The 2008 Tour de France route is in!
ASO has made some tweaks to the proven Tour de France course formula. The BikeStyle crew were on hand as the route was announced in Paris. So what’s different about the 08 Tour?
- 1st: something we already knew– no prologue (apparently this will make for a better first week as teams scrap for early yellow jersey glory).
- 2nd: No time bonuses for sprints or for winning a stage (this is probably to try and make the first week more competitive and to make for changes of the yellow jersey)
- shorter time trials — only 82km
- shorter transfers — better for riders
- anti-clockwise Pyrenees then Alps
- 5 mountain stages and 4 mountain top finishes (including the Tourmalet and L’Alpe-d’Huez — not in the same day :))
- 3,554 km total
- July 5th-27th
How will these factors change the way the race is ridden? We managed to get Cadel Evans opinion of the 2008 Tour de France route- He thinks that GC contenders like himself will concentrate even more on the second half of the race. He also made the observation that if there hadn’t been time bonuses in the 2007 tour he would have won! (so we can expect more attacking riding from Cadel in 2008?) 
Lawrie, is busy sorting out next years tours — the start in Brittany has three stages in a compact area and offers beautiful towns, countryside and plenty of sprint finishes. The Alps and Pyrenees offer some great mountain top finishes and classic mountain stages. The sojourn into Italy over some mountains never before visited would be great to watch and perhaps ride after the race… Sign up for the Bikestyle Tours newsletter now and we’ll let you know how you can see the race with BikeStyle Tours. In the meantime, book your holiday time for next July and drool over the details of the 2008 Tour de France stages below:
That’s it from this year’s Tour presentation. We’ll post some more photos and look forward to hearing your opinions on the 2008 route in our comments, below!
Prudhomme is talking about the 2008 sponsors - no changes from the usual crowd that I can see. Prudhomme signs off with ‘Vive le Tour’!
The camera is panning across the crowd here and everyone looks extremely serious… No smiles at all!
Can’t quite work out what’s innovative about this route, apart from many long stages and a looong time to the first rest day! What do you think? What will be the decisive stages, will shorter time trials make for a better race, leave a comment!..
2008 Tour de France Route
Saturday, 5 July 2008 : Brest - Plumelec - 195km
Sunday, 6 July 2008 : Auray - St Brieuc - 165km
Monday, 7 July 2008 : St Malo - Nantes - 195km
Tuesday, 8 July 2008 : Cholet - Cholet - 29km TT
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 : Cholet - Châteauroux - 230km
Thursday, 10 July 2008 : Aigurande - Super-Besse - 195km
Friday, 11 July 2008 : Brioude - Aurillac - 158km
Saturday, 12 July 2008 : Figeac - Toulouse - 174km
Sunday, 13 July 2008 : Toulouse - Bagnères de Bigorre - 195km inc. Col des Ares, Peyresourde, Aspin
Monday, 14 July 2008 : Pau - Hautacam - inc. Tourmalet
Tuesday, 15 July 2008 : Rest Day
Wednesday, 16 July 2008: Lannemezan - Foix - 166km
Thursday, 17 July 2008 : Lavelanet - Narbonne - 168km
Friday, 18 July 2008 : Narbonne - Nîmes - 182km
Saturday, 19 July 2008 : Nîmes - Digne les Bains - 182km
Sunday, 20 July 2008 : Dignes les Bains - Prato Nevoso (Italy) - 216km, Prato Nevoso is 1440m altitude.
Monday, 21 July 2008 : Rest Day
Tuesday, 22 July 2008 : Cunéo - Jausiers (la vallée de l’Ubaye) 157km - inc Lombarde, Bonnette-Restefond (2802m)
Wednesday, 23 July 2008: Embrun - L’Alpe D’Huez - 210km - inc. Galibier, Croix-de-Fer
Thursday, 24 July 2008 : Bourg d’Oisans - St Etienne - 197km
Friday, 25 July 2008 : Roanne - Montluçon - 163km
Saturday, 26 July 2008 : Cérilly - St Amand-Montrond - 53km Individual Time Trial
Sunday, 27 July 2008 : Etampes - Paris - 143km
Director Christian Prudhomme takes the stage… Le Grand Depart starts in Brittany in 2008, as we know. We’re now welcomed by the president of that region. Get on with the good stuff!
Patrice Clerc, President of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), welcomes us.
First up is a stirring video review of the 2007 Tour.
11:30am sharp - it’s starting!
Bikestyle is in Paris, at the Palais des Congres - we’re waiting for the presentation to start.
We already know that it’s starting in Brittany on the 5th July 2008 and making a clockwise loop around France, but for the full details you’ll have to wait just a bit longer.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008: Embrun - L’Alpe D’Huez - 210km - inc. Galibier, Croix-de-Fer.
The decider! Tough. I’ll be there. Nuff said.
This route will show lots of attacks and give breaks a very good chance of succeeding due to the lack of time bonuses along the routes.
As well, its a great course for the climbers with a good number of high category climbs.
This should be an epic.
Well after studying this new coarse, they will need more improved, non detectable drugs.
Yet again, no Team TT - this is really sad. I think ASO have lost the plot a bit - the TTT is one the greatest cycling spectacles - especially in the TdF. What a shame!!!
I agree with Graydon…what a pity the TTT is missing again.
It is a great spectacle, PLEASE include it in 2009!
The inclusion of col du la Bonnette Restefont is exciting. I still have a video of last time the TdF went there in 1993 with Indurain and Rominger. Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen were in awe of this mountain. But not sure where crowds will fit on the climb as it was a very narrow road and BIG drop to the valley if you missed a turn!
Whyere is the TTT???? ASO have again lost the chance to showcase to a global audience the best of cycling speed and power with precision in the TTT!!! Such a waste! Hope they can get their act togethor and find a way for it to be back in the TDF soon, and give the teams a chance to show what they can do cycling as “one”!
Another month of late nights and early mornings here in oz coming up, thank goodness I have six months to prepare. I look forward to SBS coverage every year and just wish I could be there
I am interested in seeing the detailed route of the Tour de France on July 7,8 and 9th.
Thank you. Al.M