Held for the first time in history 115 years ago, the bicycling competition known as Tour de France has become a worldwide phenomenon that is still happening today on a yearly basis. While some people view it as nothing more than a mere cycling marathon, the event is much more complex and filled with numerous challenges which are indivisible from the whole experience. Today, we explore the different elements which are present in this year’s Tour de France.
The Stages
When people hear Tour de France, they usually imagine a group pack of cyclists on the public road, but there is much to it. The event itself has predetermined stages that require the participants to cycle through 8 flat stages, 5 hilly stages, 6 mountain stages, 3 Altitude finishes, one individual time trial, and one team time trial. In addition to those stages, two rest days are also given to the riders for recuperation.Who and How Many Will Participate?
A total of 176 riders will partake in the tour, divided into teams of 8 people. While in the beginning, Tour de France only had French participants, but with growing popularity, it was classified as a UCI World Tour Event, which means that professional cyclists from other countries started to take part as well. Today, some of the nationalities taking part in Tour de France are Australia, France, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Britain, Netherlands, and Italy.Thanks for the help from our friends
Where Will the Riders Pass Through?
According to the official manifesto, the stages will be separated as follows – twelve in the Alps, four in the Massif central, and ten in the Pyrenees. While the entire tour is almost completely held on French ground, there will be some exceptions. A short visit is scheduled through Spain during stage number 16. There, cyclists will travel through a distance of 15 kilometers. An interesting fact is that the Tour hasn’t passed through Spain since 2006.The Complete Distance and Sections
One of the most fascinating facts about Tour de France is the distance at which participants have to cover. This year, the exact measured distance is 3,351 kilometers. The average distance for the flat, hilly and mountain stages will be from 100 to 200 kilometer each. Individual and team time-trial stages will be respectively 35.5km and 31km.- 3,351 km
Full distance length
- 100-200 km
Average distance
- 31-35.5 km
Trial stages
Did You Know?
Known to be as the most prestigious and famous bicycle race in the world, the Tour de France provides a lot of opportunities to sportsbook enthusiasts worldwide. Given the complexity of the race, you can expect that there will be a lot of sports markets available for this event, but before you place your first wager, there are a few things seasoned and beginner punters should be aware of.
Read More