The Tour de France in Midi-Pyrénées (from 17th to 22nd July 2010)

The Tour de France will be back this year, featuring numerous stages in the Midi-Pyrénées! No less than five stages will be passing through the region from 17th to 22nd July. Some of these stages will be used to mark the occasion of the centenary of the first mountain stages of the Grande Boucle in the Pyrenees. On your marks...

The five stages of the Tour de France in Midi-Pyrénées (from 17th to 22nd July 2010)

When they arrive in Midi-Pyrénées, the Tour de France competitors will have to tackle one flat stage and four high-mountain stages. The itinerary will take you through some of the region's major tourist sites: Rodez, Revel, Mirepoix, Ax-3-Domaines, Luchon, le Mas d’Azil and Pic du Midi, a stone’s throw away from the Col du Tourmalet.

Detailed information on the different Tour de France stages:
> Saturday 17th July: Rodez > Revel (196km - flat stage). for further information
> Sunday 18th July: Revel > Ax-3 Domaines (184.5km - high mountain stage). for further information

> Monday 19th July: Pamiers > Bagnères-de-Luchon (187km - high mountain stage). for further information
> Tuesday 20th July: Bagnères-de-Luchon > Pau (199,5km - high mountain stage). for further information

> Thursday 22nd July: Pau > Col du Tourmalet (174km - high mountain stage). for further information

The centenary celebration of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees

In 1910 the Grande Boucle went through the Pyrenees for the very first time. Like real pioneers, the participants had to brave eleven peaks in less than three days… This was extraordinary for the time! With no derailers and no technical assistance, they left at 3.30 am clocking up the kilometres for over 14hrs. Even the top cyclists had to put their feet to the ground to reach the summits… It's no surprise that they were treated as heroes upon arrival!
The Tour de France will be pulling all the stops out 100 years after this first stage ran through the Pyrenees, with no less than two ascents of the Col du Tourmalet scheduled, with the second ascent marking the arrival of a stage. Centenary celebrations will also be held in Ariège and Haute-Garonne, during the Revel>Ax 3 Domaines and Pamiers>Luchon stages. A wonderful show on the horizon!
For further information: www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/COURSE/us/les_pyrenees.html