104-482: Anders Fogh Rasmussen S.K. ( Danish pronunciation: [ˈɑnɐs ˈfɔwˀ ˈʁɑsmusn̩] ; born 26 January 1953) is a Danish politician who was the 24th Prime Minister of Denmark from November 2001 to April 2009 and the 12th Secretary General of NATO from August 2009 to October 2014. He became founder of political consultancy Rasmussen Global and founded the Alliance of Democracies Foundation. He serves as
208-645: A clear majority applauded the government's actions. Although his party's support was reduced from the 2001 election, costing it four seats, Venstre was able to maintain its coalition through gains by other parties, and on 18 February Rasmussen formed the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II . Rasmussen received the most "personal votes" ever of any politician in the Folketing (Denmark's Parliament) with 61,792. A major period of conflict in Rasmussen's political career concerned
312-506: A few years ago, it was used as a press room and was probably the only church in France where, for one day at least, there were ashtrays in the nave and a bar in the vestry, or where an organist was once asked to leave because he was disturbing the writers' concentration). No, what draws the Dutch to Alpe d'Huez is the remarkable run of success their riders have had there". 1952 : Jean Robic attacked at
416-773: A freeze on tax rates ( skattestoppet in Danish). Certain taxes were lowered, but his coalition partners in the Conservative People's Party repeatedly argued for more tax cuts and a flat tax rate at no higher than 50%. Rasmussen's government implemented an administrative reform reducing the number of municipalities ( kommuner ) and replacing the thirteen counties ( amter ) with five regions which he referred to as "the biggest reform in thirty years". He authored several books about taxation and government structure. He resigned as prime minister in April 2009 to become Secretary General of NATO,
520-575: A military alliance that was expanding into Eastern Europe. He aggressively pushed NATO in new directions that extended far beyond the traditional roles of containment of the Soviet Union and directing the Cold War in Europe. His term ended on 30 September 2014. He was the first former prime minister since Paul-Henri Spaak of Belgium in 1961 to become Secretary General of NATO. He became a private consultant on
624-523: A particular contribution to the arts, sciences or business life, or for working for Danish interests. The badge of the Order is a white enamelled Dannebrog cross (i.e., a cross pattée , the lower arm being longer than the others) with a red enamelled border, for the Knights in silver, and for everyone else in gold or silver gilt. At the top of this cross is the royal cypher of the bestowing monarch, crowned with
728-469: A relative level. While the rate was one percent when the tax stop was enacted, the rate is much less today when recent increases in property value (+20%/p.a. in large cities) are considered. The Danish Economic Council criticized this as unfairly benefiting current homeowners. Even though the total tax burden was marginally higher in 2005 than in 2001, the tax stop was popular among voters. Thus, in January 2005,
832-424: A result of this, though this never happened. His government enacted tough measures designed to limit the number of immigrants coming to Denmark, specifically as asylum seekers or through arranged marriages. However, his governments depended on the support of Dansk Folkeparti , and it is impossible to draw a clear dividing line between his personal ideology and the required compromises with Dansk Folkeparti. After
936-443: A retirement-decoration after long service. Commander 1st class is given for admirals, generals, Supreme-court judges, ambassadors, and other governmental leaders as a retirement decoration. The Grand Cross is most often used for admirals, generals, Supreme-court judges, ambassadors and similar as a reward for very meritorious service to Denmark. Grand Cross with Breaststar with Diamonds is most often given to high-ranking officers of
1040-610: A seat in the Folketing (Danish parliament) in 1978. In general, Rasmussen is in favour of centralisation , privatisation and limiting the size of government. Rasmussen wrote the book From Social State to Minimal State ( Danish : Fra socialstat til minimalstat ) in 1993, in which he advocated an extensive reform of the Danish welfare system along classic liberal lines. In particular, he favours lower taxes and less government interference in corporate and individual matters. In 1993 he
1144-549: A senior adviser to Citigroup . He also served as a senior advisor at the Boston Consulting Group . Rasmussen was first elected to the Folketing in 1978 and served in various ministerial positions, including Minister of Tax (1987–1992) and Minister of Economic Affairs (1990–1992). In his early career, Rasmussen was a strident critic of the welfare state , writing the classical liberal book From Social State to Minimal State in 1993. However, his views moved towards
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#17328802692721248-463: A set of cartoons printed in Jyllands-Posten , a major Danish newspaper. In September 2005 the newspaper printed a full page with 12 cartoons depicting various interpretations of Muhammad. Due to the cartoons portraying Muhammad as a terrorist, some Muslims found the cartoons offensive. Rasmussen denied a request from 11 ambassadors of Middle-Eastern countries to discuss the issue. Rasmussen described
1352-454: A special feature of their alpine tours. And those Dutch families who don't come by coach, park their campers and pitch their tents along the narrow ledges beside the road like sea-birds nesting at St Kilda . The Dutch haven't adopted the Alpe d'Huez simply because it is sunny and agreeable, or even because the modern, funnel-shaped church, Notre Dame des Neiges, has a Dutch priest, Father Reuten (until
1456-653: Is not a member of the organisation but ties through the Partnership for Peace Programme (PFP), a bilateral programme that allows for Irish forces to be used for peacekeeping and crisis management where there is a UN mandate and parliamentary approval. On 19 December 2013 Rasmussen was invited to speak at a periodic meeting of the European Council by the Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron , in opposition to plans proposed by
1560-571: Is not something we think. We know it. Iraq has itself admitted that it had mustard gas, nerve gas, anthrax, but Saddam will not settle. He will not tell us where and how the weapons have been destroyed. We know from the UN inspectors, so there is no doubt in my mind. Civil unions between gay couples became legal in Denmark in 1989. In January 2004, Rasmussen stated his belief that homosexuals should be able to marry in religious ceremonies, which were not allowed at
1664-480: Is often quoted as record speed (see below). 1999 : Giuseppe Guerini , who broke away on his own, collided with a spectator but got up and went on to win the stage. 2001 : Lance Armstrong feigned vulnerability earlier in the stage, appearing to be having an off-day. At the bottom of the Alpe d'Huez climb, Armstrong moved to the front of the lead group of riders and then looked back at Jan Ullrich . Armstrong later commented that he wasn't looking back at Ullrich but
1768-572: Is primarily used for downhill, or Alpine skiing . Alpe d'Huez is one of Europe's premier skiing venues. The site of the Pomagalski 's first surface lift in the mid thirties, the resort gained popularity when it hosted the bobsleigh events of the 1968 Winter Olympics . At that time the resort was seen as a competitor to Courchevel as France's most upmarket purpose built resort but the development of Les Trois Vallées , Val d'Isère , Tignes , La Plagne and Les Arcs saw Alpe D'Huez fall from favour in
1872-529: Is reserved for persons of princely origin. It is awarded only to royalty with close family ties to the Danish Royal House. The Grand Cross grade can, as a special honor, be awarded 'with diamonds' (S.K.i diam., short for Storkors i diamanter ). The Order also has a related decoration, known as the Cross of Honour (D.Ht., short for Dannebrogordens Hæderstegn ). The insignia of the Order must be returned upon
1976-740: Is used. In Danish media and society, he has often been popularly referred to as Fogh Rasmussen, or merely Anders Fogh, when not referred to by his full name, mainly to distinguish him from other prominent politicians in the country with the same family name. He matriculated in languages and social studies from Viborg Cathedral School, in 1969–1972 and studied economics at the University of Aarhus , graduating in 1978. He has been active in politics most of his life and has authored several books about taxation and government structure. He and his wife Anne-Mette married in 1978 and have three children and six grandchildren. As an amateur cyclist, Rasmussen completed part of
2080-496: The 2005 election and the 2007 election . After becoming Prime Minister, Rasmussen distanced himself from his earlier writings and announced the death of neoliberalism during the national elections of 2005. Commonly regarded to have been inspired by the success of Tony Blair , Rasmussen now seemed more in favour of the theories of Anthony Giddens and his third way . There was talk in Libertas of revoking Fogh Rasmussen's award as
2184-627: The Blue Knights who were members of the Order of the Elephant . In 1808, the Order was reformed and divided into four classes. The statute of the Order was amended in 1951 by a Royal Ordinance so that both men and women could be members of the Order. Today, the Order of the Dannebrog is a means of honouring and rewarding the faithful servants of the modern Danish state for meritorious civil or military service, for
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#17328802692722288-524: The External Action Service of HRUFASC Catherine Ashton to create a European Air Force composed of surveillance drones, heavy transport airplanes, and air-to-air refuelling planes. This plan was supported by France, Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany who together have QMV majority. Rasmussen's position was opposed to that of European Parliament President Martin Schulz , who made a presentation at
2392-505: The Middle Ages . East of L'Alpe veti , a medieval agglomeration had grown from the end of the 11th to the 14th century under the name of Brandes . It was composed of a castle, a parish church with a cemetery, a village with about 80 homes, surface and underground mine workings, as well as several industrial districts. Its occupants operated a silver mine on behalf of the Dauphin. It is currently
2496-454: The Poma company. On average, Alpe d'Huez experiences 159.9 days per year with a minimum temperature below 0 °C (32.0 °F), 22.7 days per year with a minimum temperature below −10 °C (14.0 °F), and 42.4 days per year with a maximum temperature below 0 °C (32.0 °F). The record high temperature was 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) on 18 July 2023, while the record low temperature
2600-457: The Social Democrats announced that they accepted the principle of a tax stop until at least one right-wing party was willing to participate in tax reform. The tax stop has, however, been ineffective, judging by Venstre's intentions. Its goal was to halt the growth of public expenditures (and halt the growth of taxes), but even with cuts in public spending (which were considered aggressive by
2704-617: The cartoon episode in 2005, when the publication in some Danish newspapers of cartoons of Muhammad caused violent protests. Another major element of Turkey's opposition was Denmark's tolerance of Roj TV , which is claimed by the Turkish government to be a mouthpiece for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Eventually, Turkey withdrew its opposition to Rasmussen's appointment in exchange of assurances Roj TV would be closed down. After his accession on 1 August 2009, Rasmussen's first mission
2808-492: The general classification . Michel Pollentier also finished alone, but he was caught soon afterwards defrauding a drugs control and was disqualified. Due to this disqualification Dutch rider Joop Zoetemelk , who finished 3rd on the stage and would have climbed to 2nd in the General Classification, took over the yellow jersey, but would lose it on the final time trial to Bernard Hinault. Zoetemelk has his name on two of
2912-725: The political centre through the 1990s. He was elected the leader of the conservative-liberal party Venstre in 1998 and headed a centre-right coalition with the Conservative People's Party which took office in November 2001 and won its second and third terms in February 2005 and in November 2007 . Rasmussen's government relied on the Danish People's Party for support, keeping with the Danish tradition of minority government . His government introduced tougher limits on immigration and
3016-413: The 1970s and early 1980s. With 249 kilometres (155 miles) of piste and 84 ski lifts, the resort is now one of the world's largest. Extensive snowmaking facilities helped combat the ski area's largely south-facing orientation and helped Alpe d'Huez appeal to beginner skiers, with very easy slopes. The expansion of the skiing above the linked resorts of Vaujany, Oz-en-Oisans, Villard Reculas and Auris boosted
3120-445: The 2001 elections, Venstre banned all tax increases. Venstre campaigned by claiming that taxes had been growing constantly during the previous eight years under the Social Democrats . While the overall tax burden was more or less unchanged from 1993 until 2001, there was a shift from the taxation of income, both corporate and personal, to a personal consumption (especially through the "ecological taxes" (da. grønne afgifter )), which gave
3224-530: The 56th hardest bike climb in France. L'Alpe d'Huez is climbed regularly in the Tour de France . It was first included in the race in 1952 and has been a stage finish regularly since 1976. The race was brought to the mountain by Élie Wermelinger, the chief commissaire or referee. He drove his Panhard Dyna car between snow banks that lined the road in March 1952, invited by a consortium of businesses who had opened hotels at
Anders Fogh Rasmussen - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-558: The Alpe in Tour de France history. *In 1979 there were two stages at Alpe d'Huez. † Stage 18 of the 2013 Tour climbed to Alpe d'Huez twice. Moreno Moser was the leader at the first time over the summit. The climb has been timed since 1994 so earlier times are subject to discussion. From 1994 to 1997 the climb was timed from 14.5 kilometres (9.0 miles) from the finish. Since 1999 photo-finish has been used from 14 kilometres (8.7 miles). Other times have been taken 13.8 kilometres (8.6 miles) from
3432-613: The Danish media that Rasmussen was a candidate for high-profile international jobs. A first rumour was that he was informally one of the top candidates for the new position of President of the European Council that could be created when the Lisbon Treaty would come into effect. Following the Irish rejection of the treaty in June 2008, it became obvious that this position would not be created in
3536-404: The Danish throne. In each of the four angles of the cross is found a small Danish royal crown. The collar of the Order is made of gold, with small enamelled Dannebrog crosses alternating with alternating crowned royal cyphers representing Kings Valdemar II Sejr and Christian V, the reputed and actual founders of the Order. When the collar is worn the sash is not worn. The star of
3640-462: The Dannebrog [REDACTED] Grand Cross [REDACTED] Commander 1st Class [REDACTED] Commander [REDACTED] Knight 1st Class The Order of the Dannebrog ( Danish : Dannebrogordenen ) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V . Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known as White Knights to distinguish them from
3744-408: The Dannebrog. To be eligible, the foreign ambassador must have resided in Denmark for at least three years. With the death of King Constantine II of Greece in 2023, one Grand Commander position is available. The number of Grand Commanders never exceed 8. It is possible for membership in the Order to be revoked. Before 1808, membership had only been revoked on two occasions – Peder Griffenfeld who
3848-520: The Dauphiné flying club. A gourmet restaurant is located on the edge of the platform. Alpe d'Huez has a modern and original church, the appearance of which recalls a silhouette of the Virgin Mary . Under the leadership of Father Jaap Reuten, head of the parish from 1964 to 1992, it was designed by the architect Jean Marol in the 1960s (completed in 1970), and decorated with colour-rich stained-glass windows by
3952-477: The Games. The refrigeration system was strengthened in turns 6, 9, 12, and 13; turn 12 was covered with stone and earthwork to prevent concrete coming up, turn 12 was cooled with liquid nitrogen , and shades were built on turns 6, 9, 12, and 13 to minimise direct sunlight. Thawing remained a problem and Olympic bobsleigh events had to be scheduled before sunrise. The track closed in 1972 due to high operating costs;
4056-537: The Lac Blanc [White Lake] (Massif des Rousses). The massif was also the subject of mining operations, including copper, from the Bronze Age . It is also at Alpe d'Huez where botanist Gaston Bonnier began his study of flora of France in 1871. The station was developed from the 1920s. This is where the first platter lift for skiers was opened in 1936 with perches by Jean Pomagalski [ fr ] , creator of
4160-567: The Oisans region. Alpe d'Huez hosted the bobsleigh events at the 1968 Winter Olympics based at Grenoble 65 km (40 mi) away. The track, built in spring 1966 for FRF 5.5 million, hosted the World Championships in 1967 . The cooling could not keep the ice solid in bright daylight – not least because the track faced south. The four-man event was cancelled because of thawing ice, and modifications were made that spring to prepare for
4264-423: The Order is an eight-pointed silver star with straight rays with an enamelled Dannebrog cross (similar to the front of the badge but without the royal cypher above and the royal crowns between the arms of the cross) at the centre. The breast cross of the Order is similar to the cross on the star but larger and with faceted silver instead of white enamel and without the silver rays of the star . The ribbon of
Anders Fogh Rasmussen - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-523: The Order is white silk moiré with red borders, the national colours of Denmark. The Order originally had a distinctive habit worn by the knights (after 1808, by the Knights Grand Cross) on very solemn occasions. The habit consisted of a white doublet , white breeches , white stockings and white shoes, over which was worn a red mantle with a white lining and with the star of the order embroidered in silver on its left side. Over this red mantle
4472-543: The Order, but it was later revoked. Below is a list of jewelers who have made the insignia for the Order: Anton Michelsen was made a part of Royal Copenhagen A/S, which is now the supplier. Alpe d%27Huez L'Alpe d'Huez ( French pronunciation: [l‿al.pə d‿ɥɛz] ) is a ski resort in Southeastern France at 1,250 to 3,330 metres (4,100 to 10,925 ft). It is a mountain pasture in
4576-554: The Royal Court, such as Hofmarskals . Finally, the Grand Commander grade is given only to 8 people. The reigning monarch is always a Grand Commander, and he/she may give the grade to 7 others, most often close family. Award of the Order of the Dannebrog is often used as a tool of diplomacy. If a foreign country has an Order that they give to foreign diplomats in their country, then their diplomats in Denmark can be given an Order of
4680-419: The Tour but appeared to ride otherwise. The two crossed the line arm in arm in an apparent sign of truce creating a moment that has become one of the most iconic photographs in Tour history . 1997 : Marco Pantani , who won on the Alpe two years earlier, attacked three times and only Jan Ullrich could match him. He lasted until 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from the summit and Pantani rode on alone to win in what
4784-412: The abolition of counties. Major areas of public services, such as the national health service, were consolidated into five regional bodies, while the number of municipalities was reduced from 271 to 98. The reform was ratified on 16 June 2005 and was effective as of 1 January 2007. In October 2007, Rasmussen called the 2007 general election , which was held on 13 November. His official reason for doing so
4888-558: The actual invasion operations (the others being the U.S. , UK , Poland and Australia ) though the contingent mainly consisted of two minor warships and staff and radio units that were never involved in actual combat. In the months after the initial phase of the war, Danish troops participated in the multi-national force stationed in Iraq . Approximately 550 Danish troops were stationed in Iraq from 2004 and into 2007, first at "Camp Dannevang" and later at "Camp Einherjer", both near Basra . When
4992-450: The artist Arcabas . This church houses a pipe organ which is unique in the world. The organ takes the form of a hand drawn up towards the sky, designed by composer Jean Guillou and the German organ builder Detlef Kleuker . Each year, concerts are held around this instrument on Thursday night, winter and summer, as well as organ, pan flute and choral courses during the summer. Alpe d'Huez
5096-417: The average citizen the impression of rising taxes. This "tax stop" was criticised by left wing parties, allegedly for being "antisocial" and "only for the rich." Since the tax stop also froze the tax on real property (da. ejendomsværdiskat , 1%), it was beneficial to homeowners in densely populated regions that had experienced rising real estate values. The property tax was set at a nominal level – not at
5200-577: The basis of almost-complete results. By the morning of 14 November 2007, after results came through from the Faroe Islands and Greenland , his centre-right coalition of the Liberals , the Conservative People's Party and the Danish People's Party secured 90 seats, the minimum number required for a majority. Rasmussen went on to become the longest-ruling Liberal Prime Minister of Denmark. Shortly after his second reelection in 2007, rumours began to spread in
5304-412: The bottom with Lance Armstrong 's name added to Coppi's. Stage 18 of the 2013 Tour de France included a double ascent of the climb, reaching 1,765 m (5,791 ft) on the first passage, and continuing to the traditional finish on the second. Only one rider has won the Alpe stage while in yellow, Geraint Thomas in the second of two back to back Alpine stage wins in 2018. He also held on to win
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#17328802692725408-718: The central French Western Alps , in the commune of Huez , which is part of the Isère department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region . It is part of the Grandes Rousses massif, over the Oisans , and is 59 km (37 mi) from Grenoble . The Alpe d'Huez resort is accessible from Grenoble by the RD 1091 [ fr ] , which runs along the Romanche Valley passing through
5512-593: The climb as 14.454 kilometres (8.981 miles) and lists Pantani's 37m 35s (23.08 km/h) as the record. Other sources give Pantani's times from 1994, 1995 and 1997 as the fastest, based on timings adjusted for the 13.8 kilometres (8.6 miles). Such sources list Pantani's time in 1995 as the record at 36m 40s. In Blazing Saddles , Rendell has changed his view and listed it as 36m 50s as does CyclingNews. Second, third, and fourth fastest are Pantani in 1997 (36m 55s), Pantani in 1994 (37m 15s) and Lance Armstrong in 2004 (37m 36s). Jan Ullrich 's time in 1997 (37m 41s) makes him
5616-452: The communes of Livet-et-Gavet and Le Bourg-d'Oisans as well as Haut-Oisans via the Col de Sarenne . Alpe d'Huez is known internationally as an iconic cycling venue, as it is used regularly in the Tour de France cycle race, including twice on the same day in 2013 . In 2019, it became the site of the first Tomorrowland Winter festival. The site of the Alpe has been permanently occupied since
5720-646: The contingent of troops left around August 2007, it was not replaced and Denmark shifted its focus to non-military support around Baghdad. The official reason provided is that the Iraqi government should now be able to handle security in the Basra area. Critics of Rasmussen argued that the withdrawal was motivated by decreasing domestic support for the war. In 2004 Rasmussen's government came under attack based on questions of how much intelligence it had with regard to Iraqi weapons of mass destruction . The government held hearings, and
5824-444: The controversy as Denmark's worst international crisis since World War II. Later he stated, that he "was deeply distressed that the cartoons were seen by some Muslims as an attempt by Denmark to mark and insult or behave disrespectfully towards Islam or Mohammed." One of Rasmussen's main initiatives was the introduction of municipal reform, the aim of which was the geographic and administrative consolidation of smaller municipalities and
5928-624: The day NATO started taking command of the mission under the U.N. mandate, the alliance ruled out arming the rebels. Rasmussen said the coalition under his control was clear about its mission. "We are not in Libya to arm people. We are in Libya to protect civilians against attacks" from loyalists of the country's Muammar Gaddafi government, he said at that time. In October 2011, the intensive 7-month NATO intervention had "now moved much closer" to its end, according to Rasmussen. The last two major outposts of Gaddafi loyalists—Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte and
6032-465: The death of the holder. The Dannebrogordenens Hæderstegn (Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog) in modern times is only awarded to Danes on whom the Order of the Dannebrog has already been bestowed. It is also worn by members of the Danish royal family. Its badge is similar to the badge of the Order, but all in silver. It is worn on a ribbon (by gentlemen) or bow (by ladies), with rosette , on
6136-822: The deployment of Danish troops states as the reason for the deployment Iraq's continued refusal to cooperate with UN inspectors in violation of the UN Security Council's resolution. The Danish deployment of troops was thus not formally based on a claim that Iraq had WMD's. In March 2003, Rasmussen stated as one of the reasons to support a military intervention, "Irak har masseødelæggelsesvåben. Det er ikke noget vi tror. Vi ved det. Irak har selv indrømmet, at det har haft sennepsgas, nervegas, miltbrand, men Saddam vil ikke afregne. Han vil ikke fortælle os, hvor og hvordan de våben er blevet destrueret. Det ved vi fra FN's inspektører, så der er ingen tvivl i mit sind." In English, this translates to: Iraq has weapons of mass destruction. This
6240-503: The distinctive Danish royal crown On its front, the cross bears the royal cyphers of Christian V at its centre, as well as the motto of the Order: Gud og Kongen (God and the King) on its arms. On its reverse are found the crowned royal cyphers of Valdemar II Sejr , Christian V and Frederik VI , as well as the years 1219, 1671 and 1808, the years that each of them ascended
6344-410: The effect of removing 350,000 Danes from the top tax bracket. The medium tax rate was eliminated, and the lowest was reduced by 1.5%. Various other tax reforms were enacted such as an increase in the old age pension, incentives for renovation, and various initiatives designed to improve energy efficiency. Finance Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, called it the biggest reduction in the marginal tax rate since
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#17328802692726448-497: The fifth fastest, highlighting how the 1990s had faster ascents than other eras. A number of cycling publications cite times prior to 1994, although distances are typically not included, making comparisons difficult. Coppi has been listed with 45m 22s for 1952. In the 1980s Gert-Jan Theunisse , Pedro Delgado , Luis Herrera , and Laurent Fignon rode in times stated to be faster than Coppi's, but still not breaking 40m. Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault have been reported as having
6552-417: The final stage to Paris, a time trial, to Greg LeMond to finish second by 8", the closest finish in men's tour history. After Coppi's win, the Alpe was dropped until 1964, when it was included as a mid-stage climb, and then again until 1976, both times at Rajon's instigation. The hairpin bends are named after the winners of stages. All hairpins had been named by the 22nd climb in 2001 so naming restarted at
6656-406: The first official apology on behalf of Denmark for this. As Prime Minister, Rasmussen strongly supported the 2003 Iraq War . As in most European countries he faced considerable opposition, both in the parliament and in the general population. Subsequent opinion polls suggested the Danish population's opinion was split on the issue. One vocal protester managed to get into the Danish parliament during
6760-456: The first visit of a NATO Secretary General to Ireland for a meeting with EU defence ministers, he said NATO had an "open-door policy" towards membership of the organisation. "Our door remains open for European countries, European democracies that fulfil the necessary criteria and can contribute to Euro-Atlantic security, but of course it's for individual partners to decide how they want to develop their relationship and partnership with NATO." Ireland
6864-526: The hairpin turns at Alp d'Huez being one of the select few riders to win this stage twice; once in 1976 and once in 1979 . 1984 : The Tour invited amateurs to take part in the 1980s. The best was Luis Herrera , who lived at 2,000 metres (6,600 feet) altitude in Colombia . None of the professionals could follow him. He won alone to the cacophony of broadcasters who had arrived to report his progress. 1986 : Bernard Hinault said he would help Greg LeMond win
6968-571: The international stage. He is a Senior Network Member at the European Leadership Network (ELN). Rasmussen was born in 1953 in Ginnerup , Jutland , Denmark, to farmer Knud Rasmussen and Martha Rasmussen (née Fogh). His surname is Rasmussen; Fogh, his mother's maiden name, is his middle name and not considered part of his last name. He is correctly referred to as Rasmussen (not Fogh Rasmussen), unless his full name (including his given name)
7072-435: The introduction of income tax in 1903. In 2009 tax revenue was 777,375 million Krone. It had grown to 831,172 million in 2011, 901,001 million in 2013, 954,473 million in 2015, and 995,058 million in 2017. It's important to note that from 2011 to 2015 Social Democrat Helle Thorning-Schmidt was the prime minister, however, she passed a tax-reform with support from the liberal-conservative opposition. It raised
7176-485: The leader, Bernard Thévenet . He was still clear on the Alpe when a car drove into him. The time that Van Impe lost waiting for another wheel may have been enough to cost him the Yellow Jersey, as Thévenet and Hennie Kuiper charged on to the finish with Thévenet remaining in the lead by eight seconds over Kuiper. 1978 : Another Belgian leading the mountains race also came close to taking the yellow jersey as leader of
7280-502: The left chest. Each Danish ministry has a quota of Knights and Knights 1st class that they may use at their discretion. It is most often given to high-ranking officers of the police , armed forces and emergency services . Also used for politicians in Folketinget after 8 years of elected service. Ministers are given the rank of Knight 1st Class. The rank of Commander is given to colonels, ministers and other high-ranking officials as
7384-531: The near future. Rumors then spread around Rasmussen's candidacy for Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen denied the rumors until a few days before the official announcement of his selection was made. Rasmussen expressed support for Israel 's right to defend itself during the Gaza–Israel conflict . He said that, "it was Hamas that broke the truce, and Hamas started the conflict by firing rockets on Israel. No country can just passively accept being fired on." After he
7488-521: The next. Rasmussen disagreed with the findings of the commission, but faced with the threat of a motion of no confidence , he left his posts voluntarily. His Liberal ( Venstre ) Party won power in the November 2001 election , defeating the Social Democratic government of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and enabling him to form his first cabinet . That election marked a dramatic change in Danish politics. It
7592-632: The notorious Alpe d'Huez stage of the 2008 Tour de France the day after the professional race took place. His attendance at Le Tour was at the invitation of Danish former cyclist Bjarne Riis . He is of no relation to either his predecessor Poul Nyrup Rasmussen , nor his successor Lars Løkke Rasmussen as Prime Minister of Denmark. Rasmussen received the America Award of the Italy-USA Foundation in 2017. He has held positions in government and opposition throughout his career, first winning
7696-506: The only medieval coron [ fr ] known and preserved in its entirety, making it a unique site in Europe and classified as historical monuments by a decree of 6 August 1995. Excavated and studied continuously since 1977 by a team of the CNRS , this site is registered as an historic monument. The medieval mining operation stretched from Gua (the Sarenne [ fr ] Valley) to
7800-529: The open powder field of Le Grand Sablat, the Couloir Fleur and the Perrins bowl. Up to 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) of vertical descent are available with heli drops back to the resort's altiport. The proximity to the exclusively off-piste resort of La Grave as well as tree skiing at Serre Chevalier and the glacier and terrain parks of Les Deux Alpes have made Alpe d'Huez a popular base for skiers looking to explore
7904-598: The overall Tour. French journalist and L'Équipe sportswriter Jean-Paul Vespini wrote a book about Alpe d'Huez and its role in the Tour de France: The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France . The Alpe has chaotic crowds of spectators. In 1999, Giuseppe Guerini won despite being knocked off by a spectator who stepped into his path to take a photograph. The 2004 individual time trial became chaotic when fans pushed riders toward
8008-441: The period before the war, where he poured red paint on the prime minister while yelling "Du har blod på dine hænder" (literally: "You have blood on your hands"). A member of the Danish parliament for the socialist Red-Green Alliance , Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil , stated that it was a reaction she might have made under the circumstances, although she later denounced such behaviour. Denmark was one of only five countries to take part in
8112-418: The political left wing), overall spending continued to rise by approximately one percentage point above inflation each year. From 2004 and onwards, minor tax cuts came into effect, on two accounts: In 2009 a major tax reform was implemented. The overall marginal tax rate was reduced by 7.5%. In the end, the top tax rate (topskatten) was not changed, but the income level at which it applied was raised. This had
8216-451: The purists but enthrals the broader public, like 20/20 cricket or beach volleyball . Last year, a full-blown tent-stamping riot had required heavy police intervention. During this year's clean-up operation, down in a ravine with the bottle shards and dented emulsion tins, a body turned up. He'd fallen off the mountain and no one had noticed. When the Tour goes up Alpe d'Huez, it's a squalid, manic and sometimes lethal shambles, and that's just
8320-483: The quantity and quality of intermediate grade slopes but the resort is mostly known for freeskiing, drawing many steep skiing enthusiasts to its high altitude terrain. Aside from the Tunnel and Sarenne black runs, many Off-piste opportunities exist both from the summit of the 3,330-metre (10,930-foot) Pic Blanc and the 2,808-metre (9,213-foot) Dome des Petites Rousses. These include the 50-degree Cheminees du Mascle couloirs,
8424-455: The remaining elite riders to become the first rider to win the Alpe d’Huez stage while wearing the yellow jersey . 2022 : World cyclo-cross and Olympic mountain-bike champion Tom Pidcock , riding his first Tour, broke away on the Galibier descent, before going solo from a break including four-time Tour winner Chris Froome with around 8 km to go and won on the Alpe, the youngest winner on
8528-511: The same meeting where he said that "If we wish to defend our values and interests, if we wish to maintain the security of our citizens, then a majority of MEPs consider that we need a headquarters for civil and military missions in Brussels and deployable troops." Rasmussen was satisfied with the role of NATO in European defence matters and saw every reason to maintain the status quo. Order of
8632-493: The stage at the summit of Alpe d'Huez during the 100th edition of the Tour. For the first time ever, riders rode up the climb twice with the descent over the Col de Sarenne in between. 2018 : Geraint Thomas , Tom Dumoulin , Chris Froome , Romain Bardet and Mikel Landa were able to catch Steven Kruijswijk , who had been on a 70 km solo attack, about 2/3 of the way up the climb and with about 500 meters to go Thomas dropped
8736-460: The start of the climb and only Fausto Coppi could stay with him. The two climbed together until Coppi attacked at bend five, four kilometres (2.5 miles) from the top. He won the stage, the lead in the general classification , and kept it till the end of the race. 1977 : Lucien Van Impe , a Belgian rider leading the climbers' competition, broke clear on the Col du Glandon. He gained enough time to threaten
8840-498: The structure remains as demolition was not economical. The climb to the summit starts at Le Bourg d'Oisans in the Romanche valley. The climb goes via the D211 from where the distance to the summit (at 1,860 m (6,102 ft)) is 13.8 km (8.6 mi), with an average gradient of 8.1%, with 21 hairpin bends and a maximum gradient of 13%. Despite its notoriety, Alpe d'Huez is only
8944-509: The summit to rid himself of the French rider Jean Robic . This was the year that motorcycle television crews first came to the Tour. It was also the Tour's first mountain-top finish. The veteran reporter, Jacques Augendre, said: Augendre omitted Laurent Fignon , who, along with Coppi and Armstrong, took yellow on the Alpe without winning the stage in 1983 , 1984 , and 1989 . He held it into Paris in 1983 and 1984 but in 1989 he lost it on
9048-449: The summit, which is the start of the climb. Others have been taken from the junction 700 metres (2,300 feet) from the start. These variations have led to a debate. Pantani's 37m 35s has been cited by Procycling and World Cycling Productions, publisher of Tour de France DVDs, and by Cycle Sport . In a biography of Pantani, Matt Rendell notes Pantani at: 1994 – 38m 0s; 1995 – 38m 4s; 1997 – 37m 35s. The Alpe tourist association describes
9152-460: The summit. Their leader was Georges Rajon, who ran the Hotel Christina. The ski station there opened in 1936. Wermelinger reported to the organiser, Jacques Goddet , and the Tour signed a contract with the businessmen to include the Alpe. It cost them the modern equivalent of €3,250. That first Alpe d'Huez stage was won in 1952 by Fausto Coppi . Coppi attacked 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from
9256-528: The time in the Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Denmark , but he has said it should be up to religious communities to decide whether to perform ceremonies for gay couples. On 18 January 2005 Rasmussen called an election for 8 February 2005. He delayed the call by a couple of weeks because of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake which killed several Danes. His government was criticized for its allegedly slow response to that crisis, although
9360-575: The top tax threshold, effectively lowering tax rates for high income earners. Rasmussen held the rotating presidency of the European Union from July to December 2002, proving his dedication to a pro-EU agenda and the guiding principles of the Ellemann-Jensen doctrine . He pursued this to its logical conclusion by publicly denouncing the Danish collaboration policy during its second World War occupation,
9464-426: The top. Attendance figures on the mountain have to be treated with caution. A million spectators were claimed for 1997. Eric Muller, the mayor of Alpe d'Huez, however, said there were 350,000 in 2001, four years later despite acceptance that the number rises every year. "We expect more than 400,000 for the centenary race in 2003", he said. The author Tim Moore wrote: As a variant on a sporting theme, Alpe d'Huez annoys
9568-417: The town of Bani Walid —had fallen and the deposed leader had been killed as he tried to flee from Sirte toward Misrata . Gaddafi's killing came with close NATO aerial support of Libyan ground forces. The Secretary General normally serves for a term of four years with a one-year extension option. On 3 October 2012, Fogh Rasmussens term was extended one year, so it ended on 31 July 2014. In February 2013 in
9672-670: The way they like it. It's the Glastonbury Festival for cycling fans. Alpe d'Huez has been nicknamed the "Dutch Mountain", since Dutchmen won eight of the first 14 finishes in le Tour De France. British author Geoffrey Nicholson wrote: The attraction of opposites draws [Dutch spectators] from the Low Countries to the Alps each summer in any case. But all winter in the Netherlands coach companies offer two or three nights at Alpe d'Huez as
9776-470: Was a visit to Afghanistan , where he met with President Karzai and senior Afghan ministers, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Spanta , Minister for Defence General Wardak , and Minister of Interior Atmar to discuss the then impending presidential and provincial council elections . On 28 January 2010 Rasmussen attended the 2010 International Conference on Afghanistan at Lancaster House in London. It
9880-462: Was actually looking back to see the position of his teammate Chechu Rubiera. Seeing no response from Ullrich, Armstrong accelerated away from the field to claim the victory, 1:59 ahead of Ullrich. Armstrong would later be stripped of this achievement and his tour win by his conviction for doping in 2012. His name however, is still honored on one of the 21 signs of previous winners, lining the hairpin turns of Alpe d'Huez. 2013 : Christophe Riblon won
9984-536: Was at this event that the framework for the next decade of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was settled by the Afghan president Hamid Karzai and his successor Ashraf Ghani and their donors. As seen at right, Gordon Brown , Hillary Clinton , Catherine Ashton and Hermann van Rompuy amongst other Western leaders were in attendance. In April 2011, in relation to the 2011 Libyan civil war Rasmussen said that on
10088-696: Was awarded the Adam Smith award by the libertarian society Libertas , partly because of this book. From 1987 to 1990 he was Minister for Taxation and from 1990 Minister for Economy and Taxation in the Conservative-led Poul Schlüter government. In 1992 Rasmussen resigned from his ministerial posts after a report from a commission of inquiry had decided that he had provided the Folketing with inaccurate and incomplete information regarding his decision to postpone payment of several bills from Regnecentralen and Kommunedata from one accounting year to
10192-492: Was charged with treason, and Samuel Christoph von Plessen [ da ] (1640–1704) who was charged with looting and gross misconduct. In more recent times, it has been revoked on the basis of criminality, such as Peter Adler Alberti (1910), Erik Ninn-Hansen (1995), Peter Brixtofte (2008) and Christian Kjær (2019). Foreigners have also had their membership revoked. Several prominent Nazi officials, such as Hermann Göring and Konstantin von Neurath , were awarded
10296-644: Was confirmed as the NATO Secretary General, Rasmussen announced that he would resign as Prime Minister of Denmark on 5 April 2009. Anders Fogh Rasmussen became the 12th NATO Secretary General on 1 August 2009, succeeding Jaap de Hoop Scheffer , who held the post from 2004 until 2009. The announcement was made on 4 April 2009, at the 2009 Strasbourg–Kehl summit in Strasbourg . During the final selection process only one country, Turkey , remained opposed to Rasmussen's candidacy, partly because of his handling of
10400-447: Was forced to publish classified reports it had consulted about the likelihood of banned weapons existing in Iraq. While the Blair and Bush administrations became the subject of criticism for extended periods because of their reliance on questionable intelligence, Rasmussen stayed clear of this controversy. This is probably largely because the motion passed by parliament (Folketinget) authorising
10504-551: Was the first time since 1920 that the Social Democratic Party lost its position as the largest party in the Folketing (parliament), mainly due to a loss of working class votes to Dansk Folkeparti (The Danish People's Party). Following the 2001 election, Venstre formed a government in a parliamentary coalition with the Conservative People's Party to form a minority government with the parliamentary support of Dansk Folkeparti. Together these three parties survived both
10608-412: Was to allow parliament to face important upcoming decisions without being distracted by a future election, with welfare reform being cited as an example. Initial polls had predicted that neither the incumbent alliance nor the left-wing opposition would win a majority, leaving the centrist New Alliance with the balance of power. At 11:30 p.m. on the night of the election, Rasmussen claimed victory on
10712-538: Was worn a short white shoulder cape with a standing collar embroidered in gold, upon which was worn the collar of the Order (the habit was always worn with the collar and never with the ribbon of the Order). The habit also had a black hat with a plume of white and red ostrich feathers. This habit was almost identical to that worn by the knights of the Order of the Elephant . The Order is divided into six grades, which are grouped into four classes: The Grand Commander grade
10816-496: Was −25.2 °C (−13.4 °F) on 5 February 2012. Each year, the Alpe d'Huez Film Festival is held in January. Alpe d'Huez also has an altiport , the Alpe d'Huez Airport , built for the 10th Winter Olympics held at Grenoble in 1968. It was named for Henri Giraud [ fr ] on 15 April 2000, in memory of the famous mountain pilot. The altiport hosts helicopters including those of civil security , SAF Helicopteres and
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