The Tour de France is the first stage that comes to mind when we think of cycling races. Originating more than 100 years ago, the Tour is organized every year in July. Tour de France is a race where you can witness the history and culture of the country. The Tour de France, the most prestigious organization in cycling, first started with the race in 1903. The race, which became popular over time, started to be followed especially in the 1960s. Different countries are also included in the Tour de France. Among the countries that can change from year to year are France, Benelux countries, Italy and Switzerland. The Tour de France hosts unique photo frames every year with its stages. During the stages, amazing natural landscapes, historical monuments, and cities are passed by. This situation has made the tour more valuable. 

When is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is organized every year in the summer months. The stages that start in July continue every day until the end of the month. World famous broadcasting organizations broadcast the Tour de France live. 

Tour de France History 

The first races in the Tour de France were held on July 1, 1903. Maurice Garin won the tour, which was the world's first stage cycling race in those days. The race started in the city of Montgeron and was organized in five stages over 2428 kilometers. The races could not be organized due to the First World War. With the end of the war, the races resumed in 1919. This year, the yellow jersey was used to show the leader of the race. Racers could compete with or without sponsors until 1930. This year, the rule of racing in sponsored and professional teams was introduced. Also in the same year, the race was increased to 24 stages. 

Where is the Tour de France held?

The Tour de France, the world's most prestigious cycling race, is run in many countries. While the Tour was first organized only in France, neighboring countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, Andorra, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy were added to the stages. In some years, England and Ireland were also included in the tour. 

How many kilometers is the Tour de France?

The distances between the stages in the Tour de France are different from each other. Some stages can be longer and shorter due to the fact that they are climbs or short runs. The question of how many kilometers the Tour de France is wondered by sports fans. The organization was organized as 3484 km in its last year. This length may vary according to the countries and routes added to the tour. 

What Does Tour de France Jerseys Mean?

All the jerseys worn by the racers in the Tour de France have different meanings. Yellow, green, and white with red spots and white jerseys are used in the races. 
The yellow jersey is the most important as it indicates the rider who leads the race. 
The green jersey has been used since 1953. 
The green jersey represents the athlete who is on the first step in the points classification. 
The white jersey with red spots was added to the tour in 1975. It means the competitor who is the leader in the mountain classification. 
White jerseys indicate the leader among riders under 26 years of age. White was added to the race in 1975. 

Tour de France Records 

The Tour de France is an organization that is over 100 years old. For this reason, it has witnessed everything in recent history. The Tour holds many records that are hard to reach. Some of the most legendary riders in the history of cycling have appeared in the Tour de France. Jacques Anquetil was the first rider to win back-to-back races. Anquetil managed to win 4 Tours between 1961 and 1964. Eddy Merckx won 5 consecutive races between 1969 and 1974. More recently, Lance Armstrong won the Tour 7 times between 1999 and 2005. However, Armstrong was stripped of his titles after it was discovered that he had used banned substances.