Races Road Cancellara wins 2012 Tour de France prologue in Liège By Daniel Benson published 30 June 2012 Swiss time trial powerhouse in Tour's first yellow jersey Comments Race Home Stages Prologue 6.4km | Liège (ITT) - Stage 1 198km | Liège - Seraing Stage 2 207.5km | Visé - Tournai Stage 3 197km | Orchies - Boulogne-sur-Mer Stage 4 214.5km | Abbeville - Rouen Stage 5 196.5km | Rouen - Saint-Quentin Stage 6 207.5km | Épernay - Metz Stage 7 199km | Tomblaine - La Planche des Belles Filles Stage 8 157.5km | Belfort - Porrentruy Stage 9 41.5km | Arc-et-Senans - Besançon (ITT) Rest Day 1 - Stage 10 194.5km | Mâcon - Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Stage 11 148km | Albertville - La Toussuire - Les Sybelles Stage 12 226km | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Annonay Davézieux Stage 13 217km | Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Le Cap d’Agde Stage 14 191km | Limoux - Foix Stage 15 158.5km | Samatan - Pau Rest Day 2 - Stage 16 197km | Pau - Bagnères-de-Luchon Stage 17 143.5km | Bagnères-de-Luchon - Peyragudes Stage 18 222.5km | Blagnac - Brive-la-Gaillarde Stage 19 53.5km | Bonneval - Chartres (ITT) Stage 20 120km | Rambouillet - Paris Champs-Élysées View all Stages Race history Contenders Start list Image 1 of 143Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) in yellow at the Tour de France.(Image credit: Sirotti)Philippe Gilbert (BMC) was impressive(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Cancellara also earned the green jersey(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Patrick Gretsch (Argos - Shimano)(Image credit: Elmar Krings)George Hincapie (BMC) gets set for his 17th Tour de France(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Vladimir Karpets (Movistar Team)(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Andreas Klöden (RadioShack-Nissan)(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Levi Leipheimer(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) goes through some last-minute checks(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Defending Tour de France Champion Cadel Evans (BMC) begins his 2012 campaign in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Evans gave up 10 seconds on rival Bradley Wiggins(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Sylvain Chavanel warms up(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Liquigas-Cannondale's Ivan Basso(Image credit: Elmar Krings)A very happy Fabian Cancellara on the podium in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Cancellara on his way to another prologue win in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Cancellara heads down the start ramp(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Fabian Cancellara resplendent in yellow(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Monsieur Prologue, Fabian Cancellara(Image credit: Elmar Krings)A big gulp of air for Mark Cavendish(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) in his French champion's kit(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) rolls down the start ramp in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Tony Martin is go!(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) steadies himself(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Thomas Voeckler's 2012 Tour de France begins(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Mark Cavendish (Sky) gets warmed up(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Cancellara is in there somewhere...(Image credit: Elmar Krings)A focused Bradley Wiggins in the start house in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)And Wiggins is go!(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Bradley Wiggins (Sky) gets set to leave the start house(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) in the 2012 Tour's first yellow jersey(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Yellow is a good fit for Cancellara(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Three-time former world time trial champion, Michael Rogers (Sky)(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) gets ready for take off in his final Tour de France(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Tejay van Garderen (BMC) in the Tour's first white jersey(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Denis Menchov (Katusha) gets set to leave the start house in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Vincenzo Nibali shakes out some last-minute nerves(Image credit: Elmar Krings)There is uncertainty over what Frank Schleck has to offer in 2012(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) begins his 2012 Tour de France campaign(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Another prologue win for Fabian Cancellara(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) looks down the road ahead in Liege(Image credit: Elmar Krings)A very happy Tejay van Garderen on the podium(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Tejay van Garderen (BMC) gets ready to begin his 2012 Tour de France(Image credit: Elmar Krings)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) en route to victory in the 2012 Tour de France prologue.(Image credit: AFP)Michael Albasini in Orica-GreenEdge's new colours.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Cadel Evans (BMC).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) saw his challenge unravel due to bad luck.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) motors to the win.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Denis Menchov (Katusha) is a dark horse at this Tour de France.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) was unstoppable.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Liege was a fine host to the opening day of action.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) is looking to bounce back after a poor Giro d'Italia.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)David Zabriskie (Garmin-Sharp) had a disappointing showing.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Chris Froome (Sky) is Bradley Wiggins' key lieutenant.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Nicolas Roche (Ag2r-La Mondiale).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Danilo Hondo (Lampre-ISD) will be Alessandro Petacchi's lead-out man.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) will look to shine in the mountains.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) is bidding for a rare double.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Denis Menchov (Katusha) waits for the the start.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) powers down the start ramp.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil-DCM).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) in the points jersey.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) in the start house.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Cadel Evans (BMC) begins his Tour de France title defence.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Janez Brajkovic (Astana).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)Denis Menchov (Katusha).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
