PARIS, October 18, 2011 (AFP) — Contenders for the 2012 Tour de France yellow jersey have been given notice of the need for strong time trialling skills after organizers unveiled the race route for the 99th edition Tuesday. A total of 96.1 km of racing against the clock will feature on the course, spread over the opening prologue (6.1km), Stage 9 (38 km) and the penultimate Stage 19 (52 km).
Prologue - June 30: Liege - Liege 6.1 km
1st stage - July 1: Liege - Seraing 198 km
2nd stage - July 2: Vise - Tournai 207 km
3rd stage - July 3: Orchies - Boulogne-sur-Mer 197 km
4th stage - July 4: Abbeville - Rouen 214 km
5th stage - July 5: Rouen - Saint-Quentin 197 km
6th stage - July 6: Epernay - Metz 210 km
7th stage - July 7: Tomblaine - La Planche des Belles Filles 199 km
8th stage - July 8: Belfort - Porrentruy 154 km
9th stage - July 9: Arc-et-Senans - Besancon 38 km time trial
July 10: Rest day
10th stage - July 11: Macon - Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194 km
11th stage - July 12: Albertville - La Toussuire-Les Sybelles 140 km
12th stage - July 13: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Annonay Davezieux 220 km
13th stage - July 14: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux - Le Cap d’Agde 215 km
14th stage - July 15: Limoux - Foix 192 km
15th stage - July 16: Samatan - Pau 160 km
July 17: Rest day
16th stage - July 18: Pau - Bagneres-de-Luchon 197 km
17th stage - July 19: Bagneres-de-Luchon - Peyragudes 144 km
18th stage - July 20: Blagnac - Brive-la-Gaillarde 215 km
19th stage - July 21: Bonneval - Chartres 52 km time trial
20th stage - July 22: Rambouillet - Paris 130 km
The last time so many time trial kilometers were featured was in 2007, when Spaniard Alberto Contador secured the second of his three victories by triumphing in the Lake Annecy time trial. During the reign of Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc, in the 1990s and first few years of 2000, it was routine to have over 100km of time trials on the race.
In 1992, for example, emerging Spanish great Miguel Indurain got to showcase his formidable time trialling skills over 137 kilometers, doing the most damage on the Luxembourg time trial held over 65 km. Time trialling became Indurain's trademark as he went on to join the elite club of five-time winners of the race, becoming the first rider to achieve the feat consecutively.
Following is a list of the time trial distances on the last 10 editions of the race:
2012: 96.1 km
2011: 42.5 km
2010: 60.9 km
2009: 56 km
2008: 82.5 km
2007: 117.4 km
2006: 116.1 km
2005: 74.5 km
2004: 77 km
2003: 102.5 km
2002: 109 km
Origin: Bicycling Magazine
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