The 2010 Tour de France route through the Pyrenees has now been announced and there's a stage right next Chez Arran, finishing at our local ski resort Ax Les Thermes.
Stage 14 Revel to Ax les Thermes i 184km long - Date: Sunday 18th July
The comment of Christian Prudhomme - Director of Tour de France
"1910-2010. The celebrations in honour of the hundredth anniversary of the Tour’s first foray into the Pyrenees will be the highlight of this 97th edition of the race. A novelty in the first of the four Pyrenean stages: two “modern” as an alternative to “historical” climbs will be tackled as the gruelling Port de Pailhères and Plateau de Bonascre in Ax-3 Domaines were not included on the race itinerary before the 21st century".
If Ax-les Thermes is a regular point of call on the Tour since 1933, its ski resort, Ax-3 Domaines, hosts the race since 2001. Stage finishes are held at the Plateau de Bonascre, one of the three skiing areas that make up the resort. In 2003, an impressive little Spanish climber here abandoned his usual reserve to claim the first of his three Tour stage victories: five years later, Carlos Sastre won the Tour.
It then starts again at Pamier which is also only a few km away. Let us know if you want to stay to see the Tour!
The event will be broadcast live on: http://www.letour.fr/
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