Quick on the heels of the UCI Anti-Doping Summit, the ASO and TdF Race Director Christian Prudhomme have announced the route of the 2008 Tour, and have hinted at some upcoming changes in the makeup of the race field.

First off comes the course. It will be slightly less mountainous, but is said to be a little more exciting and will give more riders a chance at the yellow jersey. There are 2 fewer mountain stages than last year (19 instead of 21), but one of those is the highest mountain pass in Europe, the 9,193-foot Col de la Bonette-Restefond. Despite the popular success of last year’s Grand Depart in London, the 2008 race will start with a full road stage starting in Brest. It is also said that the race will dip into Italy for one stage.

There will be only 2 time trials. One time trial of 29 kilometers will take place in Cholet with a second of 53 kilometers, from Cerilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond, coming on the penultimate day.

Time bonuses are also being eliminated, which should help to put the focus of the race on the climbers.

Tour de France 2008 Stage Information: 

Stage 1	Saturday 5 July	Brest to Plumelec	195km	Flat
Stage 2	Sunday 6 July	Auray to Saint-Brieuc	165km	Flat
Stage 3	Monday 7 July	Saint-Maloto Nantes	195km	Flat
Stage 4	Tuesday 8 July	Cholet to Cholet	29km	I.T.T.
Stage 5	Wednesday 9 July	Cholet to Châteauroux	230km	Flat
Stage 6	Thursday 10 July	Aigurande to Super-Besse Sancy	195km	Hilly
Stage 7	Friday 11 July	Brioude to Aurillac	158km	Hilly
Stage 8	Saturday 12 July	Figeac to Toulouse	174km	Flat
Stage 9	Sunday 13 July	Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre	222km	Mtn.
Stage 10	Monday 14 July	Pau to Hautacam	154km	Mtn.
Rest Day	Tuesday 15 July	Pau	-	-
Stage 11	Wednesday 16 July	Lannemezan to Foix	166km	Hilly
Stage 12	Thursday 17 July	Lavelanet to Narbonne	168km	Flat
Stage 13	Friday 18 July	Narbonne to Nîmes	182 km	Flat
Stage 14	Saturday 19 July	Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains	182km	Flat
Stage 15	Sunday 20 July	Digne-les-Bains to Prato Nevoso	216km	Mtn.
Rest Day	Monday 21 July	Cueno	-	-
Stage 16	Tuesday 22 July	Cuneo to Jausiers	157km	Mtn.
Stage 17	Wednesday 23 July	Embrun to L’Alpe-d’Huez	210km	Mtn.
Stage 18	Thursday 24 July	Bourg-d’Oisans to Saint-Étienne	197km	Hilly
Stage 19	Friday 25 July	Roanne to Montluçon	163km	Flat
Stage 20	Saturday 26 July	Cérilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond	53km	I.T.T.
Stage 21	Sunday 27 July	Étampes to Paris (Champs-Élysées)	143km	Flat

Prudhomme made it clear that a Pro Tour license will not be a guarantee to racing in 2008. They will get to choose who will race. Futhermore, riders will be expected to be in possession of the new “biological passport” that has been proposed by the UCI and the WADA.