Paris - The 2010 Tour de France will start in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam, race organizers said on Thursday. A statement said that Rotterdam was chosen over the other Dutch bidder Utrecht because "its geographical situation adheres perfectly to the route we have imagined for the 2010 Tour" and that the image of the Tour in a big city was to promote cycling in urban areas.
The 97th edition of the Tour starts on July 3, 2010. The full route won't be unveiled until next year. The 2009 Tour also starts outside France, on July 4 in Monaco.
