July
30 - Ninth Tour title sent home from Paris, Doubling up in successful
Tour, Evans does Australia proud, Belgium goes Green
July 29
- Powerful time trial nearly knocks over classification,
Close call leaves us wondering what if?, Discovery sees bright future for
Contador, Prudhomme ends doping rumours, Predictor-Lotto's mixed emotions,
Millar's hopes blown, Highs and lows for Luxembourg, Horner would ride for
it
July
28 - Casar gives French some good news, Evans nicks
spectator, Discovery believes in mentally tough Contador, "Contador couldn't
hold his wheel", New Tour doping case?, Sastre to face Zubeldia for fourth,
Merckx says farewell in final break, Boogerd committed to retiring, Tosatto's
'bella fuga', Willems laments failed break attempt
July
27 - Sprinter blasts onto the big stage, Spanish
hope takes first yellow, Evans not worrying about could-haves, Bruyneel confronts
Tour finale, Horner: the Tour is 'real life', Prudhomme critical of UCI, Leaderless,
Rabobank copes with anger
July
26 #2 - Rabobank explains Rasmussen sacking, Moreni
and Cofidis leave Tour after positive test, Valverde: "It never seems to end",
Soler emerges as Tour's bright spot, Haselbacher "couldn't believe it", Klöden
"disappointed", BMC rethinks Astana sponsorship, Amadio backs current anti-doping
system, Gianetti not impressed
July 25
#2 - Tour de France responds to Vinokourov disgrace,
Millar speaks out on Vinokourov, Astana hotel searched, News of Vino's test
ripple throughout the sport, More reactions, Blood transfusion confusion,
Teams unite to form 'silver lining', Non-doping controversy adds to rest day
stress
July 25
- Vinokourov positive for transfusion, Astana withdraws from Tour
July 24
- Vinokourov restores pride with second win in three days, Rabobank passes
the test, Disco relentless in pursuit of seconds, Kirchen happy with second,
Wegelius bets on Rasmussen, Barredo riding on empty, Merckx's "great experience"
in cycling
July 23
- Rasmussen rides strong against rivals, Spanish hope for Miguel Indurain's
successor, Cioni and Horner shepherd Evans to Cognac, Gerrans getting by,
Pippo passing Pyrénées, Coalition of Predictor and Rabobank?
July 22
- Rasmussen stuns field in TT, Phoenix from the ashes, Evans calls time trial
"very good", Predictor pleased with Evans' ride, Cancellara's crash, Contador
continues with consistency, Stage 13 post-race quotes
July
21 - Green tornado churns through Castres, Fédrigo's
long day up front, Kid Contador contests maillot blanc, Bruyneel's
Disco Strategy, Wegelius awaits Pyrénées
July
20 - First stage for man and country, Astana &
Vino back on track, Hincapie comments on Astana move, Evans hones in on TT,
No chasse-patate for Millar, Stage 11 post-race quotes, Schleck owes
one to Arvesen
July 18
- Demol Disco boys on the attack, Soler solos to special win, Riders reflect
on a memorable day, O'Grady on his accident, Carlström keeping a low profile,
Quickstep's Barredo waiting for Spanish run, Penalties all around
July
16 - The Chicken soars to race lead, Post-race quotes,
Bad day at T-Mobile office, Cormet de Roselend: always causing casualties
July
15 - Seven a lucky number for T-Mobile, Valverde
wants to drop Vino, Popovych has freedom, How the Australians fared, More
Tour reactions, Bottom drops out for Freire, Nuyens making it through Tour
July
14 -13 a new lucky number, Wiggins' long day, 13
not a lucky number, Dean plays Hushovd henchman, Bennati fighting back, Evans
survives first week, Stage six reactions, Pozzato to try again, Vande Velde
on Vino and Zabriskie
July 13- Pippo as promised, Vinokourov and Klöden injured, Cancellara
gets a bonus day, Boonen gives up the green, Medical report: bloody Thursday,
Stage five reactions, Hunter on stage hunt, The theory of bike racing
July 11- Stage 3 winner's story, Augé emulates Jacky Durand,
Pre-race chatter, Reactions to the stage into Compiègne, Sébastien
Joly diagnosed with cancer
July 10- Steegmans lights up stage one, Scare for Cancellara,
Crash hits big names, McEwen not feeling good, Quinziato the first domino,
Vansevenant enjoys his moment of glory, More bad luck for Cavendish, Freire
persists
July 8
#2 - Evans and Rogers with mixed reactions, McEwen
keeps tank topped, No song for Lancaster, Gerrans ready, Come on sprinters,
light my fire, Thomas tops Barloworld, Livingstone would welcome Tour back
July 8
- Pozzato Pronto: Filippo for Le Tour, Boonen for good prologue, Freire will
start, CSC Ready for Tour challenge
July 7
- Evans happy with build-up, T-Mobile: Rogers over injury problems, Livingstone's
Grand (Départ) vision, Medical checks and pre-race action, Millar time again?,
Open Tour departs London
July 6
- More Moreau: French Champion ready for Tour, Blow for Freire, 2007 Tour
by numbers, Zabriskie moving forward, Discovery "goes green"
The 94th edition of La Grand Boucle will coiver 3547 kilometres of riding
over 20 stages, starting in London and ending in Paris. There will be a total
of 11 flat stages, two individual time trials and six mountain stages, with
three being mountain top finishes. There is only the standard two rest days
but the riders will note the lack of long transfers, allowing the focus to be
on the actual racing.
Prologue - July 7: London - London, 8 km
Stage 1 - July 8: London - Canterbury, 203 km
Stage 2 - July 9: Dunkirk - Gent, 167 km
Stage 3 - July 10: Waregem - Compiègne, 236 km
Stage 4 - July 11: Villers-Cotterêts - Joigny, 190 km
Stage 5 - July 12: Chablis - Autun, 184 km
Stage 6 - July 13: Semur-en-Auxois - Bourg-en-Bresse, 200 km
Stage 7 - July 14: Bourg-en-Bresse - Le-Grand-Bornand, 197 km
Stage 8 - July 15: Le-Grand-Bornand - Tignes, 165 km
Rest Day - July 16: Tignes
Stage 9 - July 17: Val-d’Isère - Briançon, 161 km
Stage 10 - July 18: Tallard - Marseille, 229 km
Stage 11 - July 19: Marseille - Montpellier, 180 km
Stage 12 - July 20: Montpellier - Castres, 179 km
Stage 13 - July 21: Albi - Albi, 54 km
Stage 14 - July 22: Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
Stage 15 - July 23: Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
Rest Day - July 24: Pau
Stage 16 - July 25: Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
Stage 17 - July 26: Pau - Castelsarrasin, 188 km
Stage 18 - July 27: Cahors - Angoulême, 210 km
Stage 19 - July 28: Cognac - Angoulême, 55 km
Stage 20 - July 29: Marcoussis - Paris Champs-Élysées, 130 km
Total Length: 3547 km
The Mountains
Stage 7, Bourg-en-Bresse - Le-Grand-Bornand, 197 km
Km 35: Côte de Corlier, 5,9 km at a 5,5%
Km 122: Côte des Petits-Bois, 7,1 km at a 4,4%
Km 134: Côte Peguin, 4,3 km at a 4,1%
Km 183: Col de la Colombière, 16 km at a 6,7%
Stage 8, Le-Grand-Bornand - Tignes, 165 km
Km 15: Col du Marais, 3.8 km at a 4.1%
Km 21: Côte du Bouchet-Mont-Charvin, 1.6 km at a 7.6%
Km 46: Col de Tamié, 9.5 km at a 4%
Km 99: Cormet de Roselend, 19.9 km at a 6%
Km 137: Montée de Hauteville, 15.3 km at a 4.7%
Km 163: Le Lac (Tignes), 17.9 km at a 5.5%
Stage 9, Val-d’Isère - Briançon, 161 km
Km 15: Col de l’Iseran, 15 km at a 6%
Km 99: Col du Télégraphe, 12 km at a 6.7%
Km 122: Col du Galibier, 17.5 km at a 6.9%
Stage 14, Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
Km 9: Côte de Sarraille, 9 km at a 5.2%
Km 146: Port de Pailhères, 16.8 km at a 7.2%
Km 197: Plateau-de-Beille, 15.9 km at a 7.9%
Stage 15, Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
Km 27: Col de Port, 11.4 km at a 5.3%
Km 98: Col de Portet d’Aspet, 5.7 km at a 6.9%
Km 114: Col de Menté, 7 km at a 8.1%
Km 159: Port de Balès, 19.2 km at a 6.2%
Km 184: Col de Peyresourde, 9.7 km at a 7.8%
Stage 16, Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
Km 81: Col de Larraut, 14.2 km at a 8%
Km 132: Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, 14 km at a 5.2%
Km 175: Col de Marie-Blanque, 9.3 km at a 7.7%
Km 218: Col d’Aubisque, 16.4 km at a 6.9%