originally published on Thursday December 27 at 9.38PM
UPDATE 31 August 2008: this stage would finally take place in 2010 rather than in 2009The Tour de France 2008 will only start in a little over 6 months, but the first rumours on Tour de France
The letter was sent at the end of November after a discussion which took place after the Tour 2007 stage on July 25th, between Orthez and Gourette / Col d'Aubisque. At that time Christian Prudhomme indicated he really liked the area with its nice colours, the climb towards Larrau and the Belagua valley (you can also check out my pictures taken on July 25th, 2007 to see what I liked there) and the mayors of Arette, Pierre Casabonne, and of Isaba, Angel Luis Miguel, thus confirmed him their interest in a Pyrenean stage with a major role for their cities.
They thought they would end up at the end of the long list of cities which want a Tour de France stage start or finish and thus that this wish wouldn't become truth before many years ... Christian Prudhomme's letter however means that this stage might already be a reality in the Tour de France 2009!
Pierre Casabonne, Arette's mayor, showed he's happy with this letter by saying: 'This is good news for every one. For the Tour, for our valley (the Vallée de Barétous, TV), for Roncal (the Vallée where Isaba is, TV). The Col de la Pierre Saint Martin loves the Tour and in this project both valleys could very well work together.'. Angel Luis Miguel, Isaba's mayor added: 'When we spoke with the Tour director on the Aubisque he told us he had never seen such a beautiful stage before. This letter clearly shows he really meant it!'.
In Diario de Navarra's article a source close to the Tour added: '(.. the fact that the Tour contacted these cities directly) is very important: so far the cities contacted the Tour de France, if the Tour comes to them it means there really is a big interest!'.
Christian Prudhomme's letter contains several clues about two possible tracks for this stage:
- one starting in Pamplona in Spain, where the riders would leave Spain in Baztán or in Valcarlos to continue the stage partly in France through Larrau before going back to Spain via Uztárroz, Isaba, the col de la Pierre Saint Martin and finally the long descent to Arette where this stage will finish
- the second possible track, which will probably only be used when the stage cannot start from Pamplona, is a mountain time trial in which the riders will climb the col de la Pierre Saint Martin from the Roncal valley (Isaba)
Now all we have to do is to wait for these two cities to do what's necessary to make this all happen in
Source : Diario de Navarra.
On July 16, 2008, the same newspaper, Diario de Navarra, mentioned a comeback of the Tour de France in Navarra in 2010 as if it had never announced this stage for 2009 ...
In this recent publication, the newspaper says the project is taking shape and that it would be the very first mountain stage of the Tour de France 2010. Apparently two options exist: the first would be a stage from Pau to Pamplona and the second from Pamplona to La Pierre Saint Martin or Arette if not possible. And if ... and if it would simply be both options? door Thomas Vergouwen
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this publication is published in: Tour de France | Tour de France 2009 | Tour de France 2010
by Carmine over 
by Tonn over
Et oui Thomas ,le Tour approche déja !!!! On y sera vite ,le travail ne doit pas manquer . Je m y vois déja avec bastien,le long d une petite route de l Isère ,le soleil brille ,on entend au loin le grondement des hélicos . Bientot ils passeront devant nous sur leur drole de machines ,dans leurs habits multicolors ,suant a grosses gouttes ,mais nous serons heureux ....... Thomas je viens te souhaiter tout mes voeux de bonheur et de santé pour cette nouvelle année a bientot christian
Effectivement ... c'est pas demain mais ça va arriver vite. Dès mon retour en France mi janvier je vais m'y remettre pour être bien préparé au début du mois de juillet !
C'est bien la bonne ambiance du Tour que tu décris là ! Ηa me fait bien pensé à toutes les étapes que j'ai vu tout au long des années à des endroits toujours différents en France. C'est bien ça aussi le Tour de France : une petite découverte de la France :-).
Je te souhaite - ainsi qu'à tous ceux et celles qui regardent ce site - également une très bonne année 2008, que tous vos projets se réalisent et qu'on se croisera quelque part sur les routes du Tour de France entre la Bretagne et Paris :-).
j ai deja fait le col de pierre saint martin depuis arette , la vue est incroyable , en plus la pente est longe et difficile
indurain a dit qu il revait d une arrivée a la pierre saint martin , commme on avait pu le faire au sommet de l aubisque
en tout cas ces coins sont sous utilisés , avec le larrau et les cols basques a proximité ya de quoi faire de belles etapes !