Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015
30th June 2015
The Tour de France 2015 gets under way with the Grand Départ 2015 in Utrecht on Saturday 4th July 2015. It begins with a time trial around the city of Utrecht on Saturday, then on Sunday 5th July, there is a road race from Utrecht via Gouda and Rotterdam to Zeeland (Neeltje Jans).
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: stage one, time trial on Saturday 4th July 2015
Stage one is a 13.7km time trial around the city of Utrecht, starting at 2pm.
Tourdefranceutrecht.com has a map of the stage. (The route is ridden anti-clockwise).
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: stage one time trial route
The time trial begins just over the canal from the Jaarbeurs, on Truus van Lierlaan, and heads south to Anne Frank Plein. (At Anne Frank Plein, there will be a big screen; it has the advantage that it is on the way out and the way back, so there will be two chances to see the riders). The course then goes east, and the second big screen is on Vondellaan, by some of the University buildings.
The course continues east (big screen at the junction of Vondellaan & Albatrosstraat) along Albatrosstraat, Venuslaan and Rubenslaan, goes past FC Utrecht's ground at Herculesplein (big screen), and reaches the University Uithof campus (big screens at either end of Sorbonnelaan).
The route now goes north on Archimedeslaan and Pythagoraslaan, to the Berekuil junction, and then west along Biltstraat. It turns off onto Kruisstraat, and runs south alongside the Singel canal for some distance, before taking Bleekstraat under the railway tracks, and rejoining Vondelstraat for the home run.
The riders are now on the same route as on the way out, but they turn right onto Doctor M A Tellegenlaan, go over Nelson Mandela bridge, along van Zijstweg, and finish at Veemarktplein, on the other side of the Jaarbeurs from the start.
The time trial is pan flat, as can be seen from this route video:
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: favourites to win the stage one time trial
Among the favourites for the time trial in Utrecht are time trial specialists Tony Martin, Fabian Cancellara, Tom Dumoulin, and Alex Dowsett. Outsiders who could spring a surprise include Rohan Dennis and Matthias Brandle.
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: stage two, Sunday 5th July 2015
Stage 2 is a 166km road race from Utrecht via Gouda and Rotterdam to Zeeland (Neeltje Jans). It starts at 1.10pm (neutralised section from Croeslaan), then 1.45pm (racing from 't Goylaan) - see schedule below.
Tourdefranceutrecht.com has a map of the stage.
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: stage two route
Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2015 starts on Croeslaan, by the Jaarbeurs (near the finish of stage 1). This is the neutralised section through the city of Utrecht.
It goes along Vondellaan, up Catharijne Singel, and via Springweg and Zadelstraat to the Domplein; on Domstraat and Oudekerkhof, then via the Stadhuis and the Neude to the Janskerkhof, and on down Nobelstraat; along Kruisstraat and Biltstraat (part of yesterday's route) to the outskirts of the city, by Hogelandse Park; the route then goes south, initially on Maliebaan, then on to 't Goylaan at Hoograven. Here, the racing begins.
The riders take the major Waterlinieweg north to Kardinal Alfrink Plein, then they ride west on Kardinal de Jong Weg, circling to the north of the city, before leaving Utrecht to go west to Gouda, Rotterdam, and the finish in Neeltje Jans.
Neeltje Jans is an artificial island in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is part of a dam, and has wind turbines, a nature reserve, and a fun park on it. Neeltje Jans the artificial island is named after Neeltje Jans, a nearby sandbank, and the sandbank could have got its name from a boat which ran aground there. (Neeltje Jans would have been a person's name, with the boat named after them).
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: favourites to win stage 2
There's likely to be a breakaway on stage 2, without any of the overall favourites in it. If the peloton times it right, they will catch the breakaway before the finish, and the stage will be won by one of the sprinters - Mark Cavendish, Andre Greipel, Alexander Kristoff, and Nacer Bouhanni will all expect to be contesting the victory.
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: schedule for the weekend
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: schedule on Thursday 2nd July 2015
Team presentation, Lepelenburg Park:
5pm Entertainment
6-7.45pm Team presentation
until 11pm After party
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: schedule on Friday 3rd July 2015
The Tournée de la Musique involves free music concerts at the Neude, Janskerkhof, and Domplein squares.
5pm Tournée de la Musique begins, continuing to 1am
Utrecht caravan (la Caravane d' Utrecht). According to utrecht2015.com, this is like a carnival parade, and is a 'festive parody' of the Tour de France's publicity caravan.
7.15pm Caravan leaves Wilhelmina Park
8.45pm Celebratory end of the caravan at Vredenburg
This is the route of la Caravane d' Utrecht:
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: schedule on Saturday 4th July 2015
12 noon Publicity caravan sets off
2pm First racer sets off. 1 minute gap between each racer at the start
6pm to 1am Tournée de la Musique (see Friday)
Tour de France Grand Départ Utrecht 2015: schedule on Sunday 5th July 2015
11.10am Publicity caravan sets off
1.10pm Neutralised start Croeselaan
1.45pm Official race start, 't Goylaan
5.21pm Estimated finish time Neeltje Jans (166km stage)