Here Comes the Tour de France (to Sallanches)!

Not only is the Tour de France coming to Haute Savoie, but it's the first time EVER that a department is hosting Le Tour for 3 days! The last time the Tour de France came through Sallanches was in 2003, then in 1968, so it's a BIG DEAL. Suddenly, the roads are paved, bike paths designated, and the eyesore of a former post office is brightly painted with a mural for the Tour. Here's an interactive map so you can keep up with what's happening in real time. The fact that Sallanches is a Ville Depart (Point of Departure) means that the TV cameras will be here, so I plan to be at the Place Charles Albert to watch the events live. The day's events are as follows:

Tour de France Caravan: leaves from Place Charles Albert at 9:15 for a 30-minute ride to Megeve. Freebies like key rings, chocolates and racing caps will be thrown at will to bystanders, but be careful not to get stampeded on!

Unveiling of Bernard Hinault statue at the northern rotary of Sallanches at 9:45

Time Trials: Thursday, July 21st starting at 10:45 am and continuing until 5 pm.

Village Depart: TV showcasing everything Savoyard, from music to local foods to celebrities.

Time: 12:45 - 13:50 UT (6 hours later for East Coasters, i. e. 6:45 - 7:50 pm)

Channel: France 3 here's the streaming version to watch it online

Cote de Domancy Arrivals: Starting at around 11:00 am, the Cote de Domancy is one of the steepest climbs, with 2.5 kilometres at 9.4%

Our little sleepy town of Domancy (pop 1,948) , sometimes sarcastically called Dormancy, is going to be overrun with spectators and tourists from every country imaginable. They're expecting 1.5 million people to come to our region over the next few days! Our Impasse will be completely blocked off, so we'll have to cross through the wheat fields for two days to even get out! Immortalized by Bernard Hinault in 1980 when he won the UCI World Championship in Sallanches, the famous Cote de Domancy is one of the most challenging of the Le Tour. After winning Le Tour 5 times, he has made the Tour de France so famous in fact that a statue will be unveiled in his honour at the northern entrance to Sallanches from the Autoroute Blanche.

This year's Tour de France includes only 5 Americans:

1) Tejay van Garderen, 27BMC Racing: 5th in 2012, almost won the Alpe d’Huez stage in 2013, 5th again in 2014, and last year 3rd overall until he dropped out due to sickness.

2 ) Brent Bookwalter, 32BMC Racing: competing both in the road race and time trial, Bookwalter's versatility is his saving grace. He's also competing in the upcoming Rio Olympics, so he's got a lot on his plate!

3) Lawson Craddock, 24Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling: the Rookie American, Craddock is a climber, so is expected to help Cannondale’s new French leader, Pierre Rolland, in Rolland’s quest for a high overall placing

4) Alex Howes, 28Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling: Road captain this year for Cannondale, Howes' solid climbing experience and rugged endurance capabilities are a definite asset to the team.

5) Peter Stetina, 28Trek-Segafredo: this year's comeback kid, Stetina was involved in a crash in last year's Tour de France that left him with a shattered right tibia and patella, along with four ribs. A pure climber, just having him back in Le Tour is a miracle in itself.

I'll be rooting for the Americans, and hopefully interviewing one or two!