« Strasbourg! And it’s not simply a dream.We’re going there on home ground (…) We’ll be riding along the banks of the river Rhine. Yes, all our dreams have come true! »

Even Henri Desgrange’s delight, in the columns of L’Auto newspaper, at the prospect of the very first stage of the Tour in Strasbourg after the First World War could not be expressed more strongly.

1919! The “revival” Tour. The Tour of a « whole » France, as referred to by its inventor, one that passes through the Alsace and Lorraine regions. Without a doubt this was a landmark Tour which gave rise to one of the most sensational inventions in the world of sport; the magical star, the sun God, the symbol of rebirth: the yellow jersey!

That Strasbourg was included in the route taken by this particular Tour, in this particular year, was a demonstration of a strong political intention, and sealed in all minds the newly restored peace.

Thirty or so years later, after another World War, Strasbourg opened the festivities for the 1953 Tour, the foundation stone of a new year tinged with innovation, in a Europe politically in gestation. This was a special edition, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the event, with a new jersey for the points classification: a green one, as a sign of hope.

Hence does faith in the future link the Alsace region to the Tour in a most attractive way. The hope of a better world, of peace in Europe, of a life in which sports tournaments will permanently replace the barbarism of war. Today, Strasbourg is the capital of Europe, and -via the willpower of its Mayor, Fabienne Keller, and the President of the CUS, Robert Grossmann- it will host the Start of the Tour de France in 2006. A simple handshake sealed this agreement in the Tour hospitality Village on Saturday the 14th of July 2001. We are convinced that the Alsace region will provide us with celebrations and emotions greater and even more superb than on this particular day, when, following the triumph of Jan Kirsipuu Quai des Alpes, Laurent Jalabert gave his famous Strasbourg performance in Colmar.

Alsace is also the famous “Ballon”, which saw the victories of Merckx and Thévenet, and we will celebrate the hundredth anniversary of its first ascension this summer. It is also the champions, from the whimsical Hassenforder to the late lamented Charly Grosskost. And from the 2005 Tour, continued through to the 2006 edition, from the Vendée to the Alsace regions, the French line-up of riders will provide us with a magnificent link to both regions in the form of Thomas Voeckler, our national champion, a native of the Vendée region by adoption, but born in Schiltigheim, on the threshold of Strasbourg.