The 2012 Tour de France is scheduled to be the 99th Tour de France. It is scheduled to start in the Belgian city of Liège, and end on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Besides Belgium the Tour also visits the country of Switzerland. The route was accidentally published by ASO on its website on 10 October 2011. On the official presentation of 18 October, the leaked route was confirmed by the ASO.
The route features a total of 101.1 km covered in individual time trials and only three uphill finishes: La Planche des Belles Filles (stage 7), La Toussuire - Les Sybelles (stage 11) and Peyragudes (stage 17). The Col du Grand Colombier will be visited for the first time in Tour de France history. The climb was earlier featured in the Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de l'Avenir and is regularly climbed in the Tour de l'Ain. Also the well known climbs of the Col de la Madeleine and the Col de la Croix de Fer (both Hors catégorie rated climbs) are visited in the passage of the Alps. The passage of the Pyrenees include the Col de Tourmalet, Col d'Aubisque, Col d'Aspin and the Col de Peyresourde. The four climbs are climbed in stage 16 of the Tour. A total of 25 climbs will count for Cat 2, Cat 1 or HC points for the mountains classification.
There are several classifications in the 2012 Tour de France. The most important is the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The cyclist with the least accumulated time is the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey; the winner of this classification is considered the winner of the Tour. In 2012, there are no bonifications given. Additionally, there is a points classification, which awards a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists get points for finishing among the best in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints. The cyclist with the most points leads the classification, and is identified with a green jersey.
There is also a mountains classification. The organisation categorizes some climbs as either hors catégorie, first, second, third, or fourth-category; points for this classification are won by the first cyclists that reach the top of these climbs first, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs. The cyclist with the most points leads the classification, and is identified with a polkadot jersey. The fourth individual classification is the young rider classification, which is marked by the white jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders under 26 years are eligible.
No comments:
Post a Comment