The 94th edition of the Tour de France begins on July 7, 2007, in London, marking a landmark Grand Départ in the UK as the race continues through a period of instability and reform. Several high-profile figures are missing from the start line, most notably defending champion Floyd Landis, who voluntarily sits out the race while contesting a positive test from the previous Tour. The fallout from Operación Puerto further reshapes the field, with former contenders Ivan Basso absent and Jan Ullrich having announced his retirement in the wake of the investigation, leaving the general classification unusually open and the race searching for a new focal point.
Into that space steps a broad and closely matched group of contenders, led by Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde, Andreas Klöden, and Michael Rasmussen, the latter arriving after a strong climbing season and viewed as a specialist threat in the high mountains. The route emphasizes balance and adaptability, featuring two individual time trials and extended mountain tests in both the Pyrenees and Alps, with iconic ascents such as Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier, and Plateau de Beille positioned to reward consistency and restraint rather than early control. Against a backdrop of scrutiny and transition, the 2007 Tour de France opens as an examination of who can endure—and adapt—in a sport still redefining itself.
