The Tour de l'Avenir open to nations

The ASO, organizers of the Tour de France, has decided that the 2007 Tour de l'Avenir will be contested by national squads consisting of riders from 19 and 22 years, away from the trade teams and max-limit of 25 years used in recent editions. Further, the tour will also serve as the final test in the Coupe des Nations, a points competition made up of seven races in six different countries.

It is a return to the past for the 44th Tour de l'Avenir; when the French race began in 1961 it was the rule of national teams. First one by Guido De Rosso, the race has seen such big names win, such as Felice Gimondi, Greg LeMond, Miguel Indurain and Laurent Fignon.