The route of the 2008 Tour de France was memorable for its variety and its departure from certain traditional aspects of the race. Gone was the opening day prologue in favour of a normal road stage, in came a couple of early middle mountain finishes to shake up the peloton and a number of new or rarely visited climbs in the Alps. The result was a fantastic race that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the last day. And race director Christian Prudhomme was rightly lauded for his innovative route.
So, with the announcement of the 2009 route just weeks away, interest is mounting in what Monsieur Prudhomme has in store for 2009, particularly as the start point is already known and throws up a number of possibilities.
Monaco Prologue
It was announced a while ago that the 2009 Tour would start on 4th July 2009 with a prologue around Monaco, with the principality then hosting the start of Stage One a day later.
