Organisers of the Tour of Romandie stage race have announced the route for 2012, with a stage starting in France for the first time.

One of two WorldTour races in Switzerland, and won in 2011 by BMC’s Cadel Evans in preparation for his victory in the Tour De France, the Tour De Romandie will be held next year between April 24 and April 29.

All 18 WorldTour teams will take part, with a wild card invitation extended to the second-tier Pro Continental squad led by Thomas Voeckler.

Race director, Richard Chassot, recently unveiled the route at a press conference in Payerne, announcing that a second wild card invitation may be issued to boost the number of teams taking part to twenty.

A team presentation event will be held in Milan Square, Lausanne, on Monday April 23, the day before the race begins with a prologue time trial around the streets of the Vaud canton’s capital.

Stage one will take the riders from Morges on the shore of Lake Geneva to La Chaux-de-Fonds, while the second stage marks a first for the race, with a departe from the French town of Montbéliard, passing through the French-speaking part of the Bern canton to Moutier.

Stage three to Charmey will set off from La Neuville in a departure organised to mark the 700^th anniversary of the town’s foundation.

The fourth stage from Bulle to Sion has been billed by organisers as “a big mountain stage”, while the fifth and final stage, a race against the clock around the streets of Crans-Montana, is described as “a tough individual time trial”.

Organisers declared a budget of 4.5m Swiss Francs for the race, which passes through the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

Tour de Romandie 2012 route

Prologue, Lausanne (individual time trial), Tuesday April 24

Stage one, Morges to La Chaux-de-Fonds, Wednesday April 25

Stage two, Montbeliard (France) to Moutier, Thursday April 26

Stage three, La Neuveville to Charmey, Friday April 27

Stage four, Bulle to Sion, Saturday April 28

Stage five, Cransmontana (individual time trial), Sunday April 29