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

SHOTLIST:

Paris, France. October 18th, 2011.

1. 00:00 Alberto Contador arriving for presentation of the Tour de France 2012.

2. 00:08 Wide of Contador seated, surrounded by photographers and cameramen.

3. 00:14 Zoom out Andy Schleck seated, surrounded by photographers and cameramen.

4. 00:24 Wide shot of stage and audience to zoom in to Christian Prudhomme arriving on stage.

5. 00:35 Animated graphic on screen showing the route of the beginning of the Tour de France 2012.

6. 00:53 Mid shot of Cadel Evans watching.

7. 01:00 Animated graphic on screen showing the route of the end of the Tour de France 2012.

8. 01:24 Tilt down map of France with route of the Tour de France 2012.

9. 01:31 Mid shot of famous Tour de France racing cyclists on stage.

10. 01:36 Pan of famous Tour de France racing cyclists on stage.

11. 01:44 Christian Prudhomme talking to journalists.

12. 01:50 SOUNDBITE: (French) Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France.

13. 02:29 Mid shot of Prudhomme and other officials on stage.

14. 02:34 SOUNDBITE: (English) Cadel Evans, Winner of the 2011 Tour de France.

15. 02:56 Panning shot of officials on stage.

16. 03:02 SOUNDBITE: (English) Alberto Contador, Winner of the 2010 Tour de France.

17. 03:27 Wide of stage with cyclists and officials, map of France with route of the Tour de France 2012 in the background.

STORYLINE:

The 2012 Tour de France promises steeper climbs, longer stages and more time trials it was revealed when the official route was unveiled at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Tuesday (October 18th).

The Tour's 99th edition, which starts June 30th in Liege, Belgium, will feature nearly 100 kilometres (62 miles) of individual time trials and 25 tough mountain climbs over a total of 3,479 kilometres (2,162 miles).

Following the announcement competitors quickly analysed the route, and tried to gauge their chances.

SUGGESTED VOICEOVER:

The route that the 2012 Tour de France will take was unveiled at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Tuesday.

The Tour's 99th edition, which starts June 30th in Liege, Belgium, will feature nearly 100 kilometres (62 miles) of individual time trials and 25 tough mountain climbs.

The super-steep Planche des Belles Filles in eastern France, with a patch of a staggering 20-degree gradient, is but one of nearly a half-dozen new mountain climbs for the Tour.

Riders will also struggle up the Col de la Croix in the Jura mountains of Switzerland - a 3.7-kilometre climb with an average gradient of 9.2 percent.

A group of cycling stars lined the front row of the glitzy presentation; with defending Tour de France champion Cadel Evans in attendance, alongside new world champion Mark Cavendish of Britain, brothers Andy and Frank Schleck - who finished this year second and third behind Evans - and Belgium's Philippe Gilbert, the top-ranked rider this year in the International Cycling Union scale.

SOUNDBITE: (French).

"It is a Tour de France that was built with lots of new things. We are between historical editions: on one hand, the 2010 centenary of Pyrennees, the 2011 centenary of the summit Col du Galibier and on the other hand the 100th edition of the Tour in 2013. And here we clearly are on the chapter of novelty, with new passes in some mountains like the Jura or the Vosges where you don't necessarily expect to have some mountain passes so difficult, so high gradients. So, this Tour is really designed for attackers, for people who attack from farther out. There are a bit more mountains passes, fewer summit finishes, more time trials. It is really done in a way so people will have to fight hard if they want to win de Tour de France. It was designed for this matter anyway."

SUPER CAPTION: Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France.

Following the announcement competitors quickly analysed the route, and tried to gauge their chances.

SOUNDBITE: (English).

"On paper it looks like a mix of everything - especially the first week and around Liege and those stages it is a little bit Amstel Gold Race, it's a little bit Bastogne-Liege style of racing and then you get into bigger mountains and, of course, longer and probably flatter Time Trials I'm assuming. So you come to a different style of racing there."

SUPER CAPTION: Cadel Evans, winner of the 2011 Tour de France

However, 2010 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador didn't seem too keen on the route.

SOUNDBITE: (English).

"No, but it is not the best for me. Maybe it is better for Cadel Evans, it is more for the rider that goes very very strong in the time trials and, maybe for me, I need to attack before the time trial and not for the other riders. Okay, this is the race and we need to be training hard to fight for the victory."

SUPER CAPTION: Alberto Contador, winner of the 2010 Tour de France.

The 2011 Tour de France gets underway in Liege, Belgium on June 30th.

The route for the 2015 Giro d'Italia was unveiled in Milan on Monday (6th October) and riders Cadel Evans, Alberto Contador and Michal Kwiatkowski looked ahead to the event.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan was the venue for a lavish presentation on Monday, as the route for the 2015 Giro d'Italia was unveiled.

It was described as a balanced route, which organisers believe will allow riders to compete in both the Tour de France as well as the Italian classic.

The 2015 Giro will take the riders on 21 stages from San Remo to Milan, via central Italy, the Dolomites and the Alps, over a total of 3,482 kilometres (2,163.6 miles) between May the 9th and 31st.

There will be five days in the high mountains, alongside seven medium mountain stages. There are also seven legs for the sprinters, and time trials for individuals and teams.

There are two rest days and relatively short transfer distances, which organisers hope will convince many of the big-name Grand Tour contenders to join Alberto Contador in riding both the Giro and Le Tour in 2015.

Contador announced last month that he would compete in both the Giro and the Tour next year.

The two-time Tour champion won the Giro in 2008 and was also triumphant in Milan in 2011 but was stripped of that title for a doping offence during the 2010 Tour.

Contador is aiming to become the first rider to win both the Giro and the Tour in the same year since Marco Pantani achieved that feat in 1998.

"It's a tough Giro, there will be a lot of of climbing arrivals after the easy beginning, it's a Giro with a great level of participants, and you will need to be very well prepared," he said.

The Spaniard was present at the unveiling, along with a number of his rivals, including Fabio Aru, Rigoberto Uran and new World Road Race champion Michal Kwiatkowski, as well as International Cycling Union President Brian Cookson.

"I know all the people going to look at me next year because I am representing my country Poland and of course cycling in total," Kwiatkowski said. "But honestly, I want to represent with honour the rainbow jersey, it's very important for me and yeah, I will try to be better next year."

Defending champion Nairo Quintana was absent as he recovers at home in Colombia after his crash at the Vuelta a Espana this year.

There are six mountain-top finishes, with the first - the Abetone - coming on stage five. However, the most daunting tests come in the final week, with finishes up Madonna di Campiglio, Aprica, Cervinia, and Sestriere.

The Aprica, at the end of stage 16, has maximum gradients of 15 per cent and comes just after the cyclists have scaled gradients of up to 18 per cent on the Mortirolo climb.

The penultimate stage up to Sestriere contains the highest peak of the Giro - the Colle delle Finestre - and is likely to decide the winner, with the final 185 kilometre (114.96-mile) leg from Torino to Milan set to be mainly an extended victory parade.

As well as a lengthy time trial, there are three days which stretch to more than 200 kilometres (124 miles), with the seventh stage from Grosseto to Fiuggi topping out at 263 kilometres (163.4 miles).

Palazzo del Ghiaccio, Milan, Italy. 6th October, 2014

1. 00:00 Wide shot exterior of Palazzo del Ghiaccio (Ice skating palace)

2. 00:07 Close up logo Giro d'Italia - Fight for the Pink

3. 00:11 Wide shot woman bringing the Giro trophy to the stage

4. 00:20 Wide shot logo presentation Giro d'italia

5. 00:26 Wide shot riders on the stage

6. 00:32 Wide shot Cadel Evans receiving a commemorative plate from Giro organisers

7. 00:38 Close up Cadel Evans with the plate saying "Cadel Evans - A Man, A Champion"

8. 00:44 SOUNDBITE (English) Cadel Evans:

"I look forward to enjoying riding my bike, without having to try to be the number one in the world, but at the same time I am sure I'm going to miss something of the racing, the adrenaline of racing, the chance to win, the chance to work with my team mates and being part of a winning team or winning for the team..."

9. 01:06 Close up poster of Evans

10. 01:12 SOUNDBITE (English) Cadel Evans:

"I have a family and friends and so on, and a life I've put aside... I've put a lot of things to one side that I've yet to enjoy."

11.01:23 Close up photo Evans

12. 01:28 SOUNDBITE (English) Cadel Evans:

"I continue working with my bike sponsor, BMC, being an ambassador, and I will be on my bike often, most days, probably not every day, but nearly every day. I'll be riding a lot, I'll be visiting quite a few races, and I certainly hope to be able to pass on some of my riding experience, especially to some of the younger Australian riders."

13. 01:50 Wide shot of Evans on stage

14. 01:55 SOUNDBITE (English) Cadel Evans:

"As you race... I started aged seventeen as a professional and you know, at some point you're going to have to stop, you're just not quite sure when. And sooner or later it arrives and yeah, now my moment has arrived."

15. 02:12 Mid shot Evans and Alberto Contador

16. 02:17 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alberto Contador:

"It's a tough Giro, there will be a lot of of climbing arrivals after the easy beginning, it's a Giro with a great level of participants, and you will need to be very well prepared."

17. 02:42 Mid shot Giro trophy

18. 02:48 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alberto Contador

(concerning the chance of riding in both the Giro and the Tour de France in the same season)

"I think it's possible even if hard. I will do my best and I will try them, we will see."

19. 03:01 Mid shot Giro Route 360 degree diagram

20. 03:08 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alberto Contador

(on the difference between the Giro and La Vuelta Espana)

"Giro Tour and Vuelta all together... each of them is special, Le Tour is the most important Race of the world, Giro is the most beautiful race in the world and Vuelta is the race of my country."

21. 03:23 Mid shot Evans, Contador and World Road Race champion Michal Kwiatkowski sitting together

22. 03:27 SOUNDBITE (English) Michal Kwiatkowski:

"I know all the people going to look at me next year because I am representing my country Poland and of course cycling in total, but honestly, I want to represent with honour the rainbow jersey, it's very important for me and yeah, I will try to be better next year."

23. 03:55 Close up first stage Giro logo

24. 03:56 SOUNDBITE (English) Michal Kwiatkowski:

"No, I think the Giro it's going to be, as they say, you know, the toughest race of the season, 3,500 kilometres, especially 59 kilometre time trial, it will be really, really tough but honestly I think the organisers of the Giro took a look at the riders because there is going to be less (shorter) transfer between the stages, so of course it's going to be less tough because of that, but in the end you know, it's a beautiful country, beautiful countryside, just amazing and all the riders love to race in Italy."

25. 04:39 Close up logo of final stage of 2015 Giro

26. 04:44 Close up logo of Giro route

27. 04:50 SOUNDBITE (English) Brian Cookson, International Cycling Union President:

"The European season has been fantastic, I think we have seen some fantastic winners, some new talent come through, we've seen some older riders restored to their greatest days so I am confident we're gonna have great season next year as well."

28. 00:58 SOUNDBITE (English) Brian Cookson, International Cycling Union President:

"I think we've got an absolutely classic Giro route there, I think we're gonna have some wonderful performances, some good flat stages for the sprinters, some medium mountain stages for the breakaway experts, some great summit finishes, really hard mountain stages and a very long time by the modern standards. I think that's going to be absolutely critical."

29. 05:30 Close up presentation sign