Part of the biggest skiing area in the world - Les Porte du Soleil - with 650 kilometres of pistes, Morzine has a long tradition of organising top-class events, including 11 World Cup races.

The 205.4km stage then wound its way to La Clusaz, the birthplace of Edgar Grospiron, the chief executive of Annecy 2018, and Albertville, the last French city to host the Olympics when it staged the 1992 Winter Games.

The stage, won by France's Sandy Casar, was full of drama as Australia's Cadel Evans, who had started the day in the yellow jersey, was dropped after 160km and was replaced as race leader by Luxembourg's Andy Schleck.

On Sunday (July 11), when the race had finished in Morzine, hundreds of teenagers had lined the route dressed in Olympic colours to help promote Annecy's campaign.

"Sports here are a way of life, a second nature," said Grospiron.

"Land of sports and champions, we host large scale international sports events in summer and winter on a regular basis: Tour de France, Evian Golf Master, or 60 per cent of World Cup ski events organised in France.

"By next winter we will be ready for the international sports season with numerous World Cup Events in great venues such as Val d’Isère,Courchevel, Chamonix, La Clusaz, La Plagne and Le Grand Bornand.

"A perfect opportunity to show the entire world our expertise in the organisation of major international competitions."

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