This article is about the multi-stage cycling race. For other uses, see Tour de France (disambiguation).
"Letour" redirects here. Not to be confused with Latour.
Tour de France
2023 Tour de France
Race details
Date
July
Region
France and other European countries
Local name(s)
Tour de France (in French)
Nickname(s)
La Grande Boucle, Le Tour, TdF
Discipline
Road
Competition
UCI World Tour
Type
Stage race (Grand Tour)
Organiser
Amaury Sport Organisation
Race director
Christian Prudhomme
Web site
www.letour.fr
History
First edition
1 July 1903; 120 years ago (1903-07-01)
Editions
110 (as of 2023)
First winner
Maurice Garin (FRA)
Most wins
Jacques Anquetil (FRA) Eddy Merckx (BEL) Bernard Hinault (FRA) Miguel Induráin (ESP)
5 wins each
Most recent
Jonas Vingegaard (DEN)
The Tour de France (French pronunciation:[tuʁdəfʁɑ̃s]; English: Tour of France) is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race held primarily in France.[1] It is the oldest of the three Grand Tours (the Tour, the Giro d'Italia, and the Vuelta a España) and is generally considered the most prestigious.
The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto[2] and has been held annually since, except when stopped for 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 chains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, and (except in 2024) 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, and the first Tour de France Femmes was held in 2022.[10]
^ abcdeGunter, 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.
^"1903 Tour de France". Bikeraceinfo.com. 19 January 1903. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
^"2008 – 2009 UCI Road Calendar". Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
^"UCI WorldTour calendar 2012". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
^"Tour de France 2011 – Stage by stage". Letour.fr. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
^"Moment 17: 1975 – TDF's First Champs Elysees Finish". Bicycling Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 September 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
^"UCI Regulations" (2.6.011 ed.). p. 43. Archived from the original on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
^Augendre 1996, p. 17.
^"Regulations of the race" (PDF). ASO/letour.fr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
^Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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Global Information
2023 Tour de France
Maurice Garin (FRA)
Eddy Merckx (BEL)
Miguel Induráin (ESP)
Jonas Vingegaard (DEN)