ride for the Roses. There's not a lot of love between the 7-time Tour winner and the Tour owners and officials.
Five-time winner Eddy Merckx did attend, and told reporters that he doubts Armstrong will participate in the 2009 Tour because of past difficulties with the Tour owners and the press, as well as possible rivalries on his own Astana team with Contador.
Welcomed
Team director Johan Bruyneel said earlier this week that Armstrong would concentrate on races where he's been invited — like Tour Down Under, Tour of California, and the Giro d'Italia.
“For the moment, we are going to determine his program based on where he is really welcome and invited … and we will see about the rest. So the main thing is that he is definitely not excluding riding in the Tour, but it would have to be in an atmosphere that is serene and respectful.”
Tour director Prudhomme told reporters:
“His return (on the Tour) would neither be a bad, nor a good thing. Of course he is a special character, but for the Tour he is a rider like others.”
In addition to the 2007 winner Contador, 2008 winner Carlos Sastre and 2006 winner Oscar Pereiro also attended the presentation.
Big stages
If you have your 2009 calendar at hand, you might want to jot down these dates:
July 4 — ITT, Monaco
July 7 — Team TT, Montpellier
July 10, 11, and 12 — Pyrenees
July 19, 21, and 22 — Alps
July 23 — ITT, Annecy
July 25 — Mont Ventoux
July 26 — Champs Elysees
Team TT
The Tour de France has skipped the team time trial event the past few years, but it's returning in 2009 on the 4th stage. Jonathan Vaughters of US-based Garmin-Chipotle is already licking his chops over the possibilities.
Riding as Slipstream-Chipotle in early 2008, they won the team time trial at the Giro d'Italia, elevating Christian Vande Velde into the pink jersey.
Recent Comments