Tour de France 2007 : bienvenue sur le site officiel

SAGEM official partner of the Tour de France

Thanks to the rider bibs and the sponsorship of the team standings, SAGEM will this year enter the Tour de France adventure.

On the back of the riders... and of the photographers

The SAGEM logo will be placed on all the bibs of the riders, beneath their race numbers. It will also be displayed through the composite logo SAGEM / TOUR DE FRANCE on the back of the jackets and chasubles of the professional photographers working on the event.

"Victory is a team sport"

SAGEM will be the official partner of the team standings. Every morning, the first team of the overall classification will be distinguished on the podium of the start village. During the race, all the riders will be carrying a yellow bib.

A strategic partnership

This partnership represents for the High-Speed Internet Communication Business Group of Sagem Communication (SAFRAN group) an excellent opportunity to promote the numerous key products of the brand, especially the photo products (printers, digital frames, digital kiosks).

The communion of values

Other than the visibility that the brand will benefit from, SAGEM mainly associates itself to the series of essential principles wanted by the Tour de France. Patrick Sevian, General Director of Sagem Communication, indeed declares that he is "particularly sensitive to the sponsorship of the team standings: the team work values shared by all our colleagues are for us a key factor of success". Christian Prud'homme, Director of the Tour de France, also underlines that "cycling being the most collective of individual sports, to have an interest for the team standings shows on behalf of Sagem a real knowledge of the stakes and a noble conception of work."

About Sagem Communication Sagem Communication (SAFRAN group) is a major actor in the domain of mobile communication and high-speed internet communication, having obtained leading world positions thanks to its highly innovative potential. The SAGEM products especially illustrate themselves in the following acitivities: mobile phones, printing terminals, residential terminals, digital TV decoders, networks, electronical counters… etc. For more information, visit the websites www.sagem.com et www.safran-group.com.

Download the press release (.pdf, 36 ko)

 

 

21 teams in the Tour de France 2007

The organisation of the Tour de France has decided to ad three wild cards to the 18 teams which had already been selected on December 12^th, 2006.
Therefore, 21 teams of 9 riders (189 riders) will take part to the 7.9 kilometres prologue in the centre of London on July, 7^th.

The pre-selected teams

Germany Gerolsteiner T-Mobile Team Belgium Predictor - Lotto Quick Step - Innergetic Denmark Team CSC Spain Caisse d'Épargne Euskaltel - Euskadi Saunier Duval - Prodir

United States of America Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team France AG2R Prévoyance Bouygues Telecom Cofidis, le Crédit par téléphone Crédit Agricole Française des Jeux Italy Lampre - Fondital Liguigas Team Milram Netherlands Rabobank

The three wild cards

France Agritubel

United Kingdom Barloworld

Switzerland Astana

Download the press release (.pdf, 241 ko)

Le Tour visits its Belgian and Spanish neighbours

After its stay in London, the Tour de France will visit two neighbouring countries during the 94th edition: Belgium on the 9th and 10th of July for the Dunkerque-Gand and Waregem-Compiègne stages and Spain for a 50km ride on the 25th of July on the course between Orthez and the Col d'Aubisque. While the details of the preparation aren't as thorough as with the English partners, the organisers of the Tour still went through a series of questions with the authorities of the two concerned countries, where the spectators are expected to come in numbers on the side of the roads. Two meetings have therefore been organised, on the 4th of May in Mouscron, Belgium and on the 11th of May in Pampelona, Spain, to define the security measures and how it will apply to the French authorities in the countries visited: creation of mixed teams between the French police, the "Republican guard" squadron and the country's police, private use of the road and harmonization of security rules were on the order of the day. The meetings have mainly confirmed the enthusiasm of the Belgian and Spanish representatives, ready to host the Tour on their soil. It is for the pack a certainty of being welcomed in perfect security conditions.

 

Tour du Faso 2007: over 1500 kilometres of race

The organisers of the Tour du Faso, after a first period of scrutineering in Burkina-Faso, have finished the design of the course for the 21^st edition that will be held from the 24^th of October to the 4^th of November. The riders of the teams invited on the biggest cycling event of the African continent will witness a historical challenge; indeed the total distance should reach 1508 kilometres, in other words the longest course since the creation of the Tour du Faso back in 1987. The efforts will be divided in 11 stages that will take the pack for a complete visit of the country: some areas of the north and south that have never yet hosted the Tour will be on the race program thanks to the new tarmac roads of the country. There will however still be 26 kilometres of dirt tracks, often decisive in the battle for final victory, to be covered to end up the Tour on the 4^th of November in Ouagadougou.

The representatives of A.S.O. have made the most of their presence in the Burkina capital to meet Jean-Pierre Palm, Minister for sports and leisure and Adama Diallo, president of the Burkina Cycling Federation, to let them know that they are keen to pursue their cooperation on the organisation of the event.

 

Prudhomme: "A real interest for cycling in Germany"

Christian Prudhomme went to visit the team structures of Gerolsteiner yesterday a few minutes away from Stuttgart in a place called Herrenberg. For the Tour de France director, it was also a good opportunity to insist on the values he shares with Hans-Michael Holczer, manager of the German team.

What was the reason of your visit in Germany?

I've taken the habit of meeting a few teams during their winter training camps. After having spent some time with T-Mobile a few weeks ago in the Baleares Islands, I also wanted to discuss with the head staff of Gerolsteiner who are commited like ourselves and like more and more teams to battle against doping. With Bob Stapleton, head of T-Mobile and Hans Michael Holczer, the Gerolsteiner boss, we share the same philosophy.

Severely hit by the Puerto affaire, German cycling is now troubled by the recent revelations concerning the medical staff of the T-Mobile team. In what kind of spirit was mister Holczer?

Hans Michael Holczer is really a huge cycling fanatic. He is decided to go all the way to defend this magnificent sport. We currently have a big crisis to sort out: the Puerto affaire. The Tour de France has no sporting power to act but we know on the other hand that we are among the opinion leaders on these questions. We are therefore present to push the sword in the stomach of those who do condemnable things. What interests me is no longer to have a debate on the issues of yesterday or the day before yesterday, but to have a clear idea on the 2007 pack for today's and tomorrow's cycling.

This moment is therefore decisive for German cycling…

Yes, because there is a future for the sport over there. When I saw how many people were present on the roads during the 2005 Tour, especially in Karlsruhe, I really wondered how we would manage to finish the stage ! And yesterday, there were around twenty journalists present for the press conference that was organised. I am therefore convinced that there is a real interest for cycling in Germany and that this interest just awaits to turn to passion.

 

United force against doping

The UCI President, Pat McQuaid, the Director of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme and the AIGCP President, Patrick Lefévère met today in Moudon, Switzerland, at the start of the 3rd stage of the Tour de Romandie. During this meeting, the three parties all expressed their wish to commit themselves, using all the means at their disposal, to find a swift and final solution to the “Puerto” affair.

Messrs. McQuaid, Prudhomme and Lefévère stated that “this meeting is very important for the future of our sport, and shows that all those involved are working together unreservedly to fight against doping”. This united force reaffirmed in Moudon is an essential basis for action that will taken not only in view of the 2007 Tour de France (in particular an increase in the number of random out-of-competition tests), but also in the general context of efforts made by the UCI, A.S.O. and the AIGCP to fight doping.

 

 

Le Tour, partner of the French area departments

The decentralization laws voted during the 2004 year have led the organisers of the Tour de France to modify their work procedures concerning the usage and work on the roads used by the pack during the mounth of July. The exploitation and maintenance of a huge part of the national roads being now transferred from the state to the area councils, the Tour has naturally adapted to discuss with these new actors. The course of the Tour de France being now designed on roads managed at 97 % by the area departments, a technical partnership has been signed with the "Assemblée des Départements de France (A.D.F.) on the 24^th of April.

The agreement concerning practical modalities for road use (set up for a private usage…) for the 2007 Tour plans two novelties:

• The designation by the A.D.F. of a "Mister Road" for each stage who will be the privileged person to whom the Tour organisation will speak to. Assisted by a employee for each of the 33 departments visited this year, he will be in charge of the marking-out plan of action as well as protection and signalling…
• The follow-up of the "clean road" operation, that is part of a global will of protecting the environment wanted by the Tour: on sites susceptible of welcoming a big crowd, waste disposal bags will be present before each stage and then collected after the passage of the riders.

 

A visit from Brittany

Brittany, chosen to host the "Grand Départ" of the 2008 Tour de France is preparing for the event that will mark the sporting life of the area. Daniel Gilles, vice-president of the Conseil Régional in charge of Sports, was invited with a part of his team on the 2^nd of May by Christian Prudhomme, for a first work meeting since the announcement of Brittany's designation, last January. Over a year before term, the goal of the meeting was more to define the way of collaborating between the different actors than to really take decisions on the practiacl aspect of the organisation of the 'Grand Départ' and the first two stages: "We have first decided to establish a work calendar and exchanged ideas on the themes that link us together, explained Christian Prudhomme after the discussions. For example, we know that in terms of communication, we will have several opportunities during the year to talk about the visit of the Tour in Brittany. The Breizh Touch festival that will be held in Paris from the 16^th to the 23^rd of September is one of them. So is the cycle festival. Meetings have therefore been decided. I was also delighted to see that Daniel Gilles was especially touched by the message that we have for the young pupils in elementary school thanks to our operation "A Chacun son Tour". We will imagine together different means to develop this operation in the Brittany area".

 

The Tour pays tribute to Félix Lévitan

 

Journalism, one says, leads to all just as long as you leave it. It led Félix Lévitan to the head of the Tour, a job he kept for forty years and a function he shared with Jacques Goddet. The two of them contributed in strengthening the foundations left by Henri Desgrange, on which are still built the Tours of today. This pioneer of modern press had started in 1928 at the age of 17, working for a magazine called La Pédale. A reporter for L’Intransigeant, for Match, for the Miroir des Sports and for L’Auto, but also for Radio-Cité in particular, he was after the second World war, in charge of the sports desk and then chief editor of the Parisien Libéré.

A tireless worker, obeying to two key principles, rigour and efficiency, Félix Lévitan never stopped widening his activities at the service of press and cycling. He founded the USJSF (Syndicate Union for French sports journalists) and chaired the AIPS (International Association of sports journalists), as well as the ROCC (Assembly of cycling race organisers) and the AIOCC (International association of cycling race organisers).

Félix Lévitan who came up with numerous ideas to develop the Tour de France, especially left his mark by organising the final stage on the Champs-Elysées as of 1975. He was also the one, who after launching the women’s Tour de France, negotiated the departure of the 1987 Tour de France in Berlin.
Retired in Cannes ever since, Félix Lévitan came back on the event in 1998 in Dublin, in 2000 in Draguignan, and invited by Jean-Marie Leblanc, was also present at the finish of Paris-Nice in 2005. He passed away on Sunday the 18th of February at the age of 96.

The Tour de France wishes to pay a tribute to the work accomplished during all these years by Félix Lévitan, and shares the sadness of his daughter Claudie who had been Sales Director of the Tour from 1977 to 1987.

 

Press release of :

"A chacun son Tour": youngsters discover the Tour

 

During the next weeks, the Tour de France, in partnership with the French Ministry for education, the Ministry for sports, youth and associative life and the French cycling federation will focus on the children with a major information campaign based on discovering cycling and its biggest event. The operation "A chacun son Tour" was launched this morning in Marseille (a stage city halfway through the 2007 edition) by Christian Prudhomme, in the presence of Minister Gilles de Robien and Jean Pitallier, President of the FFC. On the 29^th of July, two hundred children will cover the last kilometres of the Tour de France, just before the traditional final on the Champs-Elysées.

An educational application guide

The first part of the operation will directly concern the elementary school teachers of 1^st and 2^nd grades. The guide that they will be given will allow them to discover with the pupils of different classes, the points planned by the educational program concerning the universe of the Tour de France. In a fun way, having interest for the cycling race will help them integrate basic notions in mathematics, history and French, and will also will be an opportunity to talk about environmental issues and citizenship.

The "Cycloparc"

As soon as the month of April 2007, a plan of action developed in play and exposition grounds will travel around France until the 1^st of July. The Cycloparc will visit the country with the ambition to create a big cycling party, open to all during a whole weekend, in the stage cities. Managed by specialised hosts, children from eight to twelve will be able to pass practical and theoretical tests (handiness, road security, quiz games on cycling...), with the perspective for the best to take part in privileged conditions to the stage finishes that will occur in their cities.

The Cycloparc calendar

Castelsarrasin : 21-22/04
Angoulême : 28-29/04
Pau : 5-6/05
Albi : 12-13/05
Marseille : 19-20/05
Castres : 26-27/05
Bourg-en-Bresse : 2-3/06
Le Grand Bornand : 9-10/06
Autun : 16-17/06
Semur-en-Auxois : 20/06
Migennes : 23-24/06
Compiègne : 30/06-01/07

P’tite boucle (Little Boucle)

On the Tour 2007 stages, twenty-seven selected children will be invited each day to ride before the champions on the last metres of the day’s race course. After crossing the line, they will be lucky enough to discover the joys of the podium and a photo session.

A pack on the Champs-Elysées

For the last finish of the Tour de France, the winners of pre-races organised during every stage will head to Paris for a last confrontation just before the elite champions, but this time on the final part of the Champs-Elysées. This pack of young cycling amateurs, added to 180 children invited by the F.F.C., will be welcomed by thousands of spectators massed around the finish line.

 

» Download the press release (.pdf, 1 page, 110 ko)

 

Press release of The three Major Tours

 

All their attempts to come together with the International Cycling Union have been refused by the latter to return to an open sporting model and they do not want to see their events be part of a closed system. “UCI PRO TOUR”, RCS SPORT, A.S.O. and Uniopublic SAU, the organisers of the three Major Tours Giro d’Italia, Tour de France et Vuelta a España) must define the 2007 conditions for participation for their main events. These conditions head towards opening up the events desired by the three national federations as well numerous other organisers.

1. The eleven concerned events are: Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, la Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España, Paris-Tours and Giro di Lombardia.

2. From 2008, 16 cycling teams will qualify based on criteria yet to be determined and principally the performances over the preceding two years: 2006 and 2007 results for qualifying to take part in the 2008 and 2009 races, and so on.

3. To participate in their 2007 events during this transition year the organisers of the three Major Tours, in order to pose no delays, consider the following 18 teams qualified to compete in their events: AG2R Prévoyance, Bouygues Telecom, Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears, Cofidis, Crédit Agricole, Discovery Channel, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Française des Jeux, Gerolsteiner, Lampre-Fondital, Liquigas, Predictor-Lotto, Quickstep-Innergetic, Rabobank, Saunier Duval-Prodir, T Mobile Team, Team CSC and Team Milram.

4. The teams qualified for these different events are under no obligation to take part: their participation will be optional and each one will indicate to the organiser of each event, no later than December 31^st of the preceding year if they wish to participate or not.

5. The organiser of each event reserves the right to refuse entry to all riders or any member of a team if their presence puts the event in a bad light.

6. The organisers of each event can extend invitation entries (wild cards). Each of the three Major Tours will attribute the total number of teams that will take part, no earlier than three months before the start of the event and the event will have no more than 20 teams from 2008 with 22 during the 2007 transition season.

» Download the press release (.pdf, 1 page, 38 ko)