/world sport
(CNN) -- The 2009 Tour of Spain will begin in the Netherlands, the first overseas launch of the race in more than 12 years, organizers have announced.
Alberto Contador celebrates winning this year's Vuelta but his participation in the 2009 race is uncertain.
The city of Assen will be the starting point for the 64th Vuelta Espana on August 29, with the next two stages also taking place in the Netherlands.
The fourth stage will go through the Netherlands before concluding in the Belgian city of Liege and -- after a rest day -- the race will pick up in the northeastern Spanish city of Tarragona.
The route will be particularly mountainous this year, especially in the second week.
"Almost all the mountain stages are concentrated in the second week, when the overall leaders will come to the fore," said Spain's Alejandro Valverde at the presentation. "It's a Tour for climbers."
Also present were his compatriots Alberto Contador -- the defending champion -- Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre and Samuel Sanchez. But of those three, only Sanchez, the gold medal winner at the Beijing Olympics, was able to confirm "100 percent" that he will take part.
The cyclists appeared happy with the route, despite some concern over the long trip from Liege to Tarragona. "All the ingredients are there to enjoy great cycling," said the Vuelta's new director Javier Guillen, who succeeded Victor Cordero, who had been in the job since 1995.
The Tour concludes in Madrid on September 20.
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