The 2017 Tour De France will start with a time trial, it has been announced.
The opening stage of the race on July 1st 2017 will have a 13km time trial on a 'panflat' course which will depart from the Messe fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, go along the the banks of the Rhine, through Königsalee before crossing back towards the finish line near Messe.
Stage two will roll out of Dusseldorf around the City centre and will take in the Grafenberg which will see the first King Of The Mountain points awarded.
The full race route will be unveiled in Paris on October 18th.
The race will not be part of the UCI calendar for the 2017 season as race organisers have withdrawn all of its races from the UCI schedule.