Tour de France

This article is about the multi-stage cycling race. For other uses, see Tour de France (disambiguation).
For the women's race, see Tour de France Femmes.
"Letour" redirects here. Not to be confused with Latour.

Tour de France
2024 Tour de France
Race details
DateJuly
RegionFrance and other European countries
Local name(s)Tour de France (in French)
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI World Tour
TypeStage race (Grand Tour)
OrganiserAmaury Sport Organisation
Race directorChristian Prudhomme
Web sitewww.letour.fr Edit this at Wikidata
History
First edition1 July 1903; 121 years ago (1903-07-01)
First winner Maurice Garin (FRA)
Most wins Jacques Anquetil (FRA)
 Eddy Merckx (BEL)
 Bernard Hinault (FRA)
 Miguel Induráin (ESP)
5 wins each
Most recent Tadej Pogačar (SVN)

The Tour de France (French pronunciation: [tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s]) is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race held primarily in France.[1] It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.

The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto (which was an ancestor of L'Équipe).[2] and has been held annually since, except when it was not held from 1915 to 1918 and 1940 to 1946 due to the two World Wars. As the Tour gained prominence and popularity, the race was lengthened and gained more international participation. The Tour is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI WorldTeams, with the exception of the teams that the organizers invite.[3][4]

Traditionally, the bulk of the race is held in July. While the route changes each year, the format of the race stays the same, and includes time trials,[1] passage through the mountain's chains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, and (except in 2024 due to preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics) a finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.[5][6] The modern editions of the Tour de France consist of 21 day-long stages over a 23 or 24 day period and cover approximately 3,500 kilometres (2,200 mi) total.[7] The race alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise circuits.[8]

Twenty to twenty-two teams of eight riders usually compete. All of the stages are timed to the finish and the riders' times are compounded with their previous stage times.[1] The rider with the lowest cumulative time is the leader of the race and wears the yellow jersey.[1][9] While the general classification attracts the most attention, there are other contests held within the Tour: the points classification for the sprinters (green jersey), the mountains classification for the climbers (polka dot jersey), young rider classification for riders under the age of 26 (white jersey), and the team classification, based on the first three finishers from each team on each stage.[1] Achieving a stage win also provides prestige, often accomplished by a team's sprint specialist or a rider taking part in a breakaway.

A similar race for women was held under various names between 1984 and 2009. Following criticism by campaigners and the professional women's peloton, a one/two day race (La Course by Le Tour de France) was held between 2014 and 2021. The first Tour de France Femmes was held in 2022.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e Gunter, Joel (16 July 2012). "The Tour de France: a guide to the basics". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  2. ^ "1903 Tour de France". Bikeraceinfo.com. 19 January 1903. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  3. ^ "2008 – 2009 UCI Road Calendar". Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  4. ^ "UCI WorldTour calendar 2012". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Tour de France 2011 – Stage by stage". Letour.fr. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Moment 17: 1975 – TDF's First Champs Elysees Finish". Bicycling Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 September 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  7. ^ "UCI Regulations" (2.6.011 ed.). p. 43. Archived from the original on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  8. ^ Augendre 1996, p. 17.
  9. ^ "Regulations of the race" (PDF). ASO/letour.fr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).