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With the "Super Bowl"-level hype out of the way, the Tour de France finally gets underway tomorrow.  Unlike the Super Bowl, however, the Tour action and drama will of course continue for 3 weeks.  "3 weeks of happiness" I've heard on many an occasion.  And this year the course is designed to keep the suspense as long as possible; 3 weeks from tomorrow, a magnificent penultimate stage to Mont Ventoux on the day before the arrival in Paris.  Should be fun.  -Pete

U.K. correspondent Bernie S. has compiled an extensive list of world TV sources of Tour de France live coverage.  Some of them will have live streaming video, with some of those geo-restricted.  As always, we will post verified sources in our full Live Online Coverage Guide (early Saturday morning) so that you have the best selection of real options from which to choose.  Our live coverage correspondents in the U.S. and Europe will update our listings with the latest sources every day of the race.  Now for tomorrow's details:

Stage 1:  Monaco - Monaco 15.5km Individual Time Trial
First rider (Van Hummel) departs at 16:00 CET (10am U.S. Eastern) - More times below
Live coverage on Versus: 9:30am U.S. Eastern
Live coverage on Eurosport: 15:30 CET (9:30am U.S. Eastern)
Live video streaming on Sporza: 16:00 CET (10am U.S. Eastern)
Live streaming from other world TV sources: Varies from 15:30 CET (9:30am U.S. Eastern)

Stage 1 Time Trial Profile

Our full Tour de France Live Online Coverage Guide listing sources of live video, audio and tickers will be posted early Saturday morning.

Partial Start Order and Times:  (full times coming...)

Times listed are local.  (Times in parentheses are U.S. Eastern)

16:00 (10:00am) Van Hummel
16:17 (10:17am) Armstrong
16:34 (10:34am) Farrar
16:35 (10:35am) Posthuma
16:36 (10:36am) Larsson
16:37 (10:37am) Leipheimer
16:52 (10:52am) Grabsch
16:54 (10:54am) Millar
16:55 (10:55am) Freire
17:38 (11:38am) Zubeldia
17:46 (11:46am) Bruseghin
17:52 (11:52am) Cavendish
17:55 (11:55am) Gesink
17:56 (11:56am) F. Schleck
18:04 (12:04pm) Devolder
18:08 (12:08pm) Pereiro
18:14 (12:14pm) Zabriskie
18:17 (12:17pm) Kloden
18:24 (12:24pm) Boonen
18:28 (12:28pm) Iván Gutiérrez
18:30 (12:30pm) Nibali
18:32 (12:32pm) Rogers
18:34 (12:34pm) Vande Velde
18:35 (12:35pm) Clement
18:36 (12:36pm) A. Schleck
18:39 (12:39pm) Hushovd
18:41:30 (12:41:30pm) Gerdemann
18:43 (12:43pm) Moreau
18:44:30 (12:44:30pm) Karpets
18:46 (12:46pm) Chavanel
18:52 (12:52pm) Luis León Sánchez
18:55 (12:55pm) Pellizotti
18:56:30 (12:56:30pm) Efimkin
18:58 (12:58pm) Kirchen
18:59:30 (12:59:30pm) Astarloza
19:01 (1:01pm) Wiggins
19:02:30 (1:02:30pm) Menchov
19:04 (1:04pm) Cancellara
19:05:30 (1:05:30pm) Contador
19:07 (1:07pm) Evans
19:08:30 (1:08:30pm) Sastre

(source: biciciclismo.com)

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- Watch Lance Armstrong Eurosport interviews:

Armstrong 'nervous but ready' (02:25)
Mountain stages crucial (02:38)
Armstrong ready for pain (01:48)
Armstrong on potential winners (02:39)

- English commentary:  Eurosport UK LIVE audio here.  Can be played simultaneously with one of the live video feeds.

- Eurosport France also LIVE.

- Tour de France Teams Presentation LIVE via Eurosport Poland.  -Bernie S.

- Eurosport France video streaming LIVE now with the TDF Teams Presentation.

- The 2009 Tour de France Teams Presentation is today, Thursday, and the event will be broadcast live on Eurosport.  Each team will be presented to the public, then will ride approximately 1 kilometer along the waterfront at the Quai and Boulevard Albert 1er.  We will have photos of the event later today.  Festivities are scheduled to begin at 18:00 CET (6pm CET or 12pm U.S. Eastern), with coverage in some Eurosport markets scheduled to begin 15 minutes earlier.  We will list any live feeds we find in this space.  Stay tuned.

Monaco weather

Map and Satellite imagery

Versus, the American cable television network, has announced that it will be offering live streaming video of Stage 2 of the Tour de France.

SBS of Australia has announced that it will be offering live streaming of the entire race.  Other TV channels around the world will also be streaming all stages live.  (More on that to come; cyclingfans.com will of course publish a full guide to Tour de France live coverage on the internet, every day of the race.)

Versus has long felt that by streaming the race live online it would hurt viewership on the TV channel, thus hurt revenues.  And yet many TV networks believe there is value in having online streaming which can ultimately help to grow the sport and create a bigger audience for TV broadcasts.  If you are a cycling fan in the U.S., please vote in the poll below.

Many national championship road races are being run today.  Some are being streamed live online.  (Thanks Bernie S and Roberto)

France live ticker (L'Equipe) (Google-translated to English)

Denmark (fixed cameras)

Netherlands

Belgium (geo-restricted)  (Google-translated to English for ticker)

Belgium (geo-restricted?)  Belgium (confirmed playing in UK - Bernie S.)

VERSUS TO TELEVISE 2009 TOUR DE FRANCE IN HD FOR FIRST TIME EVER

NETWORK SET TO DELIVER MORE THAN 250 HOURS OF RACE COVERAGE

FEATURING LANCE ARMSTRONG'S SHOT AT RECORD EIGHTH TOUR VICTORY

- press release -

NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 24, 2009)- VERSUS, the exclusive television home of the Tour de France in the
U.S., will kick-off its ninth year of wall-to-wall coverage of the most intense and grueling
competition in all of sports on Sat., July 4, at 9:30 a.m. ET.  The network will begin its first day
of Tour coverage at 8:30 a.m. ET with a one-hour special chronicling Lance Armstrong's career and
his 2009 comeback season. For the first time ever, each stage of the Tour will be produced in full
HD.
 

- Excited about the upcoming Tour de France?  Follow cyclingfans on Twitter as well as here for all the latest on the best options for following the race online.

- Watch the Nevada City Classic ON DEMAND.  Links below photo.

Coming Monday Tuesday: Nevada City Classic Photo Gallery

2009 Nevada City Classic:  Lance Armstrong, wearing Livestrong kit, made the race on Sunday.
Next stop:  The Tour de France
Copyright © 2009 Chris Griffin

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- Update:  Live video has begun.

- Update:  Added more videos and articles, and more to come.  Media interest is of course very high, local media are particularly excited and CNN, ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox News, etc. are in town.  12 satellite trucks!  If all goes well, this should help Nevada City's chances of getting included in the Amgen Tour of California.  Also added live webcam view of race course from beautiful Historic National Hotel.  Image is updated every 40 seconds so it may never actually catch the peloton pass through but it offers a glimpse at crowds and weather conditions.

The 2009 Nevada City Classic Bicycle Race is today and there will be live video streaming for the professional men's event.  Nevada City, California is getting a lot of attention because Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner have entered the event ahead of July's Tour de France.  According to reports, 20,000 to 40,000 spectators are expected in Nevada City.....compared to 3,000 last year!  The cycling photography team of Laura Alber and Carlos Rico will be on site at the race getting us photos.  Here you'll find the essential links for following this race online, including news video clips and articles.  Photos and updates to the info and links to come.  -Pete

Nevada City Classic Race Map

2009 Tour de Suisse:  Tony Martin (Columbia-Highroad) wins stage 8 ahead of Damiano Cunego (Lampre), right.  Martin leads the mountains classification.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse, Stage 8:  Riders on the final climb to Crans-Montana.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse, Stage 8:  The lead group on the final climb to Crans-Montana.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top, below sticky notes) Follow cyclingfans on Twitter and never miss a race. Cyclingfans.com: The #1 source on the internet for live race coverage.   - More Tour de Suisse Stage 9 videos to come... 2009 Tour de Suisse video clips Stage 9 Highlights (01:46) Sporza Stage 8 Highlights (01:06) Sporza Stage 8, Last Kilometer (05:21) Sporza Stage 7 Highlights (0:52) Sporza Stage 7, Last Kilometer (02:53) Sporza Stage 6 Highlights (0:39) Eurosport Stage 6, Last Kilometer (01:19) Sporza Stage 5 Highlights (01:00) Eurosport Stage 5 Highlights (0:55) Sporza Stage 4 Highlights (0:44) Eurosport Stage 4 Highlights (01:09) Sporza Stage 4, Last Kilometer (01:40) Sporza Stage 3 Highlights (01:29) Eurosport Stage 3, Last Kilometer (04:47) Sporza Stage 2, Last Kilometer (02:39) Sporza Stage 1 highlights (01:05) Sporza       - Tour de Suisse also LIVE on Cycling TV and RTL. - Tour de Suisse LIVE on SportItalia.  Link at right. - Also on today:  Nevada City Classic live (live feed, videos, photos, articles)  More info and links to come. Tour de Suisse Stage 9 Profile - Tour de Suisse Stage 9, a 38.5km Individual Time Trial in Bern, is scheduled to start at 13:01 CET (7:01am U.S. Eastern) when the first rider departs.  If we get Start Order and Times, we will post them before or at race time.  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 16:25 CET (10:25am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 16:30 CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server. - Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour de Suisse.

2009 Tour de Suisse LIVE Switzerland, June 13-21 Official Website (French) (Google-translated to English) Start List (.pdf)  Stage 9 start: 13:01 CET (1:01pm CET) Bern Bern weather Live video streaming: (16:25 CET (10:25am U.S. Eastern)) (North America) SportItalia   RTL   (16:30 CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern)) (Geo-restrictions unknown) Sport+ (16:30 CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern))   ETB 1   (more links to come)   (more video links to come if available)   Live audio streaming: (--)   Live tickers: Official site live ticker (French) (Google-translated to English) sportal.ch (German) cnlab live (Live profile, webcam, Radio Tour data) (more tickers to come if available) News and photos: (cycling news) Yahoo photo gallery (AP/AFP) Graham Watson Photography   Copyright © 2009 www.cyclingfans.com

2009 Italian National Time Trial Championship:  Marco Pinotti won his 4th title today
as Columbia-Highroad continues to win races across the cycling world.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse:  Kim Kirchen (Team Columbia-Highroad) wins Stage 7 ahead of Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas).
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse, Stage 7:  Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream) attacks the final climb to Vallorbe Juraparc.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top, below sticky notes) Follow cyclingfans on Twitter and never miss a race. Cyclingfans.com: The #1 source on the internet for live race coverage.   - Sunday's Tour de Suisse Stage 9, a 38.5km Individual Time Trial in Bern, is scheduled to start at 13:01 CET (7:01am U.S. Eastern) when the first rider departs.  If we get Start Order and Times, we will post them before or at race time.  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 16:25 CET (10:25am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 16:30 CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - Tour de Suisse LIVE on Cycling TV. - Tour de Suisse LIVE on RTL and SportItalia.  Links at right.  Be patient with SportItalia, may take awhile for stream to pop up. - Coming Sunday:  Nevada City Classic LIVE video streaming.  Watch online as Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner race stateside before the Tour de France.  Nevada City Classic photos:  Cycling photographers Laura Alber and Carlos Rico will be on site getting us the pics for you.  Details to come later Saturday.  Nevada City Classic Official Website here. Tour de Suisse Stage 8 Profile - Tour de Suisse Stage 8 departs Le Sentier at 13:20 CET (7:20am U.S. Eastern) and is expected in Crans/Montana between 17:56 and 18:29 CET (11:56am and 12:29pm U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server. - Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour de Suisse.

2009 Tour de Suisse LIVE Switzerland, June 13-21 Official Website (French) (Google-translated to English) Start List (.pdf)  Stage 8 start: 13:20 CET (1:20pm CET) Finish: 17:56 to 18:29 CET (5:56pm to 6:29pm CET) Le Sentier Sion weather Live video streaming: (17:00 CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern)) (North America) SportItalia RTL   (17:00 CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern)) (Geo-restrictions unknown) Sport+ (17:30 CET (11:30am U.S. Eastern))   ETB 1   (more links to come)   (more video links to come if available)   Live audio streaming: (--)   Live tickers: Official site live ticker (French) (Google-translated to English) sportal.ch (German) cnlab live (Live profile, webcam, Radio Tour data) (more tickers to come if available) News and photos: (cycling news) Yahoo photo gallery (AP/AFP) Graham Watson Photography   Copyright © 2009 www.cyclingfans.com

Tour de Suisse Stage 8 Profile

2009 Tour de Suisse, Stage 6:  Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) is on the comeback trail.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse, Stage 6:  Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia-Highroad) shows how many stages he's won.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse, Stage 6:  Race leader Tadej Valjavec (AG2R La Mondiale) on the podium with
two former Misses Switzerland: Christa Rigozzi, left, and Amanda Amman.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top, below sticky notes) Follow cyclingfans on Twitter and never miss a race. Cyclingfans.com: The #1 source on the internet for live race coverage.   - Saturday's Tour de Suisse Stage 8 departs Le Sentier at 13:20 CET (7:20am U.S. Eastern) and is expected in Crans/Montana between 17:56 and 18:29 CET (11:56am and 12:29pm U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - Tour de Suisse also LIVE on Cycling TV.  Links at right. - Tour de Suisse LIVE on RTL. - Tour de Suisse LIVE video streaming on SportItalia. - Nevada City Classic:  Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner will be among the riders on the start line of Sunday's Nevada City Classic.  Photo pros Laura Alber and Carlos Rico will be on site shooting the race and getting us photos.  We may have a few pics from several other friends of cyclingfans.com as well.  Official site La Grande Boucle Feminine Internationale 2009 (Women's "Tour de France") GBFI Official Poster - La Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale (or "women's Tour de France") got underway yesterday and runs to June 21.  Emma Pooley (Cervelo TestTeam) of Great Britain won Stage 1.  Official Website Flashback:  2003 La Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale. Longtime race director Pierre Boué speaks to Joane Somarriba (in yellow) at the start of the final stage from Versailles to Paris.  Somarriba won a record-tying third women's "Grand Boucle".  In the background is a large poster showing Boué's book about the history of the race, with Somarriba on the cover. Copyright © 2003 Pete Geyer/www.cyclingfans.com Tour de Suisse Stage 7 Profile - Tour de Suisse Stage 7 departs Bad Zurzach at 13:07 CET (7:07am U.S. Eastern) and is expected in Vallorbe/Juraparc between 17:56 and 18:28 CET (11:56am and 12:28pm U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server. - Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour de Suisse.

2009 Tour de Suisse LIVE Switzerland, June 13-21 Official Website (French) (Google-translated to English) Start List (.pdf)  Stage 7 start: 13:07 CET (1:07pm CET) Finish: 17:56 to 18:28 CET (5:56pm to 6:28pm CET) Bad Zurzach Vallorbe weather Live video streaming: (17:00 CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern)) (North America) SportItalia RTL   (17:00 CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern)) (Geo-restrictions unknown) Sport+ (17:15 CET (11:15am U.S. Eastern))   ETB 1   (more links to come)   (more video links to come if available)   Live audio streaming: (--)   Live tickers: Official site live ticker (French) (Google-translated to English) sportal.ch (German) cnlab live (Live profile, webcam, Radio Tour data) (more tickers to come if available) News and photos: (cycling news) Yahoo photo gallery (AP/AFP) Graham Watson Photography   Copyright © 2009 www.cyclingfans.com

Friday's Tour de Suisse Stage 7 Profile

2009 Tour de Suisse:  Michael Albasini (Team Columbia-Highroad) wins Stage 5 ahead of
Fabian Cancellara (Team Saxo Bank) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre).
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

2009 Tour de Suisse:  Michael Albasini on the Stage 5 victory podium.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top, below sticky notes) Follow cyclingfans on Twitter and never miss a race. Cyclingfans.com: The #1 source on the internet for live race coverage.   - Friday's Tour de Suisse Stage 7 departs Bad Zurzach at 13:07 CET (7:07am U.S. Eastern) and is expected in Vallorbe/Juraparc between 17:56 and 18:28 CET (11:56am and 12:28pm U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - Tour de Suisse LIVE on Cycling TV. - Tour de Suisse LIVE on RTL. - Tour de Suisse LIVE now on SportItalia.  Links at right.   Gusev back after winning case before CAS 2006 Paris-Nice: Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel) in action during the prologue. Copyright © 2006 Pete Geyer/www.cyclingfans.com - Former Discovery Channel and Astana rider Vladimir Gusev (photo) of Russia can race again after getting a rare victory before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to cyclingnews.  Gusev was fired by Astana last July after a team internal doping test conducted by anti-doping expert Rasmus Damsgaard suggested irregular blood values.  It looks like Damsgaard blew the interpretation of the values because CAS says the team was wrong to fire Gusev and have instructed Astana to pay him back salary, legal costs and damages.  Gusev was singled out in a 2008 book by Daniel Mangeas, longtime speaker of the Tour de France, as being one of the classier riders in the peloton.  Now all he has to do is find a  team...  -Pete - Tour de Suisse Stage 6 departs Oberriet at 13:37 CET (7:37am U.S. Eastern) and is expected in Bad Zurzach between 17:58 and 18:23 CET (11:58am and 12:23pm U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live video streaming on Cycling TV is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de Suisse live coverage on Sporza is scheduled to begin at 17:00 CET (11am U.S. Eastern).  We will list other sources of Tour de Suisse live feeds as they become available. - We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server. - Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour de Suisse.

2009 Tour de Suisse LIVE Switzerland, June 13-21 Official Website (French) (Google-translated to English) Start List (.pdf)  Stage 6 start: 13:37 CET (1:37pm CET) Finish: 17:58 to 18:23 CET (5:58pm to 6:23pm CET) Oberriet Oberriet weather Live video streaming: (17:00 CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern)) (North America) SportItalia   RTL   (17:00 CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern)) (Geo-restrictions unknown) Sport+ (17:15 CET (11:15am U.S. Eastern))   ETB 1   (more links to come)   (more video links to come if available)   Live audio streaming: (--)   Live tickers: Official site live ticker (French) (Google-translated to English) sportal.ch (German) cnlab live (Live profile, webcam, Radio Tour data) (more tickers to come if available) News and photos: (cycling news) Yahoo photo gallery (AP/AFP) Graham Watson Photography   Copyright © 2009 www.cyclingfans.com