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STAGE 20 July 25 Montereau-Fault-Yonne - Paris Champs-Élysées (102.531mi/165km)
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COURSE: After a morning TGV train ride from Besançon, thepeloton will enjoy a slow promenade for the first couple of hours. Seriousracing should start with the steep Cat. 4 climb at Montfermeil, 25km beforereaching the circuit around the Champs-Élysées in downtownParis.
The eight hectic laps of the 6.1km course should again end in a chaoticsprint finish.
FAVORITES: Ya think maybe that McEwen will get it right this year? Of course, if Alessandro Petacchi makes it to Paris, as he says he will, McEwen will have a serious fight on his hands.
HISTORY: Every edition of the Tour has finished in Paris, andthis will be the 30th time its has arrived on the Champs-Élysées.
Perhaps the Tour’s most unexpected finish came on July 22, 1979, whenBernard Hinault outsprinted Joop Zoetemelk on the Champs Élyséesafter a 57km breakaway.
The two Tour stars finished two minutes ahead of the pack, with Hinault taking his seventh stage win of the race.
MONTEREAU:
Starts: 1 (1977)
Finishes: 0
PARIS:
Starts: 38 (1903-1925, 1927-1950, 1963, 2003)
Finishes: 90
In Parc des Princes: 54 times (from 1904 to 1967)
On the Vincennes track: 7 times (1968-1974)
On the ChampsÉlysées: 29 times (since 1975)
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