Less than 48 hours before the Tour starts, director Christian Prudhomme says he is upbeat about the race?s chances of getting back on the right tracks - hopefully for good.
In an extensive interview with French newspaper Ouest-France, Prudhomme says that ?Everything possible has been done to avoid what happened in the Tour last year, when the race suffered serious damage in the second half.
Asked about the Tour's current chronic lack of reference points in terms of favourites - given the absence of last year?s winner Alberto Contador and third-placed Levi Leipheimer because their team, Astana, are not allowed to take part following last year's doping scandals - Prudhomme argued that ?The Tour can create heros very quickly, above all thanks to the television.?
?The problem was with his team, Astana." - which Contador and Leipheimer joined at the end of last season.
"Cycling has become more human this year. I can remember [Rabobank race leader] Robert Gesink?s face in Paris-Nice last year, his mouth wide open and looking exhausted.?
As for the race itself, Prudhomme said he was "hoping the race will be very interesting from the word go."
"There is no prologue and there are no time bonuses. It's going to be an unusual first week."
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