What is the Tour de France?
The Tour de France is the world's most famous cycling race. Held each July since 1903, it covers about 3,500 kilometers over 21 stages in three weeks.
The race was created by the French sports newspaper L'Auto to boost sales. The route changes every year but usually loops around France, sometimes visiting neighboring countries, and always includes tough mountain stages in the Alps and Pyrenees. It traditionally finishes on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
The rider with the lowest total time wears the famous yellow jersey, called the maillot jaune. Other jerseys reward the best sprinter, the green jersey, the best climber, the polka-dot jersey, and the best young rider, the white jersey. About 22 teams of eight riders each take part.
Record holders
Four riders share the record of five overall wins: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Induráin. Lance Armstrong won seven times, but all his titles were removed in 2012 because of doping. In recent years, the race has been dominated by Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard.
Did You Know?
The Tour de France Femmes, a women's version of the race, was relaunched in 2022 and has grown quickly in popularity.