Professional Cycle Races in the Alps
The Alps
are visited every year by a number of professional cycle races, from the Tour
de France and the hundreds of thousands of spectators that follow the race,
to the smaller one-day events like the Classique des Alpes.
The Tour de
France - website
3rd to 25th July 2004
The biggest cycle race in the world that is also one of the toughest competitions in any sport.
The first edition in 1903 had six stages taking the riders 2,400 kilometres, with an average stage distance of just over 400 kilometres. The average speed of the first winner, Frenchman Maurice Garin, was 26.5 km/h
In contrast, the 2002 Tour de France covered 3276 kilometres, with an average stage distance of just over 160 kilometres. The average speed of the American winner, Lance Armstrong, was 39.9 km/h.
The course of the Tour de France changes every year, and is announced every autumn. The route spends the majority of the time in France but will often pass through countries on the French border. Belgium, Germany, Spain, England and Ireland include counties that have been visited in recent years.
Related site links
Critérium
du Dauphiné Libéré
- website
6th to 13th June 2004
The warm-up event to the Tour de France, taking place a month before the start of the bigger event. This event is popular with the professionals for a number of reasons. The route of the Dauphiné Libéré often include the mountains that will be used in the Tour de France, allowing rider valuable insite into how to ride the stage a month later. The Dauphine also includes a prologue time-trial as well as longer time-trial in the middle of the week.
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Paris Nice
- website
7th to 14th March 2004
An early season stage race that starts in northern France, and over the week, takes the riders south to the Mediteranean city of Nice.
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Classique
des Alpes - website
5th June 2004
A one day event that takes the riders into the Bauges and Chartreuse massifs around Chambery and Aix-les-Bains, north of Grenoble. The Classique des Alpes is usually held the day before the start of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.
Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale - website
The women's Tour de France and an event that visits the Alps for a few days at the start of August. The stages are no easier than the men's event and take in the climbs in the high Alps.
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Six Days of
Grenoble - website
28th October to 2nd November 2004
An event that Grenoble hosts at the end of October each year. The racing takes place over six evenings in the Grenoble Palais des Sports, with some of the best sprinters and track riders in the world visiting the city.