Overview of the stages

The 2008 Tour de France is the 95th Tour de France. The event will take place from July 5 to July 27, 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, France, the tour will enter Italy on the 15th stage and return to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which will be reached in the 21st stage. Time bonuses for intermediate sprints and at the finish line have also been scrapped. For other uses, see Tour de France (disambiguation). ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Brest. ... This article is about the capital of France. ...

On February 13, 2008, the event organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation, announced that the Astana Team would be barred from the 2008 Tour due to its involvement in the doping scandals that marred the 2007 Tour and its links to the 2006 Operación Puerto doping case. This move comes despite an almost complete turnover of the team's management, and rider roster in the wake of the 2007 scandals. The ASO's decision means that defending champion Alberto Contador and last year's third-place finisher Levi Leipheimer, both of whom signed with the revamped Astana Team, will not compete in the 2008 Tour.^[1] 2007 green jersey (points) winner Tom Boonen tested positive for cocaine in a test on May 26, 2008. Since this was outside competition, Boonen does not face sanctions by the UCI or WADA. Despite the absence of official sanctions, Boonen was barred from the 2008 Tour de France. ^[2][3] is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) is part of the French media group, EPA (Éditions Philippe Amaury), and is well-known as the organiser of various major sporting events, including the Tour de France and Paris-Nice professional cycle road races, and the Paris-Dakar Rally. ... The Astana Team (UCI Team Code: AST), is a professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Astana group, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan – including Air Astana – named after its capital. ... The 2007 Tour de France has been affected by a series of scandals and speculations related to doping. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ... The Operación Puerto doping case (meaning Operation Mountain Pass)[1] is a Spanish doping case against doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and a number of accomplices, started in May 2006. ... Alberto Contador Velasco (born 6 December 1982 in Madrid, Spain) is a professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team and winner of the 2007 Tour de France. ... Levi Leipheimer (born October 24, 1973 in Butte, Montana) is an American professional bicyclist who rides with the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. ... Tom Boonen (born on October 15, 1980 in Mol, Belgium) is a professional road bicycle racer and is the 2005 World Road Race Champion. ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Entrance of UCI headquarter at Aigle (Switzerland) Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is a professional cycling union that oversees cycling events in the international community. ... The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). ...

Stages

In previous years, the Tour started with a prologue, followed by a week of flat stages. The flat stages were dominated by the sprinters' teams, and the yellow jersey was worn by a sprinter who had a good prologue. Tour Director Christian Prudhomme announced that the 2008 Tour should be different: "We have wanted a first week of racing with much more rhythm. With no prologue, an uphill finish that will suit different types of sprinters at the end of stage one, with a short time trial on stage four and the first mountain [Super-Besse] only 48 hours later, we have decided to change the scenario."^[4] The time bonuses at the end of the stage were removed, and there will be 82 kilometres (51 mi) of time trial, rather less than usual. Commercial version of maillot jaune, 2004 The Yellow jersey (French: Maillot jaune pronounced ) is the jersey worn by the leader of many multi-stage bicycle races, originally and most notably the Tour de France. ... Christian Prudhomme (born in France) is the general director of the Tour de France. ... “km” redirects here. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... In many racing sports an athlete (or occasionally a team of athletes) will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. ...

The 2008 Tour de France is almost entirely in France, with only a small part in Italy.

For other uses, see Brest. ... , Coordinates , Administration Country Region Bretagne Department Morbihan Arrondissement Pontivy Canton Saint-Jean-Brévelay Intercommunality C.C. Saint-Jean-Brévelay Communauté Mayor Léon Guyot (2001-2008) Statistics Altitude 27 m–165 m Land area¹ 58. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Auray (An Alre in Breton) is a commune of France, in the Morbihan département. ... Saint-Brieuc (Breton: Sant-Brieg) is a commune France, situated in Côtes-dArmor and in the Brittany région. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: France geography stubs | Communes of Ille-et-Vilaine ... Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: Favet Neptunus eunti (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Pays de la Loire Department Loire-Atlantique (44) Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault  (PS) (since 1989) City Statistics Land area¹ 65. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Cholet (probably from Latin cauletum, cabbage)is a town in western France, capital of an arrondissement in the département of Maine-et-Loir, Pays de la Loire région, 41 miles south-east of Nantes. ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Châteauroux is a commune of central France, préfecture (capital) of the Indre département. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Aigurande is a town and commune in the Indre département of France. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Brioude is a commune of the Haute-Loire département, in France. ... Aurillac is a town and commune in the Auvergne région of France, préfecture (capital) of the Cantal département, at 44° 55′ 44″ N 2° 26′ 38″ E. Population (1999) 30,551. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Figeac is a little town in the Lot département in Quercy, Midi-Pyrénées, southwestern France. ... New city flag (Occitan cross) Traditional coat of arms Motto: (Occitan: For Toulouse, always more) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Midi-Pyrénées Department Haute-Garonne (31) Intercommunality Community of Agglomeration of Greater Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc  (UMP) (since 2004) City Statistics Land... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a commune of southwestern France, in the Hautes-Pyrénées département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Pau is a town of southwestern France, préfecture (capital) of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département. ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lannemezan is a commune of the Hautes-Pyrénées département in southwestern France. ... Château des Comtes de Foix Foix river Foix is a small town and commune, the préfecture (capital) of the Ariège département in France. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lavelanet (LAvelhanetis in the Languedocian dialect of Occitan) is a French and Occitan commune of the département of Ariège in the région Midi-Pyrénées of France. ... Narbonne (Narbona in Catalan and in Occitan, commonly Narbo especially when referring to the Ancient Rome era) is a town and commune of southwestern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon région. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nîmes (Provençal Occitan: Nimes in both classical and Mistralian norms) is a city and commune of southern France. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Digne-les-Bains or simply Digne is a commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Embrun is a town and commune in the Hautes-Alpes département in southeastern France. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Cuneo (Coni in Piedmontese), with a population of c. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Alpe dHuez is a famous ski resort 1850 metres / 3330 metres (6,069 ft / 10,924 ft) high. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Le Bourg-dOisans is a town and commune in the Isère département, in south-eastern France. ... Coat of arms Motto: Franco-Provençal: Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Rhône-Alpes Department Loire (42) Canton Chief town of 9 cantons Intercommunality Communauté dagglomération Saint-Étienne Métropole Mayor Michel Thiollière  (UMP) (since 2001) Statistics Altitude 422 m–1... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Roanne is a town and commune in southern France in the Loire département, about 90km north-west of Lyon. ... Montluçon (Occitan: Montluçon) is a town and commune in central France. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Saint-Amand-Montrond is a commune and a canton of the département of Cher, in the Centre région, in France. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... The Champs-Élysées (pronounced  ) is the most prestigious and broadest avenue in Paris. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Stage recaps

• 2008 Tour de France, Stage 1 to Stage 11
• 2008 Tour de France, Stage 12 to Stage 21

Teams

Main article: List of teams and cyclists in the 2008 Tour de France

Because of the struggles between the ASO and the UCI, the 2008 Tour de France is not organized under UCI rules. Therefore the UCI protour teams were not automatically all invited. The ASO announced on 20 March 2008 that all UCI-teams except Astana were invited. Additionally, Agritubel, Barloworld and Slipstream-Chipotle(renamed Garmin-Chipotle before the race^[6]) were given a wildcard. So, the 20 teams invited to the race are:^[7] Entrance of UCI headquarter at Aigle (Switzerland) Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is a professional cycling union that oversees cycling events in the international community. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Agritubel Pro Cycling Team (UCI Team Code: AGR) is a French professional road race cycling team. ... Barloworld (UCI Team Code: BAR) is a UCI Professional Continental cycling team based in the United Kingdom and participates in UCI Continental Circuits races and when selected as a wildcard to UCI ProTour events. ...

Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium_(civil). ... Quick Step-Innergetic is a Belgian UCI ProTour team led by team manager Patrick Lefevre. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Agritubel Pro Cycling Team (UCI Team Code: AGR) is a French professional road race cycling team. ... Bouygues Télécom (UCI Team Code: BTL) is a professional road bicycle racing team that competes on the UCI ProTour. ... Cofidis is a French professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the insurance company Cofidis. ... Crédit Agricole is the main sponsor of a French professional cycling team managed by Roger Legeay. ... La Française des Jeux is a French cycling team, sponsored by a French company that sells gambling games. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Rund um den Henninger-Turm (2005) Team Gerolsteiner (UCI Team Code: GST) is a German road bicycle racing team in the UCI ProTour. ... Team Milram is a professional cycling team participating in the 2006 edition of the UCI ProTour race series, taking over the ProTour licens of the Domina Vacanze team. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Team Liquigas (UCI Team Code: LIQ) is an Italian professional road bicycle racing team in the UCI ProTour. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... The Rabobank team during the 2005 Rund um den Henninger Turm race. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Illes Balears team car, with Pinarello Opera bikes on top, with Campagnolo parts. ... Euskaltel-Euskadi is a professional road bicycle racing team. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Barloworld (UCI Team Code: BAR) is a UCI Professional Continental cycling team based in the United Kingdom and participates in UCI Continental Circuits races and when selected as a wildcard to UCI ProTour events. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

Pre-race favourites

Because Astana Team is not invited to the 2008 Tour de France, the winner of the 2007 Tour de France, Alberto Contador, and the 3rd place finisher Levi Leipheimer are not competing. Ten days before the start of the tour, Contador picked Cadel Evans as the likely winner for 2008.^[9] Shown in the table below are the riders that, according to the bookmakers^[10] in May 2008, June 2008 or July 2008, before the start of the 2008 Tour de France, had a chance of winning the 2008 Tour better than or equal to 25/1. The Astana Team (UCI Team Code: AST), is a professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Astana group, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan – including Air Astana – named after its capital. ... Alberto Contador Velasco (born 6 December 1982 in Madrid, Spain) is a professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team and winner of the 2007 Tour de France. ... Levi Leipheimer (born October 24, 1973 in Butte, Montana) is an American professional bicyclist who rides with the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. ... Cadel Evans (born 14 February 1977, in Katherine, Northern Territory) is an Australian professional cyclist. ... May 2008 is the fifth month of the current leap year. ... June 2008 is the sixth month of the current leap year. ... July 2008 is the seventh month of the current leap year and has yet to occur. ...

Cadel Evans (born 14 February 1977, in Katherine, Northern Territory) is an Australian professional cyclist. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ... Denis Nikolayevich Menchov (Russian: Денис Меньшов) (born 25 January 1978 in Orel, Russia, part of the Soviet Union at that time) is a professional Russian road bicycle racer. ... The Rabobank team during the 2005 Rund um den Henninger Turm race. ... The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. ... Sastre during the Stage 20 individual time trial (St Etienne) of the 2005 Tour de France. ... Riders from Team CSC in Danmark Rundt, August 2006. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ... Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (born April 25, 1980 in Las Lumbreras, Murcia) is a Spanish cyclist. ... The Illes Balears team car, with Pinarello Opera bikes on top, with Campagnolo parts. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ... Andy Schleck (born June 16, 1985) is a Luxembourgian professional road bicycle racer who, since 2005, has been riding for the Team CSC outfit in the UCI ProTour race series. ... Riders from Team CSC in Danmark Rundt, August 2006. ... Overview of the stages The 2007 Giro dItalia cycle race takes place from May 12 until June 3, 2007. ... Damiano Cunego (born September 19, 1981) is an Italian professional road bicycle racer. ... The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. ... Juan Mauricio Soler Rodríguez (born January 14, 1983 in Ramiriqui) is a Colombian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team Barloworld. ... Barloworld (UCI Team Code: BAR) is a UCI Professional Continental cycling team based in the United Kingdom and participates in UCI Continental Circuits races and when selected as a wildcard to UCI ProTour events. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ... Thomas Dekker in TT (U-23 TT-World Championships) Thomas Dekker (born in Dirkshorn, 6 September 1984) is a Dutch professional cyclist. ... The Rabobank team during the 2005 Rund um den Henninger Turm race. ... This article is about the cyclist Michael Rogers, for the American congressmen called Mike Rogers, see: Mike Rogers Michael Rogers, often called Mick Rogers or Dodger, (born 1979) is an Australian cycle racer. ... Kim Kirchen (born July 3, 1978 in Luxembourg) is a Luxembourgish cyclist. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ... Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (born February 5, 1978 in Oviedo, Spain) is a professional road bicycle racer, he started his professional career in 2000 at the Basque team Euskaltel - Euskadi and still rides there today. ... Euskaltel-Euskadi is a professional road bicycle racing team. ... Logo 2007 Map of the stages The 2007 Vuelta a España, the sixty-second edition of the cycle race, is taking place from September 1 until September 23, 2007. ... Riccardo Riccò (born 1 September 1983) is a professional road bicycle racer from Italy. ... Roman Kreuziger (born May 6, 1986 in Moravská Trebová) is an Czech professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour Team Liquigas. ... Team Liquigas (UCI Team Code: LIQ) is an Italian professional road bicycle racing team in the UCI ProTour. ... Stijn Devolder (born 29 August 1979 in Kortrijk, West Flanders) is a professional road bicycle racer from Belgium. ... Quick Step-Innergetic is a Belgian UCI ProTour team led by team manager Patrick Lefevre. ... The Tour of Flanders (Dutch: Ronde van Vlaanderen) is a road cycling race held in Flanders, Belgium. ... Haimar Zubeldia (born April 1, 1977 in Usurbil) is a Spanish cyclist who rides for Euskaltel-Euskadi in the UCI ProTour. ... Euskaltel-Euskadi is a professional road bicycle racing team. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ...

Notes and references

The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• (Dutch) (English) (French) A presentation of the Tour de France 2008 stages
• Tour de France 2008 on Google Earth
• The official Tour de France 2008 route
• The stages of the official Tour de France 2008 route on Google Maps New: Google interactive map in Terrain View
• Tour de France 2008 List of Stages and Trip Planner
• The individual stages of the official Tour de France 2008 route on Google Maps New: Google interactive map with all the single stages based on detailed KML file
• Le dico du Tour / Le Tour de France de 1947 à 2008 (French)
• 2008 Tour de France: Stage by stage Interactive application with Google Maps