The most prestigious cycling stage race on the planet opens again on the European continent this July, and this year's bound to be big. From the beautiful seaport town of Brest to the tree-lined cobblestone streets of the Champs Elysees, the Tour de France is an invitation-only event which has been extended to twenty of the world's elite teams this year. Competitors face a grueling 3500kms of circuit winding through the mountainous regions of France and parts of Italy. The race is contested over 21 stages, and includes 19 category 1, category 2 and highest level passes, as well as 9 mountain stages in total. It was a spectacular achievement for last year's Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, who was also awarded the White Jersey for Best Young Rider. There'll be no chance of a repeat finish this year for the defending champ and third-placed team mate Levi Leipheimer, as the Astana Team have been barred from entering this season due to their involvement in the doping scandals of recent years.



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