2005 Tour de France

The 92nd Tour de France was held from July 2 to July 24, 2005. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was announced on October 28 2004. It was a clockwise route, visiting the Alps before the Pyrenees.

Related Topics:
Tour de France - July 2 - July 24 - 2005 - Département - Vendée - October 28 - 2004 - Alps - Pyrenees

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The traditional prologue on the first day was replaced by an individual time trial of more than twice the length of a standard prologue. This stage crossed from the mainland of France to the Île de Noirmoutier. The most famous route to this island is the Passage du Gois, a road that is under water at high tide. This road was included in the 1999 Tour. Several of the favorites crashed there that year, and ended that stage 7 minutes behind the peloton. Fortunately, this year they took the bridge to the island.

Related Topics:
Individual time trial - Île de Noirmoutier - Passage du Gois - 1999 Tour

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Later in the race, there was one more time trial, on the penultimate day. Also, there were just three uphill finishes (Courchevel, Ax-3 Domaines and Pla d'Adet), a lower number than in previous years. The finish line of the last stage was, as has been since 1975, on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Related Topics:
Courchevel - Ax-3 Domaines - Pla d'Adet - Champs-Élysées - Paris

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The Tour commemorated the death of Fabio Casartelli. During the 15th stage the riders passed the Col du Portet d'Aspet, where Casartelli died exactly 10 years earlier. The Tour also commemorated the first time there was an official mountain climb in the Tour, the Ballon d'Alsace. During the 9th stage this mountain was passed again, exactly 100 years after the first ascent in the Tour.

Related Topics:
Fabio Casartelli - Col du Portet d'Aspet - Ballon d'Alsace

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The race jury invoked the 'rain rule' for the Champs-Elysees, meaning that Lance Armstrong became the winner of the General classification the first time the race passed the finish line, rather than the eighth time as normal.

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