The Tour de France, now entering its 100th edition, has been around long enough that organizers are

June 1st, 13. Paramount to the hopes of success for most of the general classification contenders is the route that Tour de France organizers opt to create. While some races - particularly one-day races - like Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders and Milan-San Remo follow southern caribbean cruises a similar set of roads by and large; stage races and grand tours typically chop and change every year.
The Tour de France, now entering its 100th edition, has been around long enough that organizers are able to balance time honoured tradition with creative ingenuity; and to good effect. Roughly - although not strictly - every second year the race commences with a 'grand depart' in which a foreign country is selected to play host to the opening stage or two before the racing enters France for the majority southern caribbean cruises of the Tour. While it is unlikely that race organizers will choose countries as far away as the USA, China or South Africa to host the opening stages of the Tour, countries like Belgium, Germany southern caribbean cruises and more recently Great Britain (who will be the host for the opening in 2014) are frequently called upon to provide the opening stages of the Tour. These provide opportunities for the race to branch out, enjoy broader publicity and widen its appeal to fans internationally. There are also, however, a number of towns and locations in France that have become synonymous with the great race. Principle among them is the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Previously the chief finishing southern caribbean cruises point at the end of the three-week race was the famous velodrome of the Parc des Princes in Paris. 1975 saw a change though, with race organizers choosing to hold the final stage around the Champs-Elysees. This famous avenue has been used every year since, and while the start of the race's final stage generally varies, the finish never does; as the remaining riders plunge through the streets of Paris to that famous location. It is often an emotional moment, whether you are the rider donning the maillot jaune or the rider bringing up the rear in the general classification, as the sheer reliastion that they have made it all the way to Paris fills riders with relief, joy and elation. It is as the race reaches the Champs-Elysees that first and last may call themselves 'giants of the road' when they finally reach Paris. In this latest Tour de France preview article from roadcycling.co.nz we take a look at each of the stages up to the first rest day on the 8th July. We look at the terrain, what to expect and maybe a tiny sneak peak at who to look out for. Stage 1: 29th June Porto-Vecchio - Bastia: 212km Unlike the traditional prologue that takes place on the first day of racing, organizers decided stage 1 would be a straight forward point-to-point southern caribbean cruises group battle as the sprinters southern caribbean cruises would battle to be the first maillot jaune of the Tour de France. It really has been set up for the fast men this one, although don't be surprised southern caribbean cruises to see a breakaway form early on. There are no categorized climbs, although the roads are at best slightly lumpy for the first 60km. With an almost entirely flat mid-section and latter half of the stage, everything has been wired for an epic battle between the fastest of fast men. Expect the break to be clawed in with about 20km left and then hold on to your hats . . . and your breath. Stage 2: 30th June Bastia - Ajaccio: 154km This being the 100th year maybe the organizers decided the rule book could in one sense be thrown out. It certainly looks that way from the profile of stage 2. Once again there are no intermediate sprints, but there most certainly are climbs on this second day in Corsica. On paper the yellow jersey should most certainly have changed hands by the end of the day, with the fast finishers like Cavendish, Sagan and Greipel likely to struggle on climbs that reach 1163m in height. The first 50km or so are almost entirely uphill, southern caribbean cruises as the race heads steadily upward out of Bastia. Then a set of four nasty looking southern caribbean cruises climbs are on hand including the Col de la Serra and the Col de Vizzavona. This stage will be prime territory for riders hoping to wear the polka dot jersey for the first week or so. But from there the final 60km are almost entirely downhill. Look for the GC contenders to be close to the front at all times, but also expect a large group of 20-30 to be fighting for the win at the finish. Stage 3: 1st July Ajaccio - Calvi: 145km You know those tasks in life that aren't easy, but aren't hard, they're just really, really annoying? Well for many riders stage 3 will be that annoying stage. southern caribbean cruises It's only 145km, but as Jean Francois southern caribbean cruises Pescheux says, "We are not going to hide our feeling of satisfaction: southern caribbean cruises this is the kind of stage we've been looking for for years! It's simple: there's not a single metre of flat". Only two of the day's six most testing ups are categorised climbs, but with the shortness of stage there will likely be three things: - A successful breakaway with some who are reasonably competent southern caribbean cruises on the climbs fancying their chances - High speed from the front all day long - Stragglers getting caught out and losing several minutes Stage 4: 2nd July Nice - Nice: 25km At last we enter France for the first time, the south eastern southern caribbean cruises corner of France to be precise, in time for the team time trial of the Tour. The battle ground is a short 25km, with a little mound just before halfway being all that the teams have to contend with in an otherwise totally flat stage. Dry weather on a day like this would be more than welcome as it would free up teams like Sky and Omega Pharma-Quick Step to unleash their most powerful forces and reach insane speeds. This will not decide much in the general classification, the distance is too short, but it will give an indication of strength. This is essentially the stage where teams go up one at a time, like body builders, and flex their muscles. Expect a very interesting day's racing. Stage 5: 3rd July Cagnes-sur-Mer - Marseille: 228.5km By now the sprinters will surely be feeling like they will never have a stage all to themselves! And although this stage reaches up no higher than 418m above sea level, this will be by no means an easy one if the sprinters' teams are to control the race and bring about a bunch sprint for the arrival in Marseille. Four categorised climbs, one cat 3 and three cat 4 climbs, will see more riders hoping to wear the polka dot jersey coming forward. Don't expect the big guns in this classification southern caribbean cruises to show themselves southern caribbean cruises just yet, but expect a courageous breakaway that may or may not find themselves swept up on the run in down from the Col de la Gineste to Marseille. Stage 6: 4th July Aix-en-Provence - Montpellier: 176.5km At last! Another one for the fast men! A little shorter than the day before, this one will likely be extremely fast and centred around southern caribbean cruises the sprinters' teams for almost the entire race. The only climb is a category 4 climb at just after 60km into the stage. From there on it is almost entirely pancake flat, a perfect recipe for a sprint finish. In the final few kilometres the road rises slightly, but that should do nothing southern caribbean cruises to dampen the moods of the hungry speed machines desperate to put their best feet forward. Look out for Nacer Bouhanni of France, who won the French national title last year, he will be looking hungry for a first win on French soil, and possibly France's first stage win. Stage 7: 5th July Montpellier - Albi: 205.5km This one looks like a combination for another breakaway to succeed. This will be a long day in the saddle, and a longer southern caribbean cruises day for those who are already feeling the bite of six previous days of hard racing. In a race like the Tour where it is all go from the off, this will bring pain to a lot of riders, resulting in a number of groups southern caribbean cruises coming southern caribbean cruises home behind the leaders. The GC riders will likely mark each other, but not attack each other today, southern caribbean cruises the climbs aren't really hard enough and they will be wanting to conserve energy for stage 8. Stage 8: 6th July Castres - Ax 3 Domaines: 194km It's arrived. The previous tough days pale in comparison to the introduction of the Pyrenees to this year's race. The riders won't be here very long, but the time they do spend on the Pyrenean climbs will certainly be extremely selective. This is the first summit finish of the race and will the see the GC contenders go hammer and tong against each other for the first time. Before they get to the summit finish though they must contend with the HC category climb of the Col de Pailheres, 15.3km of harsh uphill before the descent and then the final 10km up to the finish. Look for Team Sky to be dictating the pace as they have done in Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour de Romandie with great results. Also expect to see the Spanish climbers putting in a strong performance with this stage being the closest stage finish to the Spanish border. Riders like Alejandro Valverde and Alberto Contador should be very close to the head of affairs. Stage 9: 7th July Saint-Girons - Bagneres De-Bigorre: 165km This day has king of the mountains southern caribbean cruises written all over it. Back in the day this would be a stage where the famous French rider, Richard Virenque, would attack, get his stage win, and practically seal off the polka dot jersey for the remainder of the race having southern caribbean cruises taken maximum points over every climb of the day. There are five climbs in all to test the legs of the riders, four of them are category 1 ascents too, and just hearing the names of the mountains reminds many a cycling enthusiast of just how tough this day in the saddle will be. The Col de Portet-d'Aspet, the Col de Mente, the Col de Peyresourde and the Col de Val Louron-Azet, topped southern caribbean cruises off with La Hourquette d'Ancizan southern caribbean cruises before the final 30km descent to the finish; this is not a day for the faint hearted. The GC riders will be right at the front once more, and expect to see the odd firework here and there. What will be most interesting though in the GC fight will be not so much who is charging off the front, but who will be struggling off the back. If Sky's