Basque Country warmly welcomes the Tour de France Several thousand people gather for the 31-kilometre time trial race that links Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to the village of Espelette in the Basque Country. This region of France had not hosted a stage of the Tour since 2006, and locals are out showing their support in large numbers, especially since the stage is likely to be decisive in the final classification on the Champs-Elysées. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES