The 1-23 July race will begin with a time trial in Strasbourg and, after another day in the city, will head towards Brittany and then the Pyrenees.

The rest remains a secret and there has been great speculation about the route and whether it will include the infamous Alpe d'Huez climb.

Next year will see a new winner after Lance Armstrong retired following his seventh straight victory this year.

Germany's Jan Ullrich, Italians Ivan Basso and Gilberto Simoni and Spain's Alejandro Valverde are among the riders hoping to succeed the American as the champion.

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