Relive the gruelling race, gorgeous countryside and glorious moments of the 96th Tour de France, held 4-26 July 2009 and covering 3,500 kilometres.
From the Mediterranean coastline to the peaks of the Pyrenees and the brutal climbs of the Alps, the Tour is breathtaking for those watching, but an epic and gruelling 21-day rollercoaster ride for the “warriors of the road”. Never before in the history of the event has a mountain been on the programme the day before the finish in Paris.
Important moments:
- Lance Armstrong joining forces with Spanish teammate and the Tour’s 2007 winner, Alberto Contador for Team Astana
- Two-time runner-up Cadel Evans striving forwards, along with 6 more Australians including German-Australian, Heinrich Haussler
- The rise of sprinting phenomenon Mark Cavendish who became the most successful sprinter in the Tour’s 106 year history
21 stages: 10 flat stages; 7 mountain stages; 1 medium mountain stage; 2 individual time-trial stages; 1 team time-trial stage
Distinctive aspects: 3 mountain finishes; 2 rest days; 55 kilometres of individual time-trials; 20 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes to be climbed; 8 new
stop-over towns In 2009, the 20th stage was the Ventoux mountain.
