The 2015 Tour de France will get off to a unique start in the Netherlands with a short individual time trial that should kickstart the battle for the Maillot Jaune early. The good news for the climbing specialists -- Nairo Quintana and Thibault Pinot -- is that this time trial is almost comically short at just 13.8 kilometers. General classification contenders who would normally open up big gaps in a time trial -- Chris Froome, Alberto Contador and Tejay van Garderen -- will be hamstrung a bit by the format.
Tour de France 2015, Stage 1: Route, TV schedule and more
The 2015 Tour de France opens with a short, fast time trial through the cycling-crazy streets of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
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Nonetheless, Saturday’s opening stage will be a competitive affair through Utrecht. If last years Grand Départ was any indication, the streets will be jammed with people and the spectacle should be grand. The Dutch love cycling, so expect them to go all out now that they’re hosting three stages of the world’s biggest bicycle race.
The course itself won’t feature any tricks. If you’ve already glanced at the elevation map below, you know that riders will take a more-or-less straight path to the finish. Viewers will get a lovely view of a lovely city, however. Utrecht has 322,000 inhabitants, and counts Dutch soccer star Wesley Sneijder among its natives.
All stages of the Tour de France will be broadcast on NBCSN this year, with NBC Sports Live Extra handling online and mobile coverage. Coverage will begin at 7 a.m. ET, with racing to begin at 8 a.m. and end at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Route
Coverage
NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra.
Coverage begins at 7 a.m. ET., NBC Highlight show at 3 p.m.
Announcers: Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen and Bob Roll
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