The most coveted title in professional cycling, the 2012 edition of the Tour de France uniquely features what race organizers call “never before explored” terrain. The route consists of a prologue, three major climbs, two individual time trials and a host of explosive, uphill finishes - including the steepest gradient in Tour history – La Planches des Belles Filles (28 percent). The 99th edition of the race fittingly begins in cycling-mad Liege, Belgium before the peloton looks towards the Alps and Pyrénées that feature both unknown and infamous climbs like Stage 16’s Aubisque and Tourmalet. The final days bring one of the longest time trials in recent years – Stage 19’s 52-kilometer battle – sure to ignite one of the most exciting, offensive battles in Tour history.