As we now know since a long time already the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2009 will be organised in Monaco.

As all other cities which organise the start of the Tour de France, Monaco has decided to set up a dedicated web site. A preview version of that web site is now online and it already contains some information, especially about the organisation committee looking for volunteers to make this Grand Départ a success.

Monaco receives the Tour

With this slogan the Principality presents itself for the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2009 on the Internet: Monaco accueille le Tour.

The domain name has been registered only on 28 November 2008 by the Direction de l'Expansion Economique du Gouvernement de la Principauté de Monaco.

Currently there's not much publicly available information on the web site: the homepage contains four buttons, one of which giving access to a section dedicated to the press, another giving access to a section dedicated to sponsors/partners, one giving information for volunteers (you can read more about that below) and a contact button allowing to send an e-mail to Céline Cottalorda, who's the press contact for the Grand Départ.

The press- and sponsor sections are only available to people who have a username and password so I'm unfortunately unable to precisely know what's in there. The only thing I know is that the press section contains a press file, the design guidelines and a videotheque.
The site indicates that all public sections will become available on Monday 2 February.

The web site should normally be available in three languages: French, English and Italian. Currently only the French version is available and only in its preview version before official opening.

Monaco is looking for 400 volunteers

In order to be able to receive all visitors in a perfect way and to make the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2009 a real success and a party people will remember, the organisation committee is looking for numerous volunteers (at a press conference the organisation committee indicated it's looking for 400 volunteers of which about 100 have already registered).

The organisation committee is not asking for specific education or experience to become a volunteer, but the registration form does contain some questions which can be used as selection criteria in case more volunteers register: do you have a cycling licence? / if so, from which club?, do you speak one or more foreign languages? / if so, which and have you ever before been a volunteer for an event? / if so, which event(s)? / which was your role?. Furthermore, the form clearly indicates that people who are available for the top 5 days (1 to 5 July) will be preferred over others.

Finally, the form assumes that only volunteers from Monaco will register, just above the place where the volunteer has to sign the form the text Fait à Monaco, le ... is pre-printed. Would volunteers coming from elsewhere in the area (but on the French side) or coming from further away be refused?

For more information, volunteers can contact Miss Sylvie BERTRAND who can also be reached by phone at +377 98 98 80 96.

The programme for the Grand Départ

The great idea of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2009 in Monaco had already been announced during the official presentation of the Grand Départ on 14 December 2007 and the official presentation of the Tour de France 2009 route on 22 October 2008, but the programme now starts to become more precise.

It'll all start with the official opening of the Permanence of the Grand Départ in the Grimaldi Forum on Wednesday 1 July at 2PM, most probably by the Prince of Monaco.

On Thursday 2 July it's time for the team presentation to the press and visitors with:
> from 5PM till 6PM a briefing between the direction of the race, the team managers and riders
> at 5PM a short presentation round of a part of the advertising caravan around the swimming pool (close to the finish of the first time trial stage)
> from 6PM till 7.30PM the team presentation:
- 6500 free seats in the stand will be available for spectators who will be able to see the presentation on the podium and through two huge screens on both sides of it
- after the presentation, each team leaves the podium with a ramp towards the swimming pool; at the foot of this ramp photographers will take the official team picture before the riders go do a tour in the city and in front of the stands, together with 4 or 5 young local cyclists
- the teams will be presented in groups of 3: there will be a musical break between each group of about 3 to 5 minutes, most probably with a DJ who will be mixing live
- 7.30PM-?? dance party with live DJ

On Friday 3 July there won't be any event which is really related to the Tour de France, but the Principality organises a humanitarian criterium with about 60 famous people from the world of sports (old riders, cross-country skiers, ...) who will collect money for a charitable cause. That night Monaco will organise a cocktail party for people who are invited.

On Saturday 4 July it's the big day: the first stage, a 15 kilometer time trial! The village départ will be set up on the Quai Louis II. The first rider will leave at 4PM (instead of 2.30PM as initially planned, because of the TV broadcasting schedule) while the last rider will finish at around 7.20/7.30PM. The roads will be blocked starting at 12.30PM and the advertising caravan will leave at 1.30PM.

On Sunday 5 July Monaco will organise the start of the second stage towards Brignoles.

This programme was presented by Didier Gamerdinger, general director for Internal Affairs of the Principality of Monaco, during a press conference at the Ministry. Below you can listen to an extract of this press conference.

Your browser must support Javascript to be able to listen to the extract

(source: Podcast Journal of Saturday 17 January)All images in this article are the exclusive property of the Monaco's press centre and are being used here for not for profit goals.

door Thomas Vergouwen
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this publication is published in: Tour de France | Tour de France 2009

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