Tour de la Provence

The Tour de la Provence is an early-season bicycle stage race in the Provence region of France. It is organized by southern French newspaper La Provence, which serves as the race's title sponsor for its first three years. It is held in February, as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour calendar.[1][2]The race will become part of the new UCI ProSeries in 2020. La Provence has entrusted the organization of the event to Serge Pascal, who also organizes the Tour du Haut Var. The inaugural edition of 2016 was won by Thomas Voeckler.[3][4]

Tour de la Provence
Race details
DateFebruary
RegionBouches-du-Rhône
English nameTour La Provence
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI Europe Tour
TypeStage race
OrganiserLa Provence
Race directorSerge Pascal
Web sitetourdelaprovence.fr
History
First edition2016 (2016)
Editions5 (as of 2020)
First winner Thomas Voeckler (FRA)
Most winsNo repeat winners
Most recent Nairo Quintana (COL)

History

Organizers intend to build on the tradition of the former Tour du Vaucluse and the Tour du Sud-Est, two races in the same region that have disappeared over time.[2] The event is part of a series of cycling stage races being held in the south of France in February, following the Étoile de Bessèges, La Méditerranéenne and the Tour du Haut Var. The Tour La Provence takes place mid-week between the Tour du Haut-Var and the Classic Sud-Ardèche.[5] These races are competed mainly by French teams and are considered early-season preparations for Paris–Nice, the first European World Tour event in March.[5]

Route

The race is run over three stages in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the south of France. The final stage finishes on the Canebière, the historic main street in the old quarter of Marseille, in front of the city hall.[2]

Winners
Year Country Rider Team
2016  France Thomas Voeckler Direct Énergie
2017  Australia Rohan Dennis BMC Racing Team
2018  France Alexandre Geniez AG2R La Mondiale
2019  Spain Gorka Izagirre Astana
2020  Colombia Nairo Quintana Arkéa–Samsic

References
  1. Gilles, Benoît. "Cyclisme : "La Provence" crée son Tour". La Provence (in French). Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  2. Gilles, Benoît. "Cyclisme : la Provence se lance à son Tour". laprovence.com (in French). Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  3. "Gaviria wins final stage in Provence. Voeckler takes home overall victory". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  4. "Le sprint victorieux de Gaviria en vidéo". cyclismactu.net (in French). Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  5. "News shorts: New French stage race planned for February". Cycling News. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
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