2012 Tour de France
Encyclopedia
The 2012 Tour de France is scheduled to be the 99th Tour de France
. It is scheduled to start in the Belgian
city of Liège
, and end on the Champs-Elysées
in Paris
. The Tour visits besides Belgium also the country of Switzerland
.
The route was accidentally published by ASO
on its website on October 10, 2011. On the official presentation of October 18, the leaked route was confirmed by the ASO.
The route features a total of 96.1 km covered in individual time trials. This large amount of time trial kilometers favours 2011 winner Cadel Evans
according to three time winner Alberto Contador
. Climbers like Andy
& Fränk Schleck
, Robert Gesink
, Jurgen Van Den Broeck
, Ivan Basso
and Damiano Cunego
also have the disadvantage of only three uphill finishes: La Planche des Belles Filles (stage 7), La Toussuire - Les Sybelles (stage 11) and Peyragudes (stage 17)
The Col du Grand Colombier
will be visited for the first time in Tour de France
history. The climb was earlier featured in the Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de l'Avenir
and is regularly climbed in the Tour de l'Ain
. Also the well known climbs of the Col de la Madeleine
and the Col de la Croix de Fer
(both Hors catégorie
rated climbs) are visited in the passage of the Alps
. The passage of the Pyrenees
include the mythical Col de Tourmalet, Col d'Aubisque
, Col d'Aspin
and the Col de Peyresourde
. The four climbs are climbed in stage 16 of the Tour. A total of 25 climbs will count for Cat 2, Cat 1 or HC points for the mountains classification.
will, if not suspended for the use of Clenbuterol
, focus on the Tour in the 2012 season and will not defend his Giro d'Italia
title. The three time winner names Cadel Evans
as the top favourite because of the large ammount of time trial kilometers. The 2011 champion will defend his Tour de France title in 2012. Johan Bruyneel
, manager of the new fusion team between Leopard-Trek and Team Radioshack
, stated that it will be hard for three time runner-up Andy Schleck
and his brother Fränk Schleck
to win the 2012 Tour de France due to the large ammount of kilometers against the clock. There may be the chance that one of the brothers will target the 2012 Giro d'Italia
instead.
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. It is scheduled to start in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
city of Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, and end on the Champs-Elysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The Tour visits besides Belgium also the country of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
The route was accidentally published by ASO
Amaury Sport Organisation
The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...
on its website on October 10, 2011. On the official presentation of October 18, the leaked route was confirmed by the ASO.
The route features a total of 96.1 km covered in individual time trials. This large amount of time trial kilometers favours 2011 winner Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
according to three time winner Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
. Climbers like Andy
Andy Schleck
Andy Raymond Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He is the younger brother of Fränk Schleck, who also rides for . Their father Johny Schleck rode the Tour de France and Vuelta a España between 1965 and 1974...
& Fränk Schleck
Fränk Schleck
Fränk René Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . At the start of 2005, Schleck was joined by his younger brother Andy on , and they split the 2005 national championships between them, with Fränk winning the road race and Andy winning the time trial...
, Robert Gesink
Robert Gesink
Robert Gesink is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Rabobank.-Early years:At the Junior World Championships of 2004 UCI Road World Championships in Verona, Gesink finished eighth in the individual time trial and sixth in the road race, while riding for team De Peddelaars in...
, Jurgen Van Den Broeck
Jurgen Van Den Broeck
Jurgen Van Den Broeck is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He specializes in the time trial, having been Junior World Champion in time trialing...
, Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders...
and Damiano Cunego
Damiano Cunego
Damiano Cunego is an Italian professional road racing cyclist who rides for the Italian UCI ProTeam . His biggest wins are the 2004 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Amstel Gold Race, and the Giro di Lombardia in 2004, 2007, 2008. He finished second in the UCI Road World Championships in 2008 and in the...
also have the disadvantage of only three uphill finishes: La Planche des Belles Filles (stage 7), La Toussuire - Les Sybelles (stage 11) and Peyragudes (stage 17)
The Col du Grand Colombier
Col du Grand Colombier
Col du Grand Colombier is a mountain pass in the Jura mountains in France.This pass lies at the southern extremity of the Jura in the massif of the Grand Colombier. With the Col du Chasseral, it is the highest road pass in the Jura. It passes between the Grand Colombier Col du Grand Colombier (el....
will be visited for the first time in Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
history. The climb was earlier featured in the Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de l'Avenir
Tour de l'Avenir
Tour de l'Avenir is a French road bicycle racing stage race, which started in 1961 as a race similar to the Tour de France and over much of the same course but for amateurs and for semi-professionals known as independents. Riders competed in national teams...
and is regularly climbed in the Tour de l'Ain
Tour de l'Ain
Tour de l'Ain, also known as the Prix de l'Amitié , is an annual late season professional cycling stage race held mid-August. The first Tour de l'Ain was held in 1989 and was organized by Dante Lavacca, Armand Peracca and Maurice Josserand. From 1989 to 1992 it was an amateur event. In 1993 it...
. Also the well known climbs of the Col de la Madeleine
Col de la Madeleine
Col de la Madeleine is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France.It connects La Chambre in Maurienne with Aigueblanche and Feissons-sur-Isère in Tarentaise. The southern approach from La Chambre is 19.3 km with an average grade of 8 percent. The northern approach...
and the Col de la Croix de Fer
Col de la Croix de Fer
Col de la Croix de Fer is a high mountain pass in the French Alps linking Le Bourg-d'Oisans and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.-Details of climb:...
(both Hors catégorie
Hors Categorie
Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length...
rated climbs) are visited in the passage of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. The passage of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
include the mythical Col de Tourmalet, Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque
The Col d'Aubisque is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees 30 km south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques , in the Aquitaine region of France....
, Col d'Aspin
Col d'Aspin
Col d'Aspin is a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées in France.It connects Sainte-Marie-de-Campan and Arreau.-Tour de France:...
and the Col de Peyresourde
Col de Peyresourde
The Col de Peyresourde is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of the department of Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées in France. It is situated on the D618 road between Bagnères de Luchon and Arreau.-Details of climb:...
. The four climbs are climbed in stage 16 of the Tour. A total of 25 climbs will count for Cat 2, Cat 1 or HC points for the mountains classification.
Pre-race favourites
2010 winner Alberto ContadorAlberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
will, if not suspended for the use of Clenbuterol
Clenbuterol
Clenbuterol is a sympathomimetic amine used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma use this as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier...
, focus on the Tour in the 2012 season and will not defend his Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
title. The three time winner names Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
as the top favourite because of the large ammount of time trial kilometers. The 2011 champion will defend his Tour de France title in 2012. Johan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel is a former road bicycle racer in professional cycling and a directeur sportif for UCI ProTour team . Retiring from racing in 1998, he became director of , a US-based UCI ProTour cycling team...
, manager of the new fusion team between Leopard-Trek and Team Radioshack
Team RadioShack
Team RadioShack is a professional road bicycle racing team, with RadioShack as the title sponsor, the creation of which was announced on July 23, 2009. Lance Armstrong co-owns and leads the team, which plans to race in the Grand Tours and the UCI ProTour, as well as running and triathlon events...
, stated that it will be hard for three time runner-up Andy Schleck
Andy Schleck
Andy Raymond Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He is the younger brother of Fränk Schleck, who also rides for . Their father Johny Schleck rode the Tour de France and Vuelta a España between 1965 and 1974...
and his brother Fränk Schleck
Fränk Schleck
Fränk René Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . At the start of 2005, Schleck was joined by his younger brother Andy on , and they split the 2005 national championships between them, with Fränk winning the road race and Andy winning the time trial...
to win the 2012 Tour de France due to the large ammount of kilometers against the clock. There may be the chance that one of the brothers will target the 2012 Giro d'Italia
2012 Giro d'Italia
The 2012 Giro d'Italia is scheduled to be the 95th edition of Giro d'Italia. It is scheduled to start in the Danish city of Herning, and end in Milan. The complete route of the 2012 Giro d'Italia was announced in mid October...
instead.
Stages
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 30 June | Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... – Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... |
6.1 km (4 mi) |  |
Individual time trial Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
||
| 1 | 1 July | Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... – Seraing Seraing Seraing is a Walloon municipality of Belgium in Province of Liege. The municipality of Seraing includes the old communes of Boncelles, Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, and Ougrée. With Liège, Herstal, Saint-Nicolas, Ans, and Flémalle it forms the greater Liège agglomeration... |
198 km (123 mi) |  |
Flat stage | ||
| 2 | 2 July | Visé Visé Visé is a Walloon municipality and city of Belgium, where it is located on the river Meuse, in the province of Liège.The municipality consists of the former municipalities of Visé, Lanaye, Lixhe, Richelle, Argenteau and Cheratte.... – Tournai Tournai Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut.... |
207 km (129 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 3 | 3 July | Orchies Orchies -References:* -External links:*... – Boulogne-sur-Mer Boulogne-sur-Mer -Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city.... |
197 km (122 mi) |  |
Medium-mountain stage | ||
| 4 | 4 July | Abbeville Abbeville Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens... – Rouen Rouen Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages... |
214 km (133 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 5 | 5 July | Rouen Rouen Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages... – Saint-Quentin Saint-Quentin, Aisne Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century.... |
197 km (122 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 6 | 6 July | Épernay Épernay Épernay is a commune in the Marne department in northern France. Épernay is located some 130 km north-east of Paris on the main line of the Eastern railway to Strasbourg... – Metz Metz Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place... |
210 km (130 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 7 | 7 July | Tomblaine Tomblaine Tomblaine is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine... – La Planche des Belles Filles |
199 km (124 mi) | |
Medium-mountain stage | ||
| 8 | 8 July | Belfort Belfort Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-... – Porrentruy Porrentruy Porrentruy is a Swiss municipality and seat of the district of the same name located in the canton of Jura.-Geography:The municipality lies on both sides of the Allaine River, in Ajoie at the foot of the Jura Mountains on the north... |
154 km (96 mi) | |
Medium-mountain stage | ||
| 9 | 9 July | Arc-et-Senans Arc-et-Senans Arc-et-Senans is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.The Royal Saltworks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, are located here.-Population:-References:*... – Besançon Besançon Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008... |
38 km (24 mi) | |
Individual time trial Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
||
| 10 July | Rest day | ||||||
| 10 | 11 July | Mâcon Mâcon Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:... – Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône.... |
194 km (121 mi) |  |
Mountain stage | ||
| 11 | 12 July | Albertville Albertville Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:... – Fontcouverte-la-Toussuire/Les Sybelles Les sybelles Les Sybelles is a French linked ski area, located in the Savoie department in the Alps. It is one of the largest skiable domains in France. The resort has become very known because of Jean-Pierre Vidal, winner of the gold medal in slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and originating... |
140 km (87 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 12 | 13 July | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.... – Annonay Annonay Annonay is a commune in the north of the Ardèche department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southern France. It is the most populous commune in the Ardèche department, although it is not the capital, which resides in the smaller town of Privas.-Geography:... /Davézieux Davézieux Davézieux is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*... |
220 km (137 mi) | |
Medium-mountain stage | ||
| 13 | 14 July | Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-See also:*Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Cathedral*Tricastin*Communes of the Drôme department-External links:*... – Cap d'Agde Cap d'Agde Cap d'Agde is the seaside resort of the town of Agde, France, on the Mediterranean sea in the département of Hérault, within the région of Languedoc-Roussillon. Agde can be reached by TGV SNCF train direct from Paris or Lille whilst the closest airports are Béziers-Cap d'Agde en Languedoc, with... |
215 km (134 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 14 | 15 July | Limoux Limoux Limoux is a commune and subprefecture in the Aude department, a part of the ancient Languedoc province and the present-day Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France... – Foix Foix Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas... |
192 km (119 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 15 | 16 July | Samatan Samatan Samatan is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:... – Pau |
160 km (99 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 17 July | Rest day | ||||||
| 16 | 18 July | Pau – Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon , also referred to as Luchon, is a spa town and a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Geography:... |
197 km (122 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 17 | 19 July | Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon , also referred to as Luchon, is a spa town and a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Geography:... – Peyragudes |
144 km (89 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 18 | 20 July | Blagnac Blagnac Blagnac is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.It is the third-largest suburb of the city of Toulouse, although governed by a separate council, and is adjacent to it on the northwest side. It is a member of the Urban community of Greater Toulouse... – Brive-la-Gaillarde Brive-la-Gaillarde Brive-la-Gaillarde is a commune of France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Corrèze department. The population of the urban area was 89,260 as of 1999. Although it is by far the biggest commune in Corrèze, the capital is Tulle.-History:... |
215 km (134 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 19 | 21 July | Bonneval Bonneval, Eure-et-Loir Bonneval is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-Population:-References:*... – Chartres Chartres Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country... |
52 km (32 mi) | |
Individual time trial Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
||
| 20 | 22 July | Rambouillet Rambouillet Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center... – Paris (Champs-Élysées Champs-Élysées The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is... ) |
130 km (81 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||