STRASBOURG, France — It's been 53 years since the Tour de France started in this ancient city near the German-French border.

But considering the long, tumultuous history of the city known for its historic ramparts, modern European parliament buildings and huge gothic cathedral, a half-century isn't too long to wait.

Strasbourg has been around since the Roman Empire. It's switched countries a few times and it's withstood political jousting and military battles.

Beginning Saturday with prologue and continuing Sunday with stage 1, the city will entertain its latest challenge — the opening weekend of cycling's grand affair.

The three-week race, featuring 21 teams and 189 riders, is scheduled to begin at 12:50 p.m. local time when the first rider rolls off the starting ramp for the 7.1-kilometer (4.4-mile) individual race against the clock.

(The status of one team, Astana-Wurth, remains uncertain. It's been linked to a Spanish doping investigation and Tour officials have asked the team not ot attend. The request is non-binding, however, and the team's Tour status will be determined by the Court of Arbritation for Sport (CAS) before Saturday.)

The brief, flat prologue trek will help determine the race's first strategy. The winner will wear the race leader's yellow jersey in Sunday's first stage.

The first stage will begin outside the 1,000-year-old Strasbourg cathedral, the world's fourth-tallest church. The riders will progress 184.5-kilometers (114.6 miles), cross the Rhine River into Germany and then return to the finish in Strasbourg.

The prologue will be held on wide, tree-lined city streets and likely before spectators several rows deep. It will take about 4 1/2 hours for the long succession of individuals to complete the route in seven-to-eight minute bursts.

Enterprising spor
ts fans seeking a second dose of international competition could have enough time following the prologue to drive about 135 miles to Frankfurt for Saturday night's World Cup quarterfinal between Brazil and France.

Although the Tour last began in Strasbourg in 1953 — the race's 50th anniversary — a time trial stage last ended in the city in 1985. Bernard Hinault, who that year became the last Frenchman to win the Tour de France with his fifth and final title, claimed a 75-kilometer (46-mile) journey from Sarrenbourg over Irishman Stephen Roche, the 1987 race winner.

Although this year's opening-day route has its share of tight cornering, the quickest riders will have also have straight stretches and will post average finishing speeds approaching 35 mph. The wearer of the yellow jersey could be determined by less than one second.

Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa will expect a strong showing but not a win. Leipheimer won the Tour of California prologue in February, but the route's hilly finish suited his strengths.

The Tour's flat prologue profile will more likely favor a half-dozen others, including David Zabriskie (CSC) of Salt Lake City, David Millar (Saunier-Duval) of Great Britain, George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) of Greenville, S.C., and overall race  favorite, Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) of Germany.

Millar, a former Tour stage winner and time trial specialist, is returning to the race following the recent completion of a two-year doping suspension.

Zabriskie withdrew from the 2005 Tour after only a few days. But he won the opening day time trial last year with a one-second margin over now-retired seven-time titlist Lance Armstrong.

Hincapie, who finished a career-best 13th overall in the Tour last year, has significantly improved his time trialing and has several top stage race time trial placings this season.

Ullrich, the only former Tour titlist (1997) in this year's field, is a superior time trialist. But the course may be too short for the German star to fully stretch his powerful legs.