The Tour de France’s 2012 Grand Depart was officially unveiled in the Belgian city of Liège today by Christian Prudhomme, director of the race and Andre Gilles, the President and Provincial Representative. The presentation was in the presence of five-time winners Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, as well as current Walloon superstar Philippe Gilbert and many other cyclists. News that the city was to host the race start next year was announced at the end of October but more details were released today’s official presentation.
The race last started in Liège back in 2004, where Fabian Cancellara won the first of his four opening time trials and announced his arrival at the top of the World time trialling tree. It has been announced that the 2012 prologue will follow the exact same 6.1km course as in 2004, which will have the World and Olympic champion licking his lips, especially as the 2010 race opens with a road stage; with a second victory in Liège, Cancellara would equal Hinault’s record of five prologue victories.
Stage 1 will start from Liège, cover 180km and finish in Seraing, just to the south west of the city. According to race organiser ASO, the stage should suit the sprinters, which could well mean that the hills of the Ardennes that caused such chaos in this year’s rainy stage to Spa will be avoided. Stage 2 will start in Visé, to the north east of Liège, with it’s destination unannounced; further details of the route will not be unveiled until the official race presentation in October of next year.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws several Belgian cities have made a bid for a stage finish in 2012, including Tournai, Tervuren, Ypres, Roeselare and Antwerp; cities in Germany and Luxembourg are reportedly also bidding for the stage finish.
Events in Liège will begin on Thursday June 28th with the team presentation; the race itself will start on Saturday June 30th, which will be the first time the race has started outside July in many years; stage 1 will leave the city on July 1st.