Tour de France 2012: The Route Unveiled

We now know what the route will be for the 2012 Tour de France. The presentation is still going on as I write this, but they've already fully unveiled the route. At first glance, it seems easier that other years. No Alpe d'Huez, no Mont Ventoux, but look closer and it is actually quite tough.For starters, the organisers, ASO, have reinstated La Toussuire as a mountain top finish. This climb in the Alps was last used in 2006 when a testosterone filled Floyd Landis won at the summit. Because of this it is slightly tarnished, but it is a tough climb, and Contador and co will have their hands full.

The next thing to notice is obviously where the whole thing starts, and that's Liege in Belgium, which is a huge name in cycling. Liege is the hub of all the classics in Spring, and the arguably the most important one goes through it (Liege-Bastogne-Liege). The first stage itself will be a time trial, something this year's Tour lacked, and I think is needed in every Tour. Starting with a time trial is the best way to kick a cycling stage race off.

Another very challenging stage will be the mouton top finish in the Pyrenees at Peyragudes. It will test the main contenders, especially as the Pyrenees come after the Alps, unlike this year's Tour where it was the other way round.

So what about the sprint stages? The first two will be reasonably flat and there will be some transitional stages as always where Mark Cavendish can assert his authority, such as the stage to the Cap d'Agde. But you also have to remember what happened in 2009 with the massive side winds that the peloton have to face up to.

What is the stage I'm most looking forward to? This might be surprising but I will say the Besancon time trial. It won't be completely flat, and so Cancellara or Martin will probably not win it. It will be between Contador, Evans and Wiggins. It's the first mountainous time trial that's featured on the Tour in while, so it should be very exciting.

I can't wait for the whole thing to start.