STORYLINE:

German team Giant-Alpecin presented on Wednesday (June 29th) the riders that will participate in the 103rd edition of the Tour de France.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The nine riders were introduced to the media at a hotel in Omaha Beach, one of the locations for the World War II Normandy Invasion that will be the arrival point of the first stage on July 2.

The 103rd Tour will visit three neighbouring countries - Spain, Andorra and Switzerland - and pass through 16 sites and stage cities unseen in previous runnings.

Security will be tight, with France in a state of emergency since attacks on Paris in November killed 130 people.

The Tour will be protected by an unprecedented force of 23-thousand police officers, including SWAT-like intervention squads.

The Tour will also hope to attract overlapping audiences from the European Championship soccer tournament hosted by France, which ends July 10.

STORYLINE:

German team Giant-Alpecin presented on Wednesday (June 29th) the riders that will participate in the 103rd edition of the Tour de France.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The nine riders were introduced to the media at a hotel in Omaha Beach, one of the locations for the World War II Normandy Invasion that will be the arrival point of the first stage on July 2.

The 103rd Tour will visit three neighbouring countries - Spain, Andorra and Switzerland - and pass through 16 sites and stage cities unseen in previous runnings.

Security will be tight, with France in a state of emergency since attacks on Paris in November killed 130 people.

The Tour will be protected by an unprecedented force of 23-thousand police officers, including SWAT-like intervention squads.

The Tour will also hope to attract overlapping audiences from the European Championship soccer tournament hosted by France, which ends July 10.

Omaha Beach, Normandy, France - 29th June, 2016

1. 00:00 Various of presentation of Tour de France riders from Giant-Alpecin team

2. 00:54 John Degenkolb during interview

3. 01:00 SOUNDBITE: (English) John Degenkolb, Giant-Alpecin sprinter

(about his recovery after January's accident):

"I am good, recovered, you could say. It was a really long way. It was hard work with a lot of dedication and sacrifice to come again in shape. It was the longest break in my whole career. It has also a big impact on your body so it takes a lot of time. I am happy to make first the selection for the Tour and also I think my shape is pretty okay. And I hope I can fight for stages during the Tour."

4. 01:41 Team rider

5. 01:47 SOUNDBITE: (German) John Degenkolb, Giant-Alpecin sprinter:

"I think it is very interesting. Our team is more divided in two parts than it was in the past. So we also focus more on the general classification and on the climbing stages. And also of course on the sprint stages. We will combine a little bit with each other. I think we have really good chances in all parts to win stages. The whole team will try to support a rider every day."

6. 02:22 Cutaway

7. 02:28 SOUNDBITE: (German) John Degenkolb, Giant-Alpecin sprinter:

"For my most important goal is the Tour de France. My biggest goal was to be compete here. And after the Tour I am going to look forward to the classics like Hamburg and also the world championship of course. Those will be my biggest goals. I think after the crash at the beginning of the season could help me to have a good last part of the season because I am more fresh than everybody else."

8. 03:00 Cutaway

9. 03:06 Warren Barguil, Giant-Alpecin climber during media meeting

10. 03:12 SOUNDBITE: (French) Warren Barguil, Giant Alpecin climber:

"I don't feel pressure at all. If it works then it is okay and if it doesn't it's not a problem. It is a pleasure and a joy to ride. There is no pressure because this is my game."

11. 03:30 Cutaway

12. 03:36 SOUNDBITE: (French) Warren Barguil, Giant-Alpecin climber:

"We have several goals. The general with me and sprint with John (Degenkolb). We want to win as many stages as we can."

13. 03:50 Tom Dumoulin during interview

14. 03:56 SOUNDBITE: (English) Tom Dumoulin, Giant-Alpecin all-rounder:

"We have almost the same team than we had last year here during the Tour de France. Only Georg (Preidler) and Koen de Kort switched places. And I think the atmosphere is good. We've known each other already for years. Same team already for years together. That is going to be a good thing."

15. 04:23 Cutaway

16. 04:28 SOUNDBITE: (English) Tom Dumoulin, Giant-Alpecin all-rounder:

"I am going into this Tour with a little bit of free role. So I will look for day opportunities. For day stages. Also days that I will help the team. Help Warren (Barguil) in the mountains. That is actually my role. And also in the back of my mind Rio de Janeiro which is after the Tour. So that will be my targets here."

17. 04:59 Cutaway

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 05:09

STORYLINE:

With all three favourites taking a fall in the last few weeks, Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme says the outcome of the French classic race has never been so uncertain.

While four-time winner Chris Froome has announced he would not be in Brussels for the first stage on 6th July because of a broken leg, last year's Yellow Jersey Geraint Thomas confirmed his participation despite a crash in the Tour de Suisse.

Their Columbian teammate Egan Bernal also fell during training in early May.

Prudhomme also said on Wednesday that he doesn't like the use of real time data in the Tour de France.

The Frenchman said "Bluffing should exist or at least make a come back. At one point, a racing cyclist should be able to trick another into believing that he's not feeling that bad."

SHOTLIST: Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019 / File

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

1. 00:00 Close of Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme giving interview

2. 00:05 Wide of Prudhomme during interview

Doncaster, England, UK. 1st May 2019

3. 00:11 Various of Chris Froome at Team Ineos launch

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

4. 00:31 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"The Tour de France with Chris Froome and without is not the same thing. He has been the central character since, we'll say, 2013 – even if he was already here in 2012 and even if in 2012, with Bradley Wiggins, behind Bradley Wiggins, next to Bradley Wiggins, we talked about him a lot. So other scenarios are going to open up. There was this 'trident' with Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal – who wasn't expected in these circumstances with his fall that prevented him from taking part in the Giro – and this time, it's Geraint Thomas who fell during the Tour de Suisse. There's a succession of falls, three, involving the three leaders of the team (Ineos) just a few weeks apart as if bad luck never comes alone and hit the team hard. Of course, with that, things are going to change."

Paris, France. 29th July 2018.

5. 01:21 Thomas waving to crowd after Tour de France win

Cardiff, Wales, UK. 9th August 2018.

6. 01:30 Geraint Thomas holding Wales flag

Boulogne-Billancourt, France. 19th June 2019

7. SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"As a reference to the 100 years of the Yellow Jersey, we made sure that there were many mountain passes over 2000m and for the first time in the Tour de France's history, we will have 3 finishing lines over 2000m in altitude. The Tourmalet, Tignes and Val Thorens. We know that over 2000m the performances of each can change but we are nearly pretty sure that the Colombians won't be less strong at 2000m. And of course, Bernal is Columbian…"

8. 02:01 Mid of Prudhomme during interview

9. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"For me, it shouldn't be possible to have access in real time to the data from the power meters. That it should be possible to study it after the day's stage, yes, of course and the work done around the strategy is great and must be done in each team. Just not in real time. Bluffing should exist or at least make a come back. At one point, a racing cyclist should be able to trick another into believing that he's not feeling that bad. Power meters mean that racers never push themselves into the red zone which means that they can resist for a very very long time. But if you get into that red zone, because of your temperament or your instinct you let yourself be taken there, you will suffer later. These missteps are what make the competition exciting, it has fuelled the legend of these races and the Tour de France. We should be able to get that back and everybody should understand this. Now, of course, only victory matters and when you win or find yourself in a position to win, the only important thing is not the pleasure of your fans, but the victory."

10. 03:00 Mid of Prudhomme during interview

11. 03:05 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"Some want to present the world of Sports as a perfect world but it will never be. Things really have changed but unfortunately, there are always idiots out there and we should catch them and do everything we can to stop them because it's essential that people trust the results. Cycling really has changed – I'm sure of that – but I realise this is not an ideal world and I'm conscious of the fact that because of these idiots we have to continue carrying the weight of doping and it's a legitimate question."

12. 03:29 Pan of Tour de France map and Prudhomme during interview

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:38

SHOTLIST:

1. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme walking toward microphone on balcony of ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation - organisers of Tour de France)

2. Cutaway television camera

3. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"The report from the US Anti-Doping Agency was appalling. The decision taken by the International Cycling Union today is for us without surprise. It's even totally logical, we were expecting it. Lance Armstrong is no longer the winner of the Tour de France from 1999-2005 and so for us, and as I said about 10 days ago, we wish that for those years, the Tour de France titles remain blank. The International Cyclist Union has formally taken this decision but for us it's clear we have those years without winners."

4. Cutaway television camera

5. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

(Reporter asking about whether Armstrong will be asked to reimburse winnings)

"The International Cycling Union's rules are very clear on this subject, if a rider losses a position for which he was awarded, he has to reimburse it - Article 1 2 073."

6. Mid of 2012 Tour de France route map

7. Close-up of map

8. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"Today riders get caught and they are going to know with Armstrong that those who cheat will get caught sooner or later whatever happens. But once again, it shouldn't only be the rider, the winner, it should also be the entourage."

9. Close-up of Tour de France logo

10. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"The Tour de France is a part of our heritage. It's a huge event. It goes beyond sports, it's a social link. The Tour de France is about all the families on the side of the road. The Tour de France is a peaceful event that we experience with joy and serenity. Once you go and watch the Tour de France from the road, you remember it for the rest of your life even if the cyclists pass through really quickly that's the magic of the Tour. So the principal victims are these people but I'm sure they will stick with us, they'll stay on the side of the road because everything that has been put into place over the past few years should enable them to believe in it again."

11. Mid entrance of Tour de France organisers ASO

12. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:

"We would have preferred that none of this had happened. But now we prefer that this goes to the end and that the International Cycling Union draw all the conclusions specifically so that this doesn't happen again, but even if we judge that what happened is in the past and even if I have the feeling and the conviction today that things have changed."

13. Tilt down on exterior of ASO

STORYLINE:

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said he no longer considers Lance Armstrong a seven-time winner of the world's most prestigious cycling race - one which now hopes to finally shake off years of doping scandals.

Speaking shortly after cycling's governing body ratified the US Anti-Doping Agency's decision to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour titles, Prudhomme welcomed the decision, reiterating his belief that there should be no new champions declared for the seven Tours that Armstrong had won.

"It's without surprise that we received today's news, it's totally logical. Lance Armstrong is no longer the winner of the Tour de France from 1999-2005," Prudhomme said at the Paris headquarters of ASO, which owns the race.

"We wish that there is no winner for this period. For us, very clearly, the titles should remain blank. Effectively, we wish for these years to remain without winners."

Armstrong also finished third in the 2009 Tour in his comeback year, but the UCI (International Cycling Union) has yet to say whether that podium place will be removed.

"In all logic, everything must disappear," Prudhomme said. "This is the story of a real talent who lost his way."

USADA, which published a damning 200-page report packed with testimonies from several of Armstrong's former teammates on the US Postal team, says all of Armstrong's results dating back to August 1998 should be removed.

The UCI was expected to meet Friday to further discuss what to do with the podium places from Armstrong's seven Tour wins, notably whether to move other riders up, the 2009 podium spot, and other race wins during his long career.

USADA and witness testimonies from former Postal teammates such as George Hincapie, Jonathan Vaughters, Frankie Andreu and Levi Leipheimer placed the cancer survivor as the focal point of the doping that went on inside the team.

"It's the system that's especially to blame," Prudhomme said. "We're in a mafia system that goes beyond doping and which goes beyond the name of sport ... this time it's a global crisis. Armstrong's aura touches everyone, everywhere in the world."

Prudhomme was evasive when asked if ASO - whose newspaper L'Equipe published a damning report into Armstrong's use of EPO on the '99 Tour only days after he'd completed his seventh Tour win - regretted welcoming Armstrong back on the race in 2009.

"At the time, we said Armstrong could come back if he submitted himself to the same rules as everyone else," Prudhomme said, also citing the improvement in anti-doping controls when the Texan made his comeback.

Still, Prudhomme is optimistic that the UCI's ratification of USADA's findings is a massive step forward for cycling.

"It's through difficulty that you can build things," he said. "Today's cycling has already changed from the past, but of course the UCI must learn all the lessons from the Armstrong case and how we arrived at this point."

Prudhomme said Armstrong's prize money from the seven Tours should also be reimbursed.

"The UCI rules are clear: when a rider loses his title, he must reimburse his winnings," Prudhomme said.

STORYLINE:

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme confirmed on Monday (22nd October) that he no longer considers Lance Armstrong to be a seven-time champion - and that they want him to pay back his prize money.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

After the UCI decided to ratify the US Anti Doping Agency's sanctions on Lance Armstrong, Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme confirmed that no champion would be assigned for the seven editions of cycling's most prestigious event that Armstrong won.

Prudhomme also confirmed that Armstrong has been asked to pay back his prize money from his seven Tour wins between 1999 and 2005.

The Tour de France director reaffirmed his belief that fans of the sport will not be dissuaded by the latest doping scandal to hit - with Prudhomme believing that attitudes within the peloton have changed.

SHOTLIST:

Paris, France - 22nd October 2012

1. 00:00 - Prudhomme arrives

2. 00:07 - Cutaway

3. 00:12 - SOUNDBITE: (French), Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

"The report from the US Anti-Doping Agency was appalling. The decision taken by the International Cycling Union today is for us without surprise. It's even totally logical, we were expecting it. Lance Armstrong is no longer the winner of the Tour de France from 1999-2005 and so for us, and as I said about ten days ago, we wish that for those years, the Tour de France titles remain blank. The International Cyclist Union has firmly taken this decision but for us it's clear we have those years without winners."

4. 00:44 - Cutaway of cameras

5. 00:48 - SOUNDBITE: (French), Christian Prudhomme:

Question: Are you going to ask for the reimbursement of the money you paid him?

"So, the rules of UCI are very clear on this subject. If a rider loses their place that they have taken, they must reimburse it."

6. 01:00 - Wide of Tour de France poster

7. 01:09 - SOUNDBITE: (French), Christian Prudhomme:

1. The Tour de France is a part of our heritage. It's a huge event. It goes beyond sports, it's a social link. The Tour de France is about all the families on the side of the road. The Tour de France is a peaceful event that we experience with joy and serenity. Once you go and watch the Tour de France from the road, you remember it for the rest of your life even if the cyclist pass through really quickly that's the magic of the Tour so the principal victims are these people but I'm sure they will stick with us, they'll stay on the side of the road because everything that has been put into place over the past few years should enable them to believe in it again."

8. 01:42 - Wide of ASO sign on wall

9. 01:45 - SOUNDBITE: (French), Christian Prudhomme:

"We would have preferred that none of this had happened. But now we prefer that this goes to the end and that the International Cycling Union draw all the conclusions specifically so that this doesn't happen again but even if we judge that what happened is in the past and even if I have the feeling and the conviction that things have changed."

10. 02:03 - Tilt down of ASO building exterior.

SOURCE: SNTV.

STORYLINE:

Defending champion Geraint Thomas and Mark Cavendish spoke about the route for the 2019 Tour de France after it was announced in Paris on Thursday (25th October).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Next year's Tour de France will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the showcase race's iconic yellow jersey.

With France emerging from the carnage of World War I, the Tour offered its beacon of hope to the war-ravaged nation.

In 1919, the race leader's yellow jersey — which has become cycling's most iconic symbol — was introduced.

"It came straight out of the trenches, born from the rubble of a wounded France," Tour race director Christian Prudhomme said Thursday, unveiling the route for the July 6-28 race.

Joining Prudhomme on stage were five-time Tour winners Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

Only four riders, including Jacques Anquetil, have won five Tours; Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven titles for doping.

British rider Chris Froome will try to win his fifth title next year, but will have to depose his Team Sky teammate Geraint Thomas over the 3,460-kilometre (2,145-mile) race.

It features seven flat stages for sprinters, five hilly ones for all-rounders, seven mountain stages — five with summit finishes — one team time trial and one individual time trial.

The big climbs start in the Pyrenees before hitting the Alps.

The Tour has less of the Hors Categorie (Beyond Classification) climbs than before - those HC climbs are the most gruelling.

Instead, the race has more of the Category Two climbs — which are noticeably less difficult and favour attacking strategies.

Sky has won six of the past seven races, often controlling them in the mountains by easily repelling attacks.

This has given the team an aura of invincibility and the race a predictable tone.

With closer racing needed, the two time trials combine for a relatively low 54 kilometres, meaning specialists such as Froome have less chance to gain significant time advantages.

The race begins with a flat stage for sprinters around the city of Brussels and stays there the next day for the 27 kilometre team time trial.

After leaving Belgium, the Tour snakes through the Champagne and Lorraine regions.

Stage 4 for sprinters starts in Reims — the Champagne-producing city where 25 French kings were crowned in its cathedral.

With the race leaving the Alsace region, Stage 7 is the longest at 230 kilometres and made for sprinters.

The next day's stage is a hilly one, with several short but sharp climbs from Macon to Saint-Etienne.

The first rest day is July 16 in Albi in southern France, followed by a sprint stage before the Tour enters the high Pyrenees.

Stage 14 on July 20 features finishes with a climb up the Tourmalet pass, one of the most famed in Tour history.

Riders tackle three days of Alpine climbing on stages 18-20, featuring an ascent up the famed Galibier and imposing Iseran — standing 2,770 metres — and culminating with a relentless 33.4 kilometre trek up to the ski resort of Val Thorens.

After the weary peloton is flown towards Paris, the race ends the next day with its processional showcase stage on the Champs-Elysees.

Palais des Congres, Paris, France. 25th October 2018.

1. 00:00 Wide of cyclists walking on stage

2. 00:04 Mark Cavendish on stage

3. 00:10 Christopher Froome on stage

4. 00:19 Geraint Thomas on stage

5. 00:30 Froome and Thomas going back to their seats

6. 00:40 Geraint Thomas

7. 00:43 Christopher Froome

8. 00:47 Julian Alaphilippe

9. 00:51 Mark Cavendish

10. 00:57 Primoz Roglic

11. 01:01 Five-time Tour de France winners Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, and Miguel Indurain, Raymond Poulidor, French former professional bicycle racer known as "The Eternal Second", and Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme

(UPSOUND Raymond Poulidor "Between us four we have won 15 Tour de France")

12. 01:09 Pan of Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Raymond Poulidor on stage

13. 01:21 Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme arriving on stage with map of Tour de France 2019 on large screen

14. 01:26 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"It's solid, it's tough as ever, but it's hard to take in it all when it's so quick but there are some big stages, obviously a lot of climbs finishing over 2,000 metres, medium mountain days, you know, look hard as well so yes it's going to be a tough race."

15. 01:42 Close up Thomas' eyes

16. 01:47 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"Yeah I think that will be really nice, I've raced in Belgium quite a lot before in the past, so yeah it will be nice to go back and obviously team time trial which we are normally pretty good at. It will be nice to try and try and win that for a change, rather than second and third, which we always seem to be."

17. 02:03 Geraint Thomas talking to journalists

18. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (English): Mark Cavendish, British sprinter who has won 30 Tour de France stages:

"It's flat enough for me, it's 21 flat dates isn't it, but yes, when you've got six or seven spin opportunities that's good, that's fair and there is that, you know. We've got the climbs. I think although there's more climbing, probably more altitude metres, it's still probably (doesn't finish sentence).... 2018 was near-on impossible to reach Paris for most of the sprinters - just the position of the climbs and the layout of the stages whereas here, though there's more climbing there's actually a better opportunity for us. If we work hard, we get to Paris. This year, it didn't matter how hard you worked physiologically, we'd never get to Paris. I was sick in the end, but I don't think even if I was well I wouldn't have reached it. It's quite nice next year - I'm looking forward to it."

19. 02:54 Tour de France presentation on large screen

20. 02:59 Cavendish watching presentation

21. 02:17 SOUNDBITE (English): Mark Cavendish, British sprinter who won 30 Tour de France stages:

"Yeah I hope so. Just back on my bike now. Yeah, there's enough time to get health... to get fit, as long as I'm healthy so I'm monitoring my health at the minute and we'll see where I'm at."

(Journalist: What does the Tour de France mean?)

It's everything for me. It's everything for every bike rider. Even guys who don't ride the road, professional track riders always dreamt of one point or another riding the Tour de France. For me it's everything, it's my career, it's what I've built everything on. It's what I'll continue to do. It's the only reason I still ride a bike now."

22. 03:30 Cavendish leaving

23. 03:35 Wide pan from audience clapping to stage

23. 03:42 Audience listening

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:47

SHOTLIST:

Paris, France. 18th June 2013.

1. 00:00 Wide shot of Amaury Sport Organisation A.S.O. (the Organising Company of the Tour de France)

2. 00:06 Close up of Amaury Sport Organisation A.S.O.

3. 00:10 Mid shot of the entrance of A.S.O.

4. 00:15 Mid shot of Christian Prudhomme walking away from his office

5. 00:24 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Director Tour de France:

(Question regarding who is favourite to win this Tour)

"(Alberto) Contador will of course be a very important element of the picture, of the scenario of the Tour, but it will be Sky against the rest of the world with of course Chris Froome as the undisputed leader of this team."

6. 00:40 Close up (zoom out) of old photo of cyclists

7. 00:45 Wide shot of Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, next to the poster of the 100th edition of the Tour de France, the tour of 2013.

8. 00:50 Mid of photo with cyclists high on a mountain

9. 00:56 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Director Tour de France:

(Question regarding the possibilities of a comeback from Bradley Wiggins)

"I think he will be very strong on the Tour that will start in Yorkshire in 2014. In Yorkshire, there will be a magnificent stage and the next one will finish in London. I think he'll have his motivation back and be back."

10. 01:09 Pan shot of poster of Tour de France edition 2013.

11. 01:18 Close up of the stages in the Alps.

12. 01:25 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Director Tour de France:

(Question regarding doping in cycling)

"One of the fundamental questions is the capacity of finding the substances. If the medical corps would be capable to find all the substances, there would be no doubt at all. And the last years, the gap has been considerably tightened between those who cheat and those who track down the cheaters."

13. 01:48 Close up of the departure of the Tour de France in Corsica

14. 01:51 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Director Tour de France:

(Question regarding the importance of starting the Tour in Corsica)

"Two stages (in Corsica) are typically stages for punchers. Here, the favourites of the general classification will have to pay a lot of attention, because these are typically trapped stages. Those who haven't scouted the Corsican stages will have made a big mistake. On the eve of the first stage, they might say: "It's all flat, Corsica, it's all flat. There are no bends!" Two days later they will have understood why the automobile Tour of Corsica is called 'The Rally of ten thousand bends'."

15. 02:15 Mid shot of poster of the southern part of the Tour de France (Alps and Pyrenees)

16. 02:20 Pan of poster from Bretagne to the Alps

17. 02:28 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Director Tour de France:

"Cycling is friendly. Once again, it's (a sport) for families, for people who are happy to be there, for people smiling."

18. 02:35 Pan shot from the Alps to Paris, Champs Elysees.

19. 02:41 Mid shot of photo with cyclists on the Champs Elysees.

20. 02:45 Close up from the map with Paris, Champs Elysees.

STORYLINE: Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme spoke on Tuesday (18th June) and tipped Chris Froome to emerge victorious in this years race.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, expects that the 2013 event, the 100th edition of the Tour de France, will be a scenario of Team Sky against the rest of the world, with Christopher Froome as the undisputed leader of his team.

He expects Bradley Wiggins to come roaring back in 2014 after not defending his crown in this year's race, which starts in just over a week. "I think he'll have his motivation back and be back," Christian Prudhomme said in an interview on Tuesday in his Paris office.

Elite athletes, he noted, "can fall very low but rebound very quickly."

The first two stages in 2014 run through Yorkshire in northeast England, with the third going from Cambridge to London, so Wiggins will be on home ground. "I think he'll be very strong," Prudhomme said.

About the doping affairs in the Tour, Prudhomme said: "One of the fundamental questions is the capacity of finding the substances. If the medical corps would be capable to find all the substances, there would be no doubt at all. And the last years, the gap has been considerably tightened between those who cheat and those who track down the cheaters."

Prudhomme warned that the first stages on the French island of Corsica could be treacherous.

After a flat opening stage on June 29 that British sprinter Mark Cavendish, among others, will have his eye on, the race ventures over more jagged terrain inland and up the island's west coast.

From Corsica, the Tour crosses to the French mainland.

"Those who haven't scouted the Corsican stages will have made a big mistake. On the evening of the first stage, they'll be telling themselves, "It's all flat!" Prudhomme said. "Two days later they will have understood why the automobile Tour of Corsica is called `The Rally of ten thousand Bends.' Not only does it go up and down, it turns all the time."

Christian Prudhomme, himself a passionate supporter of cycling, remains optimistic for the popularity of the sport: "Cycling is a sport for families, for people who are happy to be there, for people smiling."

STORYLINE:

Chris Froome and other riders reacted after the 2017 Tour de France route was unveiled on Tuesday (18th October).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

All five mountain ranges of continental France will feature in next year's Tour de France, setting up a gruelling, three-week racing challenge that seems tailor-made for the climbing strengths of defending champion Chris Froome and his Colombian rival, Nairo Quintana.

In their quest to keep the 113-year-old race young, organisers have again unearthed fresh racing challenges from the geography of France, with new climbs and, on stage 18, an unprecedented mountain-top finish on the punishing Col d'Izoard high in the Alps - a rocky, hostile and lunar terrain that could be the final big battleground for the winner's check of 500,000 euros ($550,000).

Before that, on stage 12 in the Pyrenees, the Tour climbs to the Peyragudes ski station where parts of the James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies" were filmed in 1997.

From its July 1 start in Duesseldorf, Germany, to the July 23 finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, the 3,516-kilometre (2,185-mile) route will wind over climbs in the Vosges, Jura, Massif Central, Pyrenees and Alps. Not since the Tour of 1992 have organisers made riders take on all five mountain ranges.

Paris, France. 18th October 2016.

1. 00:00 Tour de France riders arriving for presentation

2. 00:11 Chris Froome, three-time Tour de France winner, arriving for presentation

3. 00:19 Close up Chris Froome

4. 00:25 Mid of Chris Froome seated between Romain Bardet and Adam Yates

5. 00:31 Wide of Chris Froome seated between Romain Bardet and Adam Yates

6. 00:39 SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Froome, three-time Tour de France winner:

"Like every year this is an extremely tough, tough Tour de France to win. Only three summit finishes but a few very difficult challenging mountain stages. It definitely could make the race a lot more tactical in the mountains and not necessarily just about the strongest on the climb on the day."

7. 01:03 Froome on camera screen

8. 01:07 SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Froome, three-time Tour de France winner:

"It is certainly nice to see that Tour de France is returning to Germany, I think it's been 30 years now since the Tour was there. I think especially given the likes of a lot of the German riders in the peloton at the moment, we've got some really talented guys, guys like (Marcel) Kittel, (John) Degenkolb, Tony Martin. I'm sure for them it's going to be a great honour for them to be at the Tour de France with it starting in Germany again."

9. 01:38 Froome holding photo and posing with man for photographer

10. 01:46 Christian Prudhomme with officials

11. 01:50 SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

"Yes, the stages from the beginning to the end where the Tour can play itself out, for the first time in 25 years, the five main mountain ranges. These last few years, we sometimes had three mountain stages in the same mountain range. Here, there will be a stage in the Vosges, two in the Jura, two in the Pyrenees, one in the Massif Central, two in the Alps, and a time trial at the beginning and another one nearly at the end. So it is made in a way it can play itself out everywhere and give an uncertain side to the race. That's what we are looking for."

12. 02:13 Christian Prudhomme with officials

13. 02:18 SOUNDBITE (French) Romain Bardet, French climbing specialist:

"Of course there are short stages with important differences of levels but there is no succession of difficulties and no third week as hard as the one last year for example." .

It is an interesting itinerary

14. 02:27 Romain Bardet being interviewed

15. 02:32 Pan journalists

16. 02:37 SOUNDBITE (French) Thomas Voeckler, French rider:

"I've been through everything on the Tour so what happens to me for the past few years is really like a bonus. I ride the Tour because I like it and I really enjoy the Tour De France. After, well I'll answer you after the Tour but if we win a stage with the team, or if I manage to, why not, win a fifth stage on the Tour, I'm not going to deprive myself. We saw earlier the 2016 retrospective: the various stage winners are not second rate riders, these last few years have been more and more difficult and let's face it. I'll be 38 next year. I don't have the legs I had when I was 30. The mind might still be the same but the body ages."

17. 03:16 Various shots of (from left to right) Thibaud Pinot, Romain Bardet, Chris Froome, Richie Porte, Julian Alaphilippe, Adam Yates and Thomas Voeckler on stage

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:31

Tour de France organisers announce that 2017 Tour de France will begin in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Thursday (14 January).

The 2017 Tour de France will start with a short time trial in the streets of Duesseldorf, offering German rider Tony Martin an opportunity to grab the yellow jersey in front of his home fans.

Tour organisers unveiled details of the opening stage on Thursday (January 14) after announcing in December that the Grand Depart would take place in Germany for the fourth time in the race's century-old history.

A three-time time trial world champion, Martin should thrive on the 13-kilometre urban course taking the riders down the banks of the Rhine river on July 1, 2017.

The last time the three-week race started in Germany was in 1987.

The second stage of the race will start from Duesseldorf, with the stage finish to be revealed at the route presentation in October.

Tour de France organisers announce that 2017 Tour de France will begin in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Thursday (14 January).

The 2017 Tour de France will start with a short time trial in the streets of Duesseldorf, offering German rider Tony Martin an opportunity to grab the yellow jersey in front of his home fans.

Tour organisers unveiled details of the opening stage on Thursday (January 14) after announcing in December that the Grand Depart would take place in Germany for the fourth time in the race's century-old history.

A three-time time trial world champion, Martin should thrive on the 13-kilometre urban course taking the riders down the banks of the Rhine river on July 1, 2017.

The last time the three-week race started in Germany was in 1987.

The second stage of the race will start from Duesseldorf, with the stage finish to be revealed at the route presentation in October.

Paris, France. January 14, 2016.

1. 00:00 Mid of news conference announcing the Tour de France departure in Dusseldorf in 2017

2. 00:13 Wide of news conference

3. 00:18 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

"Dusseldorf, the little Paris. We are very happy and very proud. 'Wir sind Froh, wir sind stolz' (We are happy, we are proud: German). For the first time since thirty years Le Grand Depart will take place in Germany."

4. 00:35 Mid of people watching highlights of previous Tour De France editions outside France

5. 00:42 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

"In the past years we witnessed a revival of German cyclists. In the past five years the country that has won the most stages is Germany. They have won 24 stages of Tour de France in the past five years. Six in the last edition, seven the year before and six again the year before that. And with a preference for the opening stage."

6. 01:05 Mid of people watching highlights of Tour de France at news conference

7. 01:11 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

"I have gave you the choice Thomas asking whether you prefer an individual time trial or a team time trial. Even though we never opened the Tour with a team time trial. I suspect that behind your decision to organise an individual time trial you were thinking that the three time world champion of the time trial Tony Martin, that came second in Utrecht last year, could do a beautiful yellow shirt (German: "We shall see")."

8. 01:44 Set up shot of Thomas Geisel, mayor of Dusseldorf

9. 01:49 SOUNDBITE: (German) Thomas Geisel, Mayor of Dusseldorf:

"It is a great opportunity for the town of Dusseldorf, this beautiful town in the middle of Europe. We are expecting a million people maybe even more enthusiasts of cycling in Dusseldorf, North-Rhine Westphalia. and in Belgium, the Netherlands and France of course. And you are all welcome."

10. Wide pan of news conference

SOURCE: SNTV.

DURATION: 02:32

Reaction after the route for the 2016 Tour de France was unveiled in Paris on Tuesday (20th October).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Chris Froome fancies his chances of defending the Tour de France title on a route that should suit his all-around riding skills.

Two individual time trials and 28 tough climbs will be on the 2016 Tour de France's 3,519-kilometre (2,186-mile) route, which was revealed in France on Tuesday.

Froome, who also won in 2013, is strong both on climbs and in individual time trials, making him an early favourite for 2016.

An ascent of Mont Ventoux in Provence on Bastille Day (14th July) will test the best climbers.

Froome was the stage winner when the Tour last scaled the Ventoux's barren, 1,909-metre (6,263-feet) peak in 2013 and he will be eyeing that stage for another victory.

The Mont-Saint-Michel, a Benedictine abbey perched on a rock off the Normandy coast, will provide a picture-postcard start for the race.

The first stage ends at Utah Beach, where Allied troops landed on D-Day in 1944.

The first taste of the mountains will come on stage five, in the Massif Central.

From there, there will be little respite on the next 15 stages before the last ride into Paris.

The first of the time trial on stage 13, a day after the Ventoux ascent, combines two short climbs, long flats and a tricky descent over 37 kilometres (23 miles).

Riders hoping to win time-trial gold the following month at the Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro will be able to use that tough course to gauge their form.

After the Pyrenees, where the Tour will dip into Spain and Andorra, the final placings will be decided in the Alps and neighbouring Switzerland before the finish in Paris on 24th of July.

Paris, France - 20th October, 2015.

1. 00:00 Wide pan from media to riders in audience

2. 00:06 Close of defending champion Chris Froome

3. 00:11 Mid of riders

4. 00:15 Wide pan of conference hall

5. 00:24 SOUNDBITE: (English) Christopher Froome, 2013 and 2015 Tour de France champion

"I think it's, it's a great parkour (course) for the next year's Tour de France. I think it really does challenge in every aspect of cycling. The time trials, the mountains.... tricky technical descent also. So, I mean it really is going to take a complete cyclist to win next year's Tour de France."

6. 00:47 Various of Tour de France route presentation

7. 01:05 Mid of Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director, talking to journalists

8. 01:09 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

"It is true that for those who feel physically strong but that are not too sure about their nerves, who are afraid that the pressure (of the race) can drop down, having a major stage starting from Wednesday (day five), well that will take off the pressure that they feel because they will be less together with others, because the differences between riders will be already established. I believe that this Tour is for those who dare."

9. 01:31 Various of presentation

10. 01:42 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director :

"Our will was that everything can be done at the last moment... with the mountain stage just a day before the end at Champs Elysees. We already did it couple of times, but this is the first time you will have a mountain peak and a descent (in the same stage). I insist that one should be good in climbing but also in descents in the incoming Tour de France."

11. 02:07 Various of riders on stage

12. 02:25 SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Cavendish, winner of 26 Tour de France stages

"It's a grand tour, it always favours someone who can climb and time trial. I think the two long time trials will be uphill time trial and the hard one will favour an all-rounder really, like a grand tour contender. It's simple as, it's the greatest bike race in the World. As a sprinter, it's a very hard race. (It) Provides six opportunities for a sprint and apart from that it's really difficult for us."

13. 02:53 Mid of Thibault Pinot being interviewed

14. SOUNDBITE: (French) Thibault Pinot, 2014 Tour de France top young rider

"I am really happy with the parkour (course). I think that climbers will take pleasure with two time trials that are really difficult, but there is less danger than the last year. I think it will be nice."

15. 03:09 Wide of presentation.

SHOTLIST

1. Wide of cyclists lining up at race start point

2. Close of Tour de France banner

3. Crowed gathered on the sidelines

4. SOUNDBITE: (French) Gilbert Covemacker, French supporter:

"It's bad for sports (referring to drug use). I'm not talking about the Tour de France because there isn't drug use just on the Tour de France. It's a general trend in sports. Because the athletes cannot gain muscles only by drinking clear water."

5. Wide of officials walking

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tom Robak, American supporter:

"Oh yes, the Tour is too famous. The Tour will never diminish, it'll still go on. There is too much history, it's a great sporting event and will always be there."

7. Tilt up of Robak with Montana state flag

8. Various of crowd

9. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Sonia Sanchez, Colombian supporter:

"We have to have a lot of courage because the Tour de France has to continue. It can't end. On the contrary, we have to fight against doping. Before, everybody used to cycle along roads that were a lot worse than now. And nevertheless, they still won. So. We've got to fight against doping and long live the Tour de France."

10. Sanchez with flag in crowd of supporters

11. Cyclists signing autograph for child

12. SOUNDBITE: (French) Stephane Goubert, AG2R rider:

"Of course it (the Tour de France) will survive. And we all fight for it. And I think it's heading in a good direction. There are some problems but there is a big movement to promote a new, different and a cleaner cycling sport. And it's going to continue this way."

13. Mid shot of cyclists

14. Wide of cyclists at start line

15. Mid shot of the five most important riders of the race

16. Close of Alberto Contador in the yellow jersey

17. Various of race starting

STORYLINE

Tour de France riders set off Sunday in Marcoussis toward the finish of the three-week race on the Champs-Elysees, with Alberto Contador all but certain to take home the yellow jersey after a race more likely to be remembered for scandal.

The 24-year-old Spaniard locked up victory by holding off second-placed Cadel Evans of Australia with a 23-second lead in the final time trial on Saturday.

Contador's Discovery Channel team-mates were likely to ensure that he protects the razor-thin margin in the 90.7-mile (146-kilometre) ride from Marcoussis to the famous Paris avenue.

Discovery's Levi Leipheimer is third overall, 31 seconds back.

Contador inherited the leader's yellow jersey when Michael Rasmussen was ousted Wednesday by his Rabobank team for lying about his whereabouts in June, when the Danish rider missed a doping check.

Fans poured out to line barriers the Champs-Elysees and marcoussis hours before the finish, braving intermittent rain.

Some were seen wandering in hats with the Tour's logo or wearing yellow rain capes.

In an unplanned irony, Sunday's route was leading the pack through the town of Chatenay-Malabry, home to the French anti-doping laboratory that has exposed several cheats this year.

Gilbert Covemacker, a French supporter weighed in on the scandal.

"It's bad for sports (referring to drug use). I'm not talking about the Tour de France because there isn't drug use just on the Tour de France. It's a general trend in sports," Covemacker said.

But many believe the Tour de France will survive despite the doping scandal.

"Of course it (the Tour de France) will survive. And we all fight for it. And I think it's heading in a good direction. There are some problems but there is a big movement to promote a new, different and a cleaner cycling sport. And it's going to continue this way," said Stephane Goubert, AG2R rider.

Keyword-sport

Chris Froome on Tuesday (17th October) said the opening nine stages of the Tour de France could be dangerous for riders as the route for the 2018 edition was released.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Defending champion Chris Froome can expect a stern challenge from Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin in next year's Tour de France.

Froome is chasing a record-equalling fifth victory to move level with Belgian great Eddy Merckx, French riders Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, and Spanish great Miguel Indurain.

Froome and Dumoulin won the three Grand Tours this year, with Froome adding the Spanish Vuelta and Dumoulin winning the Giro d'Italia.

The 105th edition of the Tour features a hilly 31-kilometre (19-mile) time trial through the Basque country on the penultimate day.

Froome is a specialist, but Dumoulin is the reigning world time trial champion.

The 32-year-old Froome is still in his prime, while the 26-year-old Dumoulin is approaching his.

The race starts on July 7 — a week later than usual because of the football World Cup in Russia — and opens with a flat 189-kilometre (117-mile) route for sprinters from Noirmoutier-en-l'ile to Fontenay-le-Comte in the Vendee region, on the Atlantic coast.

With the time trial returning after being omitted the last two years, Froome's Team Sky will be confident of creating early time gaps on Stage 3 — a 35-kilometre (21.7-mile) route starting and ending in Cholet in Western France.

But Sky faces tough competition, because Dumoulin's Sunweb team is the reigning TTT world champion.

The Tour route, which goes clockwise, features 25 mountain climbs — ranging from the relatively difficult Category 2 to Category 1 and the daunting Hors Categorie (beyond classification).

Eleven are in the Alps, four in the Massif central region and 10 in the Pyrenees.

The Tour also has more time bonuses on offer in flat stages over the 3,329-kilometre (2,064-mile) course.

The difficult climbs start on Stage 10, the first of three straight days of gruelling Alpine ascents.

But organisers have preceded that with a tricky ninth stage that could shake up the peloton.

It takes riders over 15 treacherous cobblestone sections: the highest number since the 1980 Tour, with nearly 22 kilometres (13.6 miles) altogether.

The Roubaix cobbles may perhaps trouble Froome.

The cobbles are followed by a rest day on July 16, and Froome had better make the most of it because the Alps start brutally the day after.

Stage 10 on July 17 has four difficult climbs on a 159-kilometre (98.6-mile) route from Annecy to Le Grand Bornand.

They include a punchy ascent of Montee du plateau de Glieres, featuring for the first time.

The third day of Alpine climbing begins with Col de la Madeleine, then Croix de Fer and ends with an ascent of l'Alpe d'Huez: three of the Tour's most well-known.

Dumoulin is not in Froome's class as a climber, but is not so easy to drop.

Whether he can stay with Froome through the Pyrenees, however, will prove crucial to his chances.

Three tough days of climbing in the Pyrenees starts with Stage 16 on July 24: a daunting 218-kilometre (135-mile) route from Carcassone to Bagneres-de-Luchon that follows the second rest day.

Stage 17 is short at 65 kilometres (40 miles) but cruel, with three consecutive nasty climbs, ending with an attack up Col de Portet.

Stage 19 has four ascents and then ends with a potentially treacherous 20-kilometre (12.4-mile) descent to test the concentration of tired riders.

Whoever is freshest after that will have a better chance of challenging Froome in the time trial.

The 21-stage race ends with its customary processional Sunday finish on the Champs-Elysees.

Paris, France. 17th October 2017

1. 00:00 2017 Tour de France winner Christ Froome walking towards his seat in front row and sitting between French cyclist Romain Bardet and double Tour de France winner Alberto Contador

2. 00:07 Froome talking to Contador

3. 00:13 Wide of road racing cyclists in front row with (from right to left) Mark Cavendish, Simon Yates, Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador, Chris Froome

4. 00:18 Bardet

5. 00:23 Wide of conference hall with map on screen

6. 00:28 Wide of crowd

7. 00:33 Wide of map of 2018 Tour de France

8. 00:39 Attendees filming presentation with smart phones and clapping

9. 00:55 Wide of Froome recording video message

10. 01:01 Froome

11. 01:06 Tour de France logo

12. 01:11 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Froome, four-time Tour de France winner and reigning champion:

"The first 8 or 9 days up in the north of France without any really big mountains, could lead to a very nervous and very dangerous first part of the race especially when it's still very close together in the General classification and got the cobbles and a section of dirt road as well. It's definitely going to take a lot of preparation, a lot of homework to get ready for this year's Tour."

13. 01:41 Bardet on phone

14. 01:46 SOUNDBITE: (French) Romain Bardet, third place finisher in 2017 Tour de France:

"Clearly it's going to be (close) – I guess it depends on the weather, but even in dry weather, there's going to be a skimming of the pack and there will be some serious losses. It could lead to one or two racers taking advantage of it and build a strong lead, but in any case, there is going to be some damage. To me, a Tour de France winner must have some luck the year he wins, but also be capable of facing all these different terrains. It's going to be a key stage."

15. 02:25 Cutaway

16. 02:30 SOUNDBITE: (French) Warren Barguil, Polka dot jersey winner in 2017 Tour de France:

"It's great – a nice stage. 65 kilometres. People say 65 kilometres, but with three mountain passes. 65 kilometres on a flat course, we could do that in about 1 hour 15 minutes, but I think there, it'll be a two and a half hour race. Or I guess it will be two hours or two hours and a quarter. It's not going to be easy."

17. 02:50 Christian Prudhomme talking to reporters

18. 02:55 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France General Director:

"There will be a determining factor for the teams since there'll only be 8 cyclists – the choice of the 7th and 8th racer will be crucial because it's divided in two halves with 10 days in the plain and 10 days in the mountains. A cyclist like Belgian Champion Oliver Naesen was a totally decisive element for Romain Bardet in the Romans stage. Who will be the Oliver Naesen in each team? The guy who will – or Wout Poels for Chris Froome at the Alpe d'Huez in 2015. The cyclist who will be decisive at a certain moment for his leader."

19. 03:27 Prudhomme on stage

20. 03:34 Conference hall

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03.38

For the sixth time in the history of Tour de France, the Grand Depart of cycling's showpiece event will be the Netherlands.

After Amsterdam (1954), Scheveningen (1973), Leiden (1978), 'S-Hertogenbosch (1996) and Rotterdam (2010), now it is the time for the Dutch town of Utrecht. The first stage will be an individual time-trial in whole town, from west to east and back, crossing the historic city.

Two Dutch riders have won the Tour de France, Jan Janssen in 1968 and Joop Zoetemelk in 1980.

With more bicycles than inhabitants and parking near the railway station for 20,000 bicycles, for organisers there is no more need to justify the passion for cycling in Utrecht.

Paris, France - 28th November 2013

1. 00:00 Mid of sign "Grand Depart" (Grand Start in French)

2. 00:05 Wide of courtyard in the residence of the Ambassador of the Netherlands to France, where Tour de France 2015 press conference was held

3. 00:09 Wide right pan from photographers taking pictures to Tour de France organizers in front of official cars

4. 00:16 Close up of Tour de France sign on the car

5. 00:21 Wide right pan of the press conference room

6. 00:33 Mid setup shot of Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director, talking to journalists

7. 00:37 SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director :

"320,000 inhabitants live in Utrecht, in extremely populated region by Dutch, but of course it is not far from Belgium, it is not far from Germany... so there is a great density of population which will guarantee us a great popular success (Of Tour de France)."

8. 00:55 Mid of Ed Kronenburg, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to France on the left, Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director in the middle and Aleid Wolfsen, the Mayor of Utrecht on the right

9.00:59 SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director :

"Tour de France 2015 will start in Utrecht with an individual trial-time. In 2013 in Corsica, In summer 2014 in Yorkshire, the first stage will be linear and here (in Utrecht) we will be back to the tradition of trial-time departures.

10. 01:16 Mid of screen presenting the way of the First stage of Tour de France 2015 in Utrecht

11. 01:21 SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director :

"First of all, we are looking for passion, fervour and enthusiasm, and clearly that is what are we going to find in Netherlands and especially in Utrecht."

12. 01:30 Various of promotional video

13. 01:48 Mid of Jan Janssen (on the left) and Joop Zoetemelk (on the right), previous Tour de France winners from Netherlands

14. 01:53 Mid setup shot of Jan Janssen, Tour de France stage winner in 1968, talking to journalists

15. 01:8 SOUNDBITE (French) Jan Janssen, Dutch Tour de France stage winner in 1968 :

"People of Utrecht and surroundings, and from all over Netherlands love bikes, love cycling and the Grand Departure of Tour de France, well, for them - that is a great party."

16. 02:12 Close up of Utrecht 2015 sign

SOURCE: SNTV

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme attended the presentation of the 2018 Paris-Nice route on Tuesday (9th January) and voiced his anxiety that the ongoing doping suspicion surrounding Chris Froome risks "polluting" the new cycling season.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The route for the 2018 Paris-Nice was announced on Tuesday, but the presentation competed for attention with the continued controversy surrounding four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome and his recent failed doping test.

Froome failed a test during the Spanish Vuelta in September and is facing a suspension from cycling ahead of his attempt to win a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title next year.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme spoke at the presentation in Versailles and was swarmed by questions concerning Froome's future.

Prudhomme voiced his concerns that the case could overshadow the new cycling year.

"We hope to have an answer as soon as possible, we don't dream, but a quick answer to avoid polluting the season."

"I don't want to make any bullshit on Chris Froome today," he added.

Froome won his fourth Tour title this year and followed it with a victory at the Vuelta.

His team, Team Sky, who have not suspended Froome, said the British rider had a concentration of asthma drug salbutamol two times higher than the World Anti-Doping Agency's permitted levels.

They said that they have been informed by the International Cycling Union (UCI) that the urine test was taken on 7th September, during the three-week Spanish Vuelta.

Froome said the UCI has asked him to provide information about the failed test, which was taken after Stage 18.

Froome's use of asthma medication has been well documented, and the Kenyan-born rider has often been spotted using inhalers in the peloton.

He has repeatedly faced questions on whether he is a clean rider, especially during the Tour de France, and has always denied wrongdoing.

Salbutamol is a drug that helps expand lung capacity and can be used as a performance-enhancing drug to increase endurance.

Team Sky said Froome had to take an increased dosage of salbutamol without exceeding the permissible dose after he "experienced acute asthma symptoms" during the final week of the Vuelta.

If found guilty of doping, the 32-year-old Froome could lose his Vuelta title and be suspended for a long period.

Sprinter Alessandro Petacchi was suspended for one year for testing positive for salbutamol during the 2007 Giro d'Italia.

The eight-day Paris-Nice race will consists of 27 climbs and a total distance of 1,187-kilometres, finishing with a 10km hilly stage around Nice.

It will be held between 4th-11th March.

The 2017 crown was won by Froome's Team Sky teammate Sergio Henao.

A start list for the 2018 edition has yet to be released.

Versailles, France. 9th January 2017.

1. 00.00 Wide shot press conference room

2. 00.04 Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme stands to address the room

3. 00.12 Prudhomme

4. 00.20 Prudhomme and Thomas Voeckler (former rider) pose in front of 2018 Paris-Nice course map

5. 01.27 SOUNDBITE (French): Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France director:

(On four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome being found to have double the allowed level of legal asthma drug salbutamol in his urine after a test at the 2017 Vuelta a Espana)

++CLIENT NOTE - EXPLETIVE USED++

"I already said what I was thinking about it, we hope to have an answer as soon as possible, we don't dream, but a quick answer to avoid polluting the season even if Froome wasn't planning to race before the Tour of France, but of course we hope to get this answer as fast as possible, to move away from ambiguity, no doubt."

Reporter: What do you think about arguments from the team (Froome's team - Team Sky)?

"I don't want to make any bullshit on Chris Froome today, I can only tell you that we hope for a quick answer as fast as possible. The investigation will be made strongly by the new president of UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale), I have no doubt. That is what we want, we need to move away from the shadow, from ambiguity and we hope as fast as possible. "

6. 01.12 Cutaway

7. 01.17 Former rider Thomas Voeckler answering questions

8. 01.22 SOUNDBITE (French): Thomas Voeckler, former rider:

(On about Chris Froome case, what does it mean for pro cycling?)

"So, a sport that was pointed out for years rightly I think (for doping), now the sport is exemplary with all the means anti-doping and anti-doping policy employed for years. I really think pro cycling can be recommended as an example. It's not because if there is one case (of doping), that everybody is cheating. I think we find (doping) where we look for it (guilty riders are exposed). It is a sign of good health for pro cycling. Of course the reputation is damaged but I am here to defend pro cycling because I do believe pro cycling did change a lot. All the experts, like the media, like me, knows cycling has changed so much. it's a sport that may be cited as example."

9. 02.03 Mid shot of Christian Prudhomme Director of tour de France

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 02:08

Cyclists at this year's Tour de France will be under the watch of 23,000 police, including SWAT-like intervention squads, as the government tries to ensure security amid extremist threats.

France has been in a state of emergency since attacks on Paris in November killed 130 people, with soldiers guarding landmarks and religious sites.

The emergency measures were extended last week to cover the European Championship next month and the Tour de France, which runs July 2-24.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve met Tuesday with Christian Prudhomme, president of the organization that runs the Tour, and afterward announced exceptional security measures for this year's race.

Securing the Tour is unusually difficult, as crowds of fans gather informally on narrow mountain roads and city streets along thousands of kilometers around France.

Paris - 24 May 2016

1. Pan of Police and Gendarmerie officials standing up as Interior Minister arrives

2. Wide of Bernard Cazeneuve walking onto podium

3. SOUNDBITE (French) Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister:

"In the context of a high level threat, the Interior Ministry will deploy, this year, exceptional means. I can announce that at least 23,000 policemen and Gendarmes will be present on the side of the road this year to guarantee the security of the Tour de France. We are currently assessing the need for a larger involvement of our security forces."

4. Cazeneuve listening to questions

5. SOUNDBITE (French) Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister:

"50 motorcyclists from the Garde Républicaine will continue this year to escort the Tour de France whilst 12 policemen will accompany the cyclists for the whole duration of the race. Moreover, this year and for the first time, I have asked the GIGN (SWAT-like intervention squad) to follow the Tour de France through to the end of the event and stand ready to intervene at any moment if it proved necessary."

6. Close of police official

7. Close of shoulder pad with rank

8. SOUNDBITE (French) Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister

"We are preparing for the Euro 2016 in a similar way and this is the reason why, after having observed a number of unfortunate mistakes within the security apparatus in place at the Stade de France last Saturday for the Coupe de France Final, I summoned the organizers on Sunday in order to examine the measures that needed to be implemented to correct them. I will not accept failure."

9. President of Tour de France organization, Christian Prudhomme, walking onto stage

10. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, President of Amaury Sport Organisation

"Security is our priority – I might say the Tour de France organizers' number one priority. Security of the participants, security of the fans along the roads of the Tour de France."

11. Various of Cazeneuve and Prudhomme with police and Gendarmerie officials

RESTRICTIONS: SNTV clients only. Use within 14 days. If interested in archive use after 14 days please contact www.aparchive.com. Internet use only for SNTV clients with digital rights licensed in their contract. For any questions regarding rights restrictions please contact planning@sntv.com.

SHOTLIST: Paris, France. 24th May, 2016.

1. 00:00 Police and Gendarmerie officials stand up as French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve arrives.

2. 00:09 Bernard Cazeneuve walking onto podium.

3. 00:15 SOUNDBITE (French) Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister:

"In the context of a high level threat, the Interior Ministry will deploy, this year, exceptional means. I can announce that at least 23,000 police officers and Gendarmes will be present on the side of the road to guarantee the security of the Tour de France. We are currently assessing the need for a larger involvement of our security forces."

4. 00:49 Cazeneuve giving speech.

5. 00:SOUNDBITE (French) Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister:

"50 motorcyclists from the Garde Republicaine will continue this year to escort the Tour de France, whilst 12 police officers will accompany the cyclists for the whole duration of the race. Moreover, I have asked the GIGN (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale - SWAT team) to follow the Tour de France through to the end of the event and stand ready to intervene at any moment if it proved necessary."

6. 01:22 Police official.

7. 01:27 Shoulder pad with rank.

8. 01:33 SOUNDBITE (French) Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister:

"We are preparing for the Euro 2016 in a similar way and this is the reason why, after having observed a number of unfortunate mistakes within the security apparatus in place at the Stade de France last Saturday for the Coupe de France final, I summoned the organizers on Sunday in order to examine the measures that needed to be implemented to correct them. I will not accept failure."

9. 02:04 Wide of President of Tour de France organization Christian Prudhomme walking up to lectern.

10. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, President of Amaury Sport Organisation:

"Security is our priority. I might say the Tour de France organizers' number one priority. Security of the participants, security of the fans along the roads of the Tour de France."

11. 02:19 Cazeneuve and Prudhomme shaking hands.

12. 02:25 Cazeneuve, Prudhomme and police and Gendarmerie officials.

SOURCE: SNTV.

DURATION: 02:30.

STORYLINE:

The French government on Tuesday (24th May) announced increased security for this year's Tour de France.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Cyclists on this year's Tour de France will be under the watch of 23,000 police officers, including SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics)-like intervention squads as the government tries to ensure security amid extremist threats.

France has been in a state of emergency since the attacks on Paris in November 2015 killed 130 people, with soldiers guarding landmarks and religious sites.

The emergency measures were extended last week to cover the European Championship next month and the Tour de France, which runs between the 2nd and 24th of July.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve met Christian Prudhomme, the president of the organization which runs the Tour, and afterwards announced exceptional security measures for this year's race.

Securing the Tour is unusually difficult, as crowds gather informally on narrow mountain roads and city streets along thousands of kilometres around France.

Reaction after Colombia's Egan Bernal became the first South American to win the Tour de France on Sunday - the 22 year-old beating last year's champion and Team Ineos team-mate Geraint Thomas into second place.

Paris, France. 28th July, 2019.

1. 00:00 Egan Bernal arriving at Ineos Team bus, fans and other team members applauding, surrounded by cameramen

2. 00:11 Team Ineos general manager Dave Brailsford hugs Egan Bernal who is then congraulated by well-wishers

3. 00:53 Fans and journalists at Ineos team bus

4. 00:57 Geraint Thomas leaning near team bus, Egan Bernal left of him

5. 01:06 Geraint Thomas taking a photo with a fan, then turning down interview requests

6. 01:24 Geraint Thomas drinking beer

7. 01:32 Egan Bernal shaking hands with fans, approaching bus

8. 01:43 Egan Bernal being given a bottle of beer, Bernal drinking inside bus

9. 01:54 Geraint Thomas outside bus

10. 02:03 Egan Bernal being hugged inside bus

11. 02:14 Egan Bernal being hugged outside bus

12. 02:31 Camera pan left over fans chanting to Bernal behind barrier

13. 02:38 Dave Brailsford lifting up Bernal's hand

14. 02:45 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"Yes, this was my first Tour de France and the truth is I am very happy. The truth is that this is not only for me, it's for Colombia. We have a history….the Tour de France is the most famous..."

15. 03:13 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I'd like to enjoy this with my team, with my family as see what happens this evening."

16. 03:17 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I don't have any idea what is going to happen. I am happy in Paris…

17. 03:35 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I won't ever forget this and it's for Colombia."

18. 03:46 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

Reporter: For all those in Colombia watching do you have anything to say?

Answer: Thank you for everything. I love you all and I am proud to be Colombian

Reporter: Are you going to be able to win more times?

Answer: I don't know. I just want to enjoy a few beers now."

19. 03:59 Dave Brailsford wearing Colombia jersey

20. 04:11 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Ineos general manager:

(on Bernal)

"Yeah, yeah, viva Colombia! Tour de France, what more could you want? We've got a new champion, a new ambassador, what a brilliant ambassador for Colombia is Egan Bernal."

21. 04:28 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Ineos general manager:

"Well, we'll come back next year and we'll try and do it again I think. But for the moment, I think he needs to enjoy the moment, have a party, celebrate and then try and realise what he's achieved. I think it's something historic for Colombia, very, very important I think and I'm very, very happy to help him achieve this goal."

22. 04:53 Bernal and Brailsford meeting fans

23. 05:10 People gathering in front of Ineos team bus, one holding Colombia flag

RESTRICTIONS: SNTV clients only. Use within 14 days. If interested in archive use after 14 days please contact www.aparchive.com. Internet use only for SNTV clients with digital rights licensed in their contract. For any questions regarding rights restrictions please contact planning@sntv.com.

SHOTLIST: Paris, France. 27th June 2016.

1. 00:00 News conference

2. 00:07 SOUNDBITE: (English) Brian Cookson, President of the International Cycling Union (UCI):

"I think we've got a very effective way of testing before and after and perhaps during the race with I think both those forms of technology. Thermal imaging can supplement the magnetic resonance testing that we have invested in, that we believe is the most effective way."

3. 00:25 French Secretary of State for Sport Thierry Braillard,

4. 00:30 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christophe Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France:

"The UCI accepted, and I thank them for that, that this camera will be somewhere on the Tour de France, on a regular base during the Tour de France. But I won't tell you where exactly it will be because I will not know where it will be. And I certainly do not want to know. What we want is that this camera will be there and Brian Cookson, the President of the UCI has accepted it."

5. 00:47 Cutaway

6. 00:53 Thermal images of bicycles on screen

7. 01:02 SOUNDBITE: (French) Vincent Berger, director of research of the CEA (Commission of Atomic Energy):

(speaking during demonstration with thermal images on screen)

"It's simply the difference of structure of this framework that is filled with the battery that leads to a difference of thermic property of the material. That allows to detect the battery in the framework and the motor in the centre."

8. 01:19 SOUNDBITE: (French) Vincent Berger, director of research of CEA (Commission of Atomic Energy):

(during one to one)

"We believe it's very, very difficult to hide. You cannot hide your temperature, you know. And you can neither easily hide the magnetic field without putting on a device, that will be visible on the bicycle."

9. 01:32 SOUNDBITE: (French) Vincent Berger, director of research of CEA (Commission of Atomic Energy):

(speaks during demonstration with thermal images on screen)

"The skin of the persons is more hot than their clothes. The skin is at 27 degrees and the clothes more or less 22 or 23. That's the temperature of this weekend."

10 01:41 SOUNDBITE: (French) Vincent Berger, director of research of CEA, the Commission of Atomic Energy

(speaks during demonstration with thermal images on screen

"Here we switch from visible images to thermal images. That's important to identify the cyclist."

11. 01:48 SOUNDBITE: (French) Vincent Berger, director of research of CEA, the Commission of Atomic Energy

(speaks during demonstration with thermal images on screen)

"Here you see the bicycle. There is no difference of temperature, there is no motor in his bicycle."

12. 01:54 Photo of cameraman with thermal camera on screen

13. 02:01 News conference

14. 02:05 Cutaway

15. 02:11 SOUNDBITE: (English) Brian Cookson, President of the International Cycling Union (UCI):

"We have introduced rules, sanctions, very high sanctions up to life ban and very high penalties both for riders and for teams if they are found guilty of this offence."

16. 02:23 Cutaway

17. 02:27 SOUNDBITE: (French) Thierry Braillard, French Secretary of State for Sport:

"We confirm that controls will take place in agreement with the UCI (International Cyclist Union) and the ASO (Olympic Sports Association) on the next Tour de France, but you should know from this very moment, that you will not know how many, where and when."

18. 02:46 Cutaway

19. 02:52 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christophe Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France:

"If people still want to cheat, they are in big trouble."

20. 02:59 Cutaway

21. 03:03 (English) Brian Cookson, President of the International Cycling Union (UCI):

"And as has been said before, if someone thinks they can cheat, well, there is a challenge. Try it and we will catch you and you will be sanctioned."

22. 03:11 News press conference

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:22

STORYLINE:

Organisers for the Tour de France announced on Monday (27th June) that they are to use thermal cameras to detect motors on bikes.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Monday it will make between 3,000 and 4,000 bike checks for motorised doping at the Tour de France, which begins on Saturday (2nd July).

The world governing body has increased testing at major competitions, including the Tour, in recent years following rumour and speculation regarding motors hidden in frames.

And the UCI announced it was stepping up testing once more for "technological fraud" in the biggest race of the year, which begins at Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy this weekend and concludes in Paris on July 24.

A statement read: "For the forthcoming Tour de France, the UCI will have resources in place to conduct between 3,000 and 4,000 tests.

"An effective testing protocol is one which is unpredictable so the UCI confirms that it will deploy additional methods of detection at the Tour to both assess their performance and to ensure a varied testing protocol."

UCI president Brian Cookson said: "Since the beginning of the year, we are sending a clear message which is that there is literally nowhere to hide for anyone foolish enough to attempt to cheat in this way.

"A modified bike is extremely easy to detect with our scanners and we will continue to deploy them extensively throughout the Tour and the rest of the season."

Belgian rider Femke Van den Driessche was in April, suspended for six years by the UCI in the first case of motorised doping in cycling.

Disciplinary proceedings began in March after the 19-year-old allegedly used a bike containing a motor at January's UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Belgium.

Van den Driessche was banned for violating UCI rules relating to technical fraud while she was also fined 20,000 Swiss francs and ordered to pay legal costs.

The UCI tested 2,000 bikes at May's Giro d'Italia and said its measures were welcomed by riders, teams and organisers, who are cooperating with testing.

"It is clear that all stakeholders in cycling have a common interest to demonstrate that this sort of cheating has no place in the sport," the UCI statement added.

SHOTLIST:

*** Last 30 secs of story plays black***

Paris - 27 July 2006

1. Exterior of the ASO building near Paris (Tour de France Organisers - Amaury Sports Organisation)

2. Various of map with Tour de France route

3. Set-up Christian Prudhomme talking in the ASO office

4. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) Director:

"The statement now that there has been an abnormal result - before the second test we can't take it for granted even if it seems like that for some. It isn't. We need a second test. The first reaction is that it's of course disappointing that it involves the yellow jersey of the Tour and that I would see in this a positive aspect if I can say so and that is that the decisions we were aspiring to before the start of the Tour de France, this testing right now is that those who carry on cheating have really bad bad days ahead of them."

5. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) Director:

" We never said it was over, we never said it was over, we said and repeated that it was a it was a struggle, we said we had won a battle, the Friday that precede the start of the Tour de France wasn't a black Friday but a Friday full of hope on the contrary because there was and I am convinced a global awareness that was starting to appear. That is all I can say if the results of the second testing confirm what is being said today."

6. Cutaway of a Sport Newspaper with an article titled " A positive case on the Tour"

7. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Prudhomme, Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) Director:

"The majority said that the tests were useless, that the world of cycling wasn't doing anything, anything, it's not true or it is no longer true. That is clear. Our determination is flawless and it's not the positive or negative second results that will change anything in our determination."

8. Cutaway of Landis on the cover of "Velo Magazine" - saying "The human face of the Tour: Floyd Landis"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Voxpop:

"In the last twenty years every year we hear things about drugs in the cycling world that's not new and not really surprising. A bit disappointing but nothing really surprising."

10. SOUNDBITE (French) Voxpop:

"To climb the Alpes d'Huez mountain at 30km per hour you really must have something in your blood."

11. Wide of Paris street

FILE - Paris - 23 July 2006

12. Tour de France winner Floyd Landis walking onto podium

13. Various of Landis on podium

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Floyd Landis, Tour de France winner:

"To be honest I'm very tired right now but it feels quite good...I think I'll be happy about this for a long time."

15. Mid shot of podium

STORYLINE:

Tour de France champion Floyd Landis tested positive for high levels of testosterone during the race, his Phonak team said on Thursday on its Web site.

The statement came after UCI, cycling's world governing body, said an unidentified rider had failed a drug test during the Tour.

It also came just four days after Landis stood on the victory podium on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

The Swiss-based Phonak team said it was notified by the UCI on Wednesday that Landis' sample showed "an unusual level of testosterone/epitestosterone" when he was tested after stage 17 of the race last Thursday.

Christian Prudhomme, Director of Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), the Tour de France organisers, said that a second test (a "B" sample) would be needed to be confirm the abnormal result.

But he added "the first reaction is that it's of course disappointing that it involves the yellow jersey of the Tour."

"Those who carry on cheating have really bad bad days ahead of them," he said.

Landis rode the Tour with a degenerative hip condition that he has said will require surgery in the coming weeks or months.

Phonak said Landis would ask for an analysis of his backup "B" sample.

Prudhomme said sanctions will come from the UCI, pending on the outcome of the second testing.

Reacting to Thursday's developments Parisians interviewed by AP Television said the news was not surprising

"To climb the Alpes d'Huez mountain at 30km per hour you really must have something in your blood," one person said.

"A bit disappointing but nothing really surprising," said another.

Seven riders, including pre-race favourites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, were removed from the Tour on the eve of the race after being implicated in a major Spanish doping investigation.

STORYLINE:

Geraint Thomas shared his emotions after being officially crowned the 2018 Tour de France champion on Sunday (29th July), the first Welshman to win the prestigious race on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Geraint Thomas won his first Tour de France title on Sunday, concluding his transformation from a support rider into a champion of cycling's biggest race.

The Welsh rider with Team Sky successfully defended his lead of 1 minute, 51 seconds over second-placed Tom Dumoulin in the mostly ceremonial final stage.

Thomas rode a yellow bike to match his yellow jersey and shared glasses of champagne with his team-mates during the casual ride into Paris before buckling down to keep up with the other leaders on the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees.

Four-time champion Chris Froome, Thomas's team-mate, finished third, two minutes and 24 seconds behind, and rode next to Thomas as they crossed the line, with Froome applauding.

Thomas was a support rider during Froome's four victories but he emerged as Sky's strongest rider in this race when Froome crashed early on and couldn't keep up in the mountains.

The three-week race covered 3,351 kilometres (2,082 miles).

Paris, France. 29th July, 2018.

1. 00:00 Supporters applauding when cyclists pass by

2. 00:10 Geraint Thomas arrives at Sky autocar hours after he won the Tour de France

3. 00:24 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"You know we are always thinking about the process and what you do day after day and you never think at the outcome, the reaction. It all came flooding out at me quite literally yesterday. Yeah, like just see everyone, people I don't even know are over the moon about it and it's just so flattering and incredible."

4. 00:43 Supporters applauding with Welsh flag behind

5. 00:49 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"You know, I believed I could beat everyone on my day but to do it day after day and for three weeks, which is the first time I tried, yeah it's just insane. It's just been an amazing year and the confidence in riding on the crest of a wave, I am certainly going to enjoy this."

6. 01:04 Supporters clapping

7. 01:13 Geraint Thomas in front of the Sky autocar doing the Iceland 'Thunderclap' together with Sky Team manager Dave Brailsford

8. 01:37 Supporters clapping hands

9. 01:39 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"I had goose bumps coming down the Champs Elysees and the Welsh flags, all the support, it's just like 'I won the Tour, how has that all happened?'. It's just mental."

10. 01:52 Supporters with Welsh flag

11. 01:57 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"Like I said, you don't think about this part, you think about winning and crossing the line in the yellow jersey, but you're never thinking about all the people that are going to message you, the kind messages you are going to get and all the support and all the random people that are saying how they have cried seeing you win and they never met me. It's just insane. I really appreciate all this support. Obviously, it's been a tough Tour from that side of things, but the support has never shown any negativity and that means so much to us."

12. 02:27 Chris Froome with team-mates

13. 02:34 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Sky manager:

"The great thing about this particular Tour de France is that both guys are so experienced, they are both very mature and they were fantastic together, you know, there was no conflict, they supported each other. What a class by Chris Froome. The moment he realized he was not going to win the race, straight he went to help his teammate. That's the sign of a great, great champion."

14. 03:00 Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas with team mates

15. 03:17 Sky autocar and supporters

16. 03:22 Geraint Thomas greeting supporters and entering in the Sky bus

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:52

Riding a bright yellow bike to match his shiny leader's jersey, defending champion Chris Froome won his fourth and most challenging Tour de France title on Sunday (23rd July).

The 32 year-old Kenyan-born British rider finished 54 seconds ahead of Colombian Rigoberto Uran overall, the smallest margin of his quartet of victories.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

2017 Tour de France winner Chris Froome paid tribute to his Sky teammates on Sunday, moments after safely rolling over the finish line in the 21st and final stage of the 104th edition in Paris.

It was the 32 year-old Briton's fourth Tour success and third n a row - he finished 54 seconds ahead of Colombia's Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale) overall, the smallest margin of his victories.

"I've got eight guys who are absolutely dedicated to making sure this yellow jersey stays on my shoulders and if it means that he (nodding to Sky teammate Luke Rowe) comes in last place because of it, that's obviously what he's prepared to do and I'm extremely grateful for that," Froome said.

"I definitely don't think that the team gets the recognition it deserves in cycling, especially seeing it's normally just the winner who stands on the podium," he added. "That's why I think tonight was even more special, the fact the we won the team classification as well. It's great to be able to go up there with the whole tea and show that this is a team effort."

Fellow Briton and teammate Luke Rowe was equally complementary.

"We took the yellow jersey in Dusseldorf, which seems an eternity ago. And we kind of defended it all the way," he said. "We've had the yellow jersey for 19 stages and I'm not just saying it because he's stood next to me now, but I think if it was another team with another leader, possibly I wouldn't be here."

"When you have the best team in the world with the best leader in the world, there is no way you're going to pull out and you're going to do everything you can towards making sure he keeps that jersey and here we are now in Paris and he's got the jersey, so... incredible," Rowe added.

Froome's four Tour de France victories put his just one more title away from joining an elite group among winners of the most prestigious and toughest stage race in cycling.

French pair Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, Belgian legend Eddie Merckx and Miguel Indurain of Spain all have five titles to their name.

Paris, France - 23rd July 2017

1. 00:00 2017 Tour de France winner Chris Froome rides to Team Sky bus surrounded by officials

2. 00:08 Froome arrives at team bus and is hugged by member of Sky backroom staff

3. 00:23 SOUNDBITE (English): Chris Froome, winner of the 2017 Tour de France:

"I've got eight guys who are absolutely dedicated to making sure this yellow jersey stays on my shoulders and if it means that he (nods to Sky teammate Luke Rowe) comes in last place because of it, that's obviously what he's prepared to do and I'm extremely grateful for that."

4. 00:38 Froome 'high fives' with fans

5. 00:43 SOUNDBITE (English): Luke Rowe, Team Sky:

"You know, we took the yellow jersey in Dusseldorf, which seems an eternity ago. And we kind of defended it all the way. We've had the yellow jersey for 19 stages and you know, I'm not just saying it because he's stood next to me now, but you know, I think if it was another team with another leader, possibly I wouldn't be here, but you know when you have the best team in the world with the best leader in the world, there is no way you're going to pull out and you're going to do everything you can towards making sure he keeps that jersey and here we are now in Paris and he's got the jersey, so... incredible."

6. 01:13 High angle shot of fans surrounding Froome next to the Team Sky bus

7. 01:20 SOUNDBITE (English): Chris Froome, winner of the 2017 Tour de France:

"I definitely don't think that the team gets the recognition it deserves in cycling, especially seeing it's normally just the winner who stands on the podium. I mean, that's why I think tonight was even more special, the fact the we won the team classification as well. It's great to be able to go up there with the whole tea and show that this is a team effort."

8. 01:42 High shot of Froome posing for photographs before entering bus

9. 01:50 SOUNDBITE (English): Chris Froome, winner of the 2017 Tour de France:

"I mean, I had a few moments, technical problems at really crucial moments of the race. I had a bad day in the Pyrenees as well where I just didn't have the legs and all the other contenders rode away from me, so it definitely hasn't been plain sailing."

10. 02:03 Fans taking photographs of Froome's bike

11. 02:08 SOUNDBITE (English): Chris Froome, winner of the 2017 Tour de France:

"I mean, just rolling into the Champs Elysees, just the roar of the crowd, just the emotions, just... you start reflecting on all the hard work, all the sacrifices to get here and it's just... it all just kind of wells up into you, into one lap of the Champs Elysees, if you like."

12. 02:27 Wide shot of fans surrounding Team Sky bus

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 02:32