Tour de France sets off from Monaco
Latest update : 2009-07-04
The 96th edition of the Tour de France sets off from Monaco on Saturday with 189 riders ready to tackle 15.5 kilometres of steep slopes with narrow curves and technical downhills. Contador and Cancellara are favourite for this first time-trial.
Monaco will get all the bustle of a Grand Prix but without the deafening noise as the 2009 Tour de France embaks at the same spot as the starting of the grid of the motor race.
On the programme: 7.5 km climb to the upperhills of the Principality and a 4 km descent back to sea level for a rolling ride along the coast and a trip through the GP tunnel to the finish line.
Swiss Fabien Cancellara, recent winner of the Tour of Switzerland, is the hot favourite for this time trial with Spanish Alberto Contador.
Date created : 2009-07-04