London Makes Its Tour De France Grand Depart Debut Saturday

As cycling's most prestigious race, the Tour de France is forever stretching its parameters as a global event.

One increasingly frequent way race organizers have continued the trend in recent years is to begin the three-week journey outside of its namesake country.

For the seventh time since its debut in 1903 and third time since 2002, that trend will occur again beginning Saturday when the race's 94th edition begins in London, England.

With many of the city's most well-known locations - Big Ben to Westminster Abby, Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace - on or near the route, the prologue will take the field of 189 riders individually on a 4.9-mile circuit.

It will be the first time London has hosted the grand departure and only the third time the Tour de France has visited England.

The winner of the short, fast burst through the congested city should take around seven minutes and he'll wear the race's first Yellow Jersey.

Although the country hasn't been a frequent destination for the Tour, England's riders have fared well since Bill Burl and Charles Holland made the country's race debut in 1937.

British cyclists have won 23 Tour de France stages. In 1962, Tom Simpson was the first Brit to lead the race and eventually finished sixth. David Millar was the last British rider to wear the Yellow Jersey when he won the 2000 prologue in Futuroscope, the first of his three stage wins that year.

The host nation, which by some estimates is spending $13 million to present the Tour's first two stages, would like nothing more than a home country winner.

And there's a good chance of it occurring. Millar (Saunier-Duval Prodir) and compatriot Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis) are powerful short-distance time trialists. But the potential winners' pool also will likely include world time trial titlist Fabian Cancellara (CSC) an Norwegian Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole).

Americans will also be strong prologue candidates. David Zabriskie (Salt Lake City), held the race lead for several day s after defeating former teammate Lance Armstrong in the longer 2005 opening-day time trial. George Hincapie (Discovery Channel/Greenville, S.C.), who's seeking his 11th Tour finish is also a solid short time trialist.

The Tour's debut in London will also be unique for another small but significant designation The race's defending titlist wears the Yellow Jersey and race No. 1 in the prologue.

American Floyd Landis, the 2006 titlist, is not competing via a positive drug test after stage 17 last year. Yet the Tour has not officially stripped his title. As such, race officials opted not to give the leading returning rider, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse D'Epargne) of Spain, No. 2 for his runnerup finish. Instead, Pereiro will wear the lowest number in the field, 11. Numbers 1-10 will be unused.