Rest of race will be ‘full of suspense and serenity’, says Tour chief

TOUR DE FRANCE director Christian Prudhomme claims his changes have made this year’s race one of the most exciting in years.

Prudhomme took control of an event plagued by doping scandals at the end of 2006 and this year has rung some drastic changes in an attempt to put the focus back on the race, dropping the prologue time-trial and creating a race with fewer flats than in recent years.

The result has been a thrilling and unpredictable Tour which has thrown up five different leaders in 10 days and nailbiting finishes to most of the individual stages.