The Paris-Tours route: 233 km. Departure from La Loupe at 11:25, arrival in Tours to 16.50.

Participation: 25 teams.
Milram, Quick Step, Omega Pharma, Topsport, Saxo Bank, Caisse d’Epargne, HTC-Columbia, Garmin-Transitions, RadioShack, BMC, AG2R-La Mondiale, FDJ, Bbox, Cofidis, Saur-Sojasun, BigMat, Brittany Schuller Roubaix-Lille Metropole, Sky, Lampre, Liquigas, Rabobank, Skil, Vacansoleil and Katusha.

Favorites:
Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Matti Breschel (DEN), Filippo Pozzato (ITA), Daniele Bennati (ITA), Oscar Freire (ESP), Romain Feillu (FRA), Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Gerald Ciolek (GER) Grega Bole (SLO)

Notably absent:
Thor Hushovd (NOR), Mark Cavendish (GBR), Tyler Farrar (USA), Alessandro Petacchi (ITA), Andre Greipel (GER), Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ), Alberto Contador (ESP ), Andy Schleck (LUX)

Victories:
103 editions played since the inception of the event in 1896. 39 wins for Belgium, 31 France, 12 for the Netherlands,
6 for Italy, 4 from Germany, 3 for Luxembourg and Switzerland, 2 Denmark, 1 from Australia, Ireland and Russia.

Most wins:
3 by Gustave Daneels (BEL, between 1934 and 1937), Paul Maye (FRA, between 1941 and 1945), Guido Reybroeck (BEL, between 1964 and 1968) and Erik Zabel (GER, between 1994 and 2005).

Last French victory:
Frédéric Guesdon (2006).

The latest winners:
2000: Andrea Tafi (ITA)
2001: Richard Virenque (FRA)
2002: Jakob Piil (DEN)
2003: Erik Zabel (GER)
2004: Erik Dekker (NED)
2005: Erik Zabel (GER)
2006: Frédéric Guesdon (FRA)
2007: Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
2008: Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
2009: 1. Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
2. Tom Boonen (BEL)
3. Borut Bozic (SLO) at 02 sec
4. Filippo Pozzato (ITA) 16 sec
5. Oscar Freire (ESP) 16 sec