Course: Unlike most recent final stages that looped through the countryside south or east of Paris before entering the city, the entire course is on suburban and city streets in the southern and western parts of the metro area. Most significant is the very steep Cat. 4 climb of Mont Valérien after 72km, which is followed by a fast sweep down to the Seine River at Clichy. The next 20km are along the right bank of the Seine before riders reach the traditional Champs-Élysées circuit after 100km. Eight laps of the 6.5km circuit complete the 2006 Tour, 400 meters after the final right turn from the Place de la Concorde.

History: Every Tour has finished in the Paris area: at Ville d’Avray in the suburbs in 1903; at the now defunct Parc des Princes velodrome (1904-67); the Municipal Velodrome at Vincennes (1968-74); and, from 1975, on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Only three times in the past 20 years has the finale not produced a mass sprint — last year, when winner Vinokourov broke clear with Brad McGee in the final kilometer; in 1994, when a small break succeeded and Frenchman Eddy Seigneur took it by three seconds from American Frankie Andreu; and in 1987, when another American, Jeff Pierce, brought home a break by a second from Canadian Steve Bauer.

Stage 20: Sceaux/Antony to Paris (Champs-Elysées) 154.5km

Favorites: The odds this year are on a sprint finish, with former Champs-Élysées winner McEwen (1999 and 2002) the most likely to win.