Tour de France Trivia
- Lance Armstrong's least favorite climb in France is Mount Ventoux. He has never won on Ventoux, and had a bitter argument with Marco Pantani in 2000 after he claimed he gave the win to Pantani, later inspiring the saying "no gifts".
- The mystic Mount Ventoux has only been included 14 times in the Tour de France. (This is my personal favorite climb in France).
- The Tourmalet is the most frequented climb in the Tour de France and again will be climbed in 2010 from the steeper side (from Barèges) following the ascension of the Marie-Blanque and Soulor passes.
- Tourmalet Time Schedule - In 2010 the organizers of the TDF expect the riders to take 4hrs 50mins to ride from Pau to the top of the Tourmalet. That is 174 Km over 3 mountain passes at an average speed of 34kph (21mph!).
- One hundred years ago, the 1910 Stage Start over the Peyresourde, Aspin and Tourmalet was scheduled for 3:30am. In 2010 the start of Stage 16 over the same route is scheduled for 11:30am.