When the Tour de France route for the 2009 edition of the race was finally unveiled in October all cycling fans wondered which way the organisers would go from the known starting point in Monaco.
Some fans hoped for an early visit to the legendary Giant of Provence – Mont Ventoux, a fearsome climb that has not featured on the race's route for a number of years.
However, no-one had predicted what race director Christian Prudhomme actually revealed. There would indeed be a long overdue visit to the Ventoux, but not in the first week. Oh no, the riders would have to wait to do battle with the giant. The stage to Ventoux comes on stage 20, just one day before the race enters Paris on the largely ceremonial final stage.
What does this mean? Well quite simply it means for 2009 the Ventoux will have the final say on who is to be the victor. No-one can be sure of victory until they finally crest that bald, moon-like mountain-top. To win the 2009 Tour, you must conquer the Ventoux. In anticipation of a great race, Suite 101 provides the stage detail of the 2009 Tour de France:
Week One
The first week of the 2009 Tour is for the time-triallists and sprinters with two time-trials and a series of flat stages as the race travels across southern France and into Spain.
Stage From / To Type Distance
Stage 1: Monaco / Monaco TT 15km
Stage 2: Monaco / Brignoles Flat 182km
Stage 3: Marseille / La Grande Motte Flat 196km
Stage 4: Montpellier / Montpellier TTT 38km
Stage 5: Cap d'Agde / Perpignan Flat 197km
Stage 6: Girona / Barcelona Flat 175 km
Week Two
The second phase of the Tour kicks in with three stages in the Pyrenees followed by flat stages leading to the hills again.
Stage From / To Type Distance
Stage 7 Barcelona / Andorra Mountains 224km
Stage 8: Andorra / St Girons Mountains 176km
Stage 9: St Gaudens / Tarbes Mountains 160km
Stage 10: Limoges / Issoudun Flat 193km
Stage 11: Vatan / St Fargeau Flat 192km
Stage 12: Tonerre / Vittel Flat 200km
Stage 13: Vittel / Colmar Hills 200km
Stage 14: Colmar / Besancon Hills 199km
Week Three
The final week is all about mountains, with three stages in Alps, punctuated with a final time-trial before the Queen stage to Ventoux and the procession into Paris.
Stage From / To Type Distance
Stage 15: Pontarlier / Verbier Mountains 207km
Stage 16: Martigny / Bourg St Maurice Mountains 190 km
Stage 17: Bourg St Maurice / Grand Bornand Mountains 190km
Stage 18: Annecy / Annecy TT 40km
Stage 19: Bourgain Jailleu / Aubenas Hills 195km
Stage 20: Montelimar / Mont Ventoux Mountains 167km
Stage 21: Montereau / Paris Flat 160km
References:
Cycle Sport - Dec 08 edition
Giles Belbin - I am a part-time freelance writer with a regular series in a UK County magazine. I have a love of many sports but my particular passion is ...
