Tour de France gets Google Street Viewed

Using Google’s recently released Street View, which has up until now only been available in the US, those with nothing better to do with their time can now take a detailed, street level look at all 21 stages of the route, spanning 3,500 km from the coast of Brittany, up to the top of Alpe d'Huez, and to the finish on the bumpy cobbled streets of the Champs Elysees.

The director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, noted that “This is a new way for Tour de France fans to immerse themselves in the race”. Aside from wearing super tight lycra shorts in solidarity, that is.

Product Manager of Google Maps, Ioannis Kalafatis, added that his firm was “very excited to be part of such a great sporting event as the Tour De France, and to make this event the first launch of our Street View imagery in Europe”.

The first launch of Street View in Europe and Google chooses the backroads and mountain paths of rural France? Bah! On yer bike with you!

theinquirer.net (c) 2010 Incisive Media

francegetsgooglesoftwarestreettourviewed