Tour de France: One day until 'Le Grand Départ'
{{date|July 6, 2007}}
{{Tour de France 2007}}[[London]] is preparing for ''Le Grand Départ'' of the 2007 [[w:Tour de France|Tour de France]]. The route, which will run through the [[w:Greenwich Millennium Village|Greenwich Millennium Village]], is being prepared for the ''Départ''. The Tour de France will be in London and the South East for the two days of the 7th and 8th of July. The event will start in [[w:Trafalgar Square|Trafalgar Square]] at 15:00 [[w:Western European Summer Time|BST]] ([[w:UTC+1|UTC+1]]).

"I believe this will be the most spectacular Grand Départ the Tour has ever seen and the weekend will underline London’s great sporting reputation," said [[w:Ken Livingstone|Ken Livingstone]], [[w:Mayor|mayor]] of London.

The parts of the Tour that London will be hosting are the ''Prologue'' and ''Stage One''. The ''Prologue'' will be on Saturday, the 7th of July, starting in Trafalgar Square at 15:00 BST and finishing at 18:20 BST. ''Stage One'' will be on the following day, starting in [[w:Greenwich|Greenwich]] at 11:00 BST and finishing in [[w:Canterbury|Canterbury]], [[w:Kent|Kent]].

Over the years the Tour de France has seen 52 [[w:United Kingdom|British]] riders; the first being Charley Holland and Bill Burl in 1937. Londoners may get to see today's riders on their two wheels, but they will be followed by 1,500 vehicles, 13,000 policemen and women patrolling the route and 2,300 members of the world press.

During the event many roads will be closed along the route and off it. The official website provides detailed information.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6274464.stm
|title=London set for Tour extravaganza
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=July 6, 2007}} 
*{{source-pr|url=http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/leisure_heritage/your_city/tour_de_france.htm#muscat_highlighter_first_match
|title=Tour de France
|pub=City of London
|date=July 6, 2007}}
*{{source-pr|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=12711
|title=Mayor pledges most spectacular Grand Depart for the Tour de France|author=|pub=London Assembly|
date=July 4, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.greenwich.gov.uk/Greenwich/News/HomepageNews/TourDeFranceCelebrations.htm
|title=Tour de France celebrations
|author=
|pub=Greenwich Council|date=June 28, 2007}}
*{{source-pr|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/5062.aspx
|title=Tour de France comes to town
|pub=Transport for London
|date=May 9, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/other/article.html?in_article_id=22754&in_page_id=52|title=Ken: It'll be a Tour to remember
|author=
|pub=Metro (Associated Metro Limited)
|date=October 26, 2006}}

==External links==
*[http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html Tour de France] - official website of the race
*[http://www.tourdefrancelondon.com Tour de France London] - official 'Le Grand Depart' website by the City of London

{{publish}}
{{Archived}}

[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:England]]
[[Category:London]]
[[Category:Kent, England]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Cycling]]
[[Category:2007 Tour de France]]
[[Category:Ken Livingstone]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:One day until 'Le Grand Départ'}}
London is preparing for Le Grand Départ of the 2007 Tour de France. The route, which will run through the Greenwich Millennium Village, is being prepared for the Départ. The Tour de France will be in London and the South East for the two days of the 7th and 8th of July. The event will start in Trafalgar Square at 15:00 BST (UTC+1).

"I believe this will be the most spectacular Grand Départ the Tour has ever seen and the weekend will underline London’s great sporting reputation," said Ken Livingstone, mayor of London.

The parts of the Tour that London will be hosting are the Prologue and Stage One. The Prologue will be on Saturday, the 7th of July, starting in Trafalgar Square at 15:00 BST and finishing at 18:20 BST. Stage One will be on the following day, starting in Greenwich at 11:00 BST and finishing in Canterbury, Kent.

Over the years the Tour de France has seen 52 British riders; the first being Charley Holland and Bill Burl in 1937. Londoners may get to see today's riders on their two wheels, but they will be followed by 1,500 vehicles, 13,000 policemen and women patrolling the route and 2,300 members of the world press.

During the event many roads will be closed along the route and off it. The official website provides detailed information.
Europe England London Kent, England Sports Cycling 2007 Tour de France Ken Livingstone