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Tour de France, France, GT

Date range:
July 4-26 2009
  • Tour de France, France, GT
  • Stages. Expand the race menu

    • Stage 1

      Distance:
      15.5km
      Start location:
      Monaco
      End location:
      Monaco (ITT)

    • Stage 2

      Distance:
      187km
      Start location:
      Monaco
      End location:
      Brignoles

    • Stage 3

      Distance:
      196.5km
      Start location:
      Marseille
      End location:
      La Grande-Motte

    • Stage 4

      Distance:
      39km
      Start location:
      Montpellier
      End location:
      Montpellier (TTT)

    • Stage 5

      Distance:
      196.5km
      Start location:
      Le Cap d'Agde
      End location:
      Perpignan

    • Stage 6

      Distance:
      181.5km
      Start location:
      Gérone
      End location:
      Barcelone

    • Stage 7

      Distance:
      224km
      Start location:
      Barcelone
      End location:
      Andorre Arcalis

    • Stage 8

      Distance:
      176.5km
      Start location:
      Andorre-la-Vieille
      End location:
      Saint-Girons

    • Stage 9

      Distance:
      160.5km
      Start location:
      Saint-Gaudens
      End location:
      Tarbes

    • Rest day

      Location
      Limoges

    • Stage 10

      Distance:
      194.5km
      Start location:
      Limoges
      End location:
      Issoudun

    • Stage 11

      Distance:
      192km
      Start location:
      Vatan
      End location:
      Saint-Fargeau

    • Stage 12

      Distance:
      211.5km
      Start location:
      Tonnerre
      End location:
      Vittel

    • Stage 13

      Distance:
      200km
      Start location:
      Vittel
      End location:
      Colmar

    • Stage 14

      Distance:
      199km
      Start location:
      Colmar
      End location:
      Besançon

    • Stage 15

      Distance:
      207.5km
      Start location:
      Pontarlier
      End location:
      Verbier

    • Rest day

      Location
      Verbier

    • Stage 16

      Distance:
      159km
      Start location:
      Martigny
      End location:
      Bourg-Saint-Maurice

    • Stage 17

      Distance:
      169.5km
      Start location:
      Bourg-Saint-Maurice
      End location:
      Le Grand-Bornand

    • Stage 18

      Distance:
      40.5km
      Start location:
      Annecy
      End location:
      Annecy (ITT)

    • Stage 19

      Distance:
      178km
      Start location:
      Bourgoin-Jallieu
      End location:
      Aubenas

    • Stage 20

      Distance:
      167km
      Start location:
      Montélimar
      End location:
      Mont Ventoux

    • Stage 21

      Distance:
      164km
      Start location:
      Montereau-Fault-Yonne
      End location:
      Paris Champs-Élysées
  • Race history

July 7, Stage 4: Montpellier - Montpellier (TTT) 39km

Real-time team time trial returns

By:
John Stevenson
Published:
June 30, 19:39,
Updated:
July 21, 13:21

Against the clock test will favour strong teams

The team time-trial is back in the Tour de France, but with one major change: real time will count over the 38 kilometre course. Unlike the last team time trials in 2004 and 2005, where time losses were determined by each squad's placing, the time recorded on the line will be the deciding factor.

Montpellier has often hosted the Tour because of its location halfway between the Alps and Pyrenees. In 1930, Charles Pélissier won the fourth of his eight stage victories in the town, a record still standing today. Since then, Montpellier has witnessed many sprints, including those won by Robbie McEwen in 2005 and Robert Hunter in 2007. The start line for the race against the clock will be the magnificent Place de la Comédie.

Vaughters' views

Jonathan VaughtersThis event is like the beautiful woman that loves me and then sometimes leaves me for another….

Past the poor poetry, the team time trial at the Tour is more complex than the TTT at the Giro. It's hilly, very technical and longer than the Giro TT.

All these factors cause more possibility for error and confusion in a team. Any little mistake will lose the stage, any big mistakes and it will lose the Tour for a GC rider.

No time loss limits in this edition. It's open warfare.

Sadly, I cannot say Garmin is the favourite, but instead our rival Columbia, with the massive form they exhibited in Tour de Suisse.

You never know, though….we weren’t the favourites in the 2008 Giro. Maybe Garmin is just better at being the feisty underdog?