The Tour de France gets under way this Friday (July 6) evening with the team presentation. From 6.45pm each of the 189 riders from the 21 teams will be presented to the crowd under the shadow of Nelson?s column.

Once the riders have waved to the crowd, and one or two interviewed by compéres Hugh Porter and Katie Derham, they will ride a one kilometre long circuit, starting in Trafalgar Square, travelling down Cockspur Street, up and down Whitehall before finishing on the Mall.

The presentation ceremony will continue until 9.30pm with Transport for London promising some spectacular surprises. They wouldn?t confirm what was in store, with spokesman Stephen Taylor saying, ?you?ll just have to find out on the night.?

TfL have remained tight lipped over the precise nature of the evening?s events ever since last year when they boasted that their presentation would be better than Strasbourg?s. There?s only one way to find out.