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It finished on the Champs, but I can't remember where it started - I'll Google.

Versailles - see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Tour_de_France#Finale

It started at Versailles.
Fignon had very bad saddle sores though the stage was only around 25 kms.
Lemond was a great rider, too.

On my link it says it was the fastest average speed ever in a time trial of greater than 10km......................though it was downhill, with a tailwind!

Pigale, how do you expect Thibaut Pinot to do?
Maybe a bit young yet?
Some great climbers this year.
Quintana, Contador, Nibali, Froome.
Going to be a brutal Tour!

Yes Lemond was great too. I have just seen a photo of the close finish and Fignon has got his tongue sticking out of his mouth, just like Voeckler - Outward sign of great effort being produced I think.

When does it start anyway ? I am pretty sure that many, many years ago - perhaps in Anquetil/Poulidor's days - the Tour started earlier, in order to finish on the Champs for the 14th July. It seems to start so late nowadays!

PS - did not mean 14th exactly but rather mid-july

You may be right, Pigale.
But recently the 14th has usually been in the second or third week.
I remember a great sprint into Bordeaux on Bastille Day.
Chris, Boardman has the fastest "time trial", but it may have been in a prologue.
However, prologues are not classed as time trials for some reason!
Tour starts on 4th July.

I think that's why it said "more than 10km", rusty - prologues are shorter.

Feel sorry for any American competitor (if any), cycling on such a day as Independance Day, when just about everybody in the US is partying !