2009 ETAPE DU TOUR UNVEILED

As previously speculated by Cycling Weekly, Mont Ventoux is once again on the agenda for next year's Etape du Tour.

Set to take place on Monday July 20 2009, it will be Mont Ventoux's first appearance in the Etape since 2000. Those of you who were riding that day, will remember the torrential rain and freezing temperatures which greeted the riders on the Ventoux forcing the organisers to prevent many of the riders from finishing.

Standing at 172km, slightly longer than the 167km Tour stage, there will be five classified climbs despite previous speculation that there would be a flat run-in to the Ventoux.

The 9,000 Etape riders will face the Côte de Citelle, the Cole d'Eye, the Col de Fontaube, the Col de Notre-dame des Abbeilles before finally tackling the iconic slopes of the Ventoux.

Unlike previous editions, the Etape comes five days before the Ventoux stage in the Tour itself, making it more difficult for those wanting to hang around and watch the pros in action.

Visit www.letapedutour.com for more information and be sure to get your entry in as soon as possible.

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