Tour de France 2011 – From Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts to Paris Champs-Élysées:
Tour de France 2011
The 98th Tour de France starts from Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts on Saturday July 2nd and finishes in Paris on Sunday, July 24th, 2011. This year’s race is made up of 21 stages covering a distance of 3,471 kilometres, 129 kms shorter than last year.
Race Stage Profiles
- 10 flat stages
- 6 mountain stages and 4 summit finishes
- 3 medium mountain stages
- 1 individual time-trial stage (41 km)
- 1 team time-trial stage (23 km)
Particular Features of TDF 2011:
- le Galibier will be climbed twice *
- 2 rest days
- 23 level 2, 1 or highest level mountain passes or summit finishes
- No bonuses during the intermediate sprints and stage finishes
* To mark the hundredth anniversary of the first climb of the Col du Galibier by Tour de France cyclists, the Galibier will be climbed twice after an interval of 24 hours.
* Last year’s 7 cobbled sectors were harsh on the riders and it looks like cobble stones are out this year! Sigh of relief for the riders!
15 New Stage Towns
Many travellers (myself included) have become keen followers of the Tour de France as it includes an interesting travel element. The magnificent Tour coverage is rather like a travel show, bringing back fond memories of sights and towns that many have been to. This year there are 15 new stage towns to delight travellers:
Blaye-les-Mines, Cap Fréhel, Carhaix, Carmaux, Cugnaux, Galibier Serre-Chevalier, Limoux, Modane – Valfréjus, Mont des Alouettes Les Herbiers, Mûr-de-Bretagne, Olonne-sur-Mer, Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts, Pinerolo (Italie), Redon, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
The selection of the above towns goes through a rigorous process. The town must be able to ensure that the peloton is able to arrive and depart under optimum conditions in terms of sporting entertainment and rider and public safety. There are lots of other practical considerations as well.
For fans of Le Tour, if you’re doing any travel to Europe, you may wish to plan a little detour in your itinerary so that you can witness this great race.
Le Tour Route
Sat 2 Jul – Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts > Mont des Alouettes Les Herbiers
Sun 3 Jul – Les Essarts > Les Essarts
Mon 4 Jul – Olonne-sur-Mer > Redon
Tue 5 Jul – Lorient > Mûr-de-Bretagne
Wed 6 Jul – Carhaix > Cap Fréhel
Thu 7 Jul – Dinan > Lisieux
Fri 8 Jul – Le Mans > Châteauroux
Sat 9 Jul – Aigurande > Super-Besse Sancy
Sun 10 Jul – Issoire > Saint-Flour
Mon 11 Jul – Le Lioran Cantal
Tue 12 Jul – Aurillac > Carmaux
Wed 13 Jul – Blaye-les-Mines > Lavaur
Thu 14 Jul – Cugnaux > Luz-Ardiden
Fri 15 Jul – Pau > Lourdes
Sat 16 Jul – Saint-Gaudens > Plateau de Beille
Sun 17 Jul – Limoux > Montpellier
Mon 18 Jul – Département de la Drôme
Tue 19 Jul – Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux > Gap
Wed 20 Jul – Gap > Pinerolo
Thu 21 Jul – Pinerolo > Galibier Serre-Chevalier
Fri 22 Jul – Modane – Valfréjus > Alpe-d’Huez
Sat 23 Jul – Grenoble > Grenoble
Sun 24 Jul – Créteil > Paris Champs-Élysées
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As an ardent follower of Le Tour I am pleased for Cadel to be a winner, however I am upset that the race covering 3 weeks of the country´side up and down requiring dedication and stamina actually reached its finalby the end of 19th stage, standings then representing ALL THE EFFORTS overall, flat, climbing andv sprinting. then on stage 20 we have timetrial over a mere 46 km and as a rresult a fast rider can overtake and claim a higher position. As of 2011. THIS A NONSENSE to the REAL RACE.
It now looks as if the race can be decided disproportionately to the real overall effort required.
In solid real racing terms Andy was the winner.