Tour de France
Annual men's road cycling race, oldest and most prestigious Grand Tour.
The Tour de France is an annual men's multiple-stage road cycling race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.
- race_type
- Men's multiple-stage road cycling race
- country
- France
- governing_body
- UCI World Tour event
- number_of_stages
- 21 day-long stages over 23- or 24-day period
- jerseys
- Yellow (general classification), Green (points), Polka-dot (mountains), White (young rider)
Lore & Background
Only 24 of the 60–80 entrants finished.
Reader's Guide
The race alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise circuits of France. The general classification leader wears the yellow jersey, with other contests for points (green jersey), mountains (polka-dot jersey), young riders (white jersey), and team classification.
Did You Know?
- The race was created to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto, which doubled its circulation during the first Tour.
- The winner of the first Tour, Maurice Garin, finished 64 hours 57 minutes and 8 seconds ahead of the last rider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tour de France?
It is an annual multi-stage road cycling race for men, run primarily across France. Among the three Grand Tours in professional cycling, it holds the top spot in both age and prestige.
Why is the Tour de France the biggest race in cycling?
As the oldest and most storied of the three Grand Tours, it sits above the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España in terms of historical weight and global attention. Claiming the overall victory is seen as the ultimate career achievement for a road cyclist.
What governs the Tour de France?
The event is classified as a UCI World Tour race, meaning it falls under the umbrella of the Union Cycliste Internationale. It is a men's multiple-stage road cycling competition held mainly on French roads.
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