Men in boats: The 2015 Tour de France team presentation (video)
22 teams of the Tour de France presented to fans in Utrecht ahead of the race start on Saturday. Photos by Graham Watson
All 198 riders taking part in the 2015 Tour de France were presented to a huge crowd of spectators in Utrecht, the Netherlands, on Thursday evening - after they had arrived by small boats via the Oudegracht canal.
Some of the riders looked slightly bemused by their journey down the Dutch waterway to the Lepelenburg Park, where they appeared on stage as the 22 teams were officially presented.
British overall hope Chris Froome looked relaxed with his Sky team-mates, pausing to record the occasion on his mobile phone.
The Tour's Grand Depart kicks off in Utrecht on Saturday, July 4, with an individual time trial stage that will set up the first recipient of the race's coveted yellow jersey of overall leader.
On Sunday, the riders then tackle the first mass-start road stage, from Utrecht to Zeeland over 166 kilometres, giving the sprinters' their first chance of glory.
The 2015 Tour de France concludes on Sunday, July 30, in Paris.
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Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
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