Tour de France reaches the Alps

The peloton of the Tour de France, widely recognised as the world’s most important cycling race, has already completed almost two thirds of the race across France without a decisive turning point. According to the almost unanimous opinion of experts, this will change from next Sunday, when the Tour de France riders climb through the Alps. Where skiers and snowboarders rule in winter—in places such as Verbier and Martigny (both in Switzerland), Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Le Grand-Bornand (both in France)—the Tour de France will reign over the next few days, through Wednesday.

As early as Sunday, the stage from Pontarlier to Verbier features half a dozen climbs, culminating in a mountain-top finish at the ski resort of Verbier in the Swiss Alps. The stars of the Astana team, led by Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, are expected to be among the leaders in Verbier. Contador won the Tour de France in 2007, while Armstrong triumphed in France seven times (1999 – 2005). After a well-deserved rest day in Verbier on Monday, the Tour de France peloton will tackle Tuesday’s stage between Martigny and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, crossing from Switzerland back into France via the Italian Alps.

More than a decisive turning point in this year’s Tour de France is likely to have taken place by Wednesday, when the peloton reaches the ski resort of Le Grand-Bornand in the French Alps. After the stage starts in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the riders face no fewer than four category-one climbs and one category-two climb. The ski hotels in Le Grand-Bornand and the other Alpine stage towns are therefore unlikely to complain about a lack of visitors next week. The Tour de France will then traditionally end in Paris on Sunday the following week, where Alberto Contador or Lance Armstrong (both from Team Astana) are considered favourites for the overall victory.