Tour de France 2012: Prologue Preview

Distance: 6.4km
Highest point: 82m
Category: Prologue

Martin v Cancellara?
History lies very much on Fabian Cancellara’s side going into this test. He’s won the last three Tour prologues he’s lined up in, including victory in Liège in 2004 on a course almost identical to this one. Back then, the wind was a major factor, especially on the sections alongside the Meuse. This year, Cancellara may not start as favourite given Tony Martin’s dominance in time trials of all distances over the last 12 months.

Janez Brajkovic: "Racing wise it is a little bit better to have a prologue, unlike last year, because it is a little less stressful. There are a lot of tight corners and riders who don’t have good bike handling skills can lose a lot of time here."