2012 Tour de France Route Unveiled

Yesterday, the 2012 Tour de France route was unveiled in Paris by race director Christian Prudhomme. Beginning on June 30th with a 6.1km prolouge, the course looks to be a game changer for podium riders on the past few Tours.

A handful of top riders were in attendance for the release including Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck, and Mark Cavendish to name a few. One of the most notable changes to the course includes the elimination of the Team Time Trial stage. However, they had added a second Individual Time Trial which will now increase the Tour's race against the clock importance, to right around 100km. For the Schleck brothers, this course will put on the pressure for them to close the gap on a category that has been their Achilles Heel in the past. 

The mountain stages were also reduced, although the four that remain are now steeper and more technical than in years past. Pure climbing may not be the only cards a rider must have in their hand, as technical descents could favor the more experienced, technical rider.

Given this route, I believe this will be the year the Schleck's do not hit the podium. Several riders are very solid time trialists including Levi Leipheimer, Alberto Contador, Christian VandeVelde, and of course the Tour's defending champion, Cadel Evans. With that being said, this is my prediction for next year's Tour:

1. Alberto Contador

2. Cadel Evans

3. Christian VandeVelde

4. Levi Leipheimer

5. Luis Leon Sanchez

Fresh of a World Championship win and a new contract with British based Team SKY, I think Mark Cavendish will find little trouble defending his Green Jersey from 2011 in the sprint points classification, further proving why he truly the "Fastest Man on Two Wheels".  The biggest question will probably be the design of Cav's World Championship kit for the Tour. As a strong opponent to white shorts, he tried to wear his traditional black shorts only to be advised that the rule book requires the matching white shorts with the rainbow jersey. My guess is that he'll improvise with a new approach to the rainbow look as shown here:

Either way, we'll be able to catch all the action again in "Stunning HD" as Paul Sherwen would put it on NBC Sports here in the U.S. starting June 30th - July 22nd!

TMP