How Long Is the Tour de France?
Most of us who haven't ridden a bicycle since childhood stop in our tracks each July and ask incredulously, "Just how long is the Tour de France?" The race seems to go on forever, as men in colorful jerseys and sleek helmets chase each other up and down mountains.
In November 1902, Géo Lefèvre, a writer at L'Auto Magazine, came up with the idea of a cross-country bicycle race, and convinced his editor, Henri Desgrange, of its viability. Thus began the Tour de France on July 1, 1903, with 60 riders, only 21 of whom made it all the way through. The sum of prize money that first year was 20,000 francs, and the winner's average speed was 25 km (15.5 miles) per hour over a distance of 2428 km (1508 miles). The first year that the route went through the Pyrenees was 1910, and the following year the Alps were included as well.
How Long Is the Tour de France?
The Tour de France is an extraordinarily long race that sees riders race approximately 3,500 km (2,175 miles) over the course of 21 days. The first Tour was only 2428 km, but the longest race occurred in 1926, when the course was 5,745 km (3,570 miles) long. In the 106 years since the Tour began, more than 10,000 riders have competed, and only about 6000 have finished. In recent years, up to 200 riders have started the race each year, but due to the strenuous course and unforeseen problems, between 20 and 25 percent haven't completed the course. Since 1998, the average speed of the winner has approached or surpassed 40 km (25 miles) per hour—sixty percent faster than the riders in the very first race.
The Route
The route of the Tour de France changes every year. The race generally begins in a flat region, then winds its way through the Pyrenees and Alps before finishing in Paris. Every department in continental France has had the Tour pass through at least once, and every country bordering France has also hosted a stage at one time or another. The 2010 race used Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, as a starting point and it later passed through Belgium.
Winning
Lance Armstrong of the United States won the Tour de France a record-setting seven times in a row between 1999 and 2005. Four people have each won the Tour five times:
- Jacques Anquetil of France
- Eddy Merckx of Belgium
- Bernard Hinault of France
- Miguel Indurain of Spain
In 2010, the prize money is a total of 3.2 million euros with the overall winner receiving 450,000 euros.
Because the race is so long, there are various incentives that keep the riders motivated. Throughout the race, the rider with the best combined times up to that point wears a special yellow jersey. A green jersey shows who has the most sprint points at the end of each stage. The "King of the Mountains" (the rider who handles the mountain stages best) wears a white jersey with red polka dots. The best young rider wear a solid white jersey, and the most aggressive rider each day gets to wear his number printed in white on red instead of black on white.
Spectators
If you're interested in following the Tour de France, highlights are broadcast on television in 186 countries, and there is live coverage in 60. Day's end results are reported in nearly 400 newspapers around the world as well. Throughout the Tour, between 12 and 15 million spectators line the route and spend an average of six hours waiting and watching the riders. The vast majority of spectators are French, but they still travel an average of 130 km (80 miles) to watch.
Whether you choose to join them in person or by watching on television, you'll know the answer to the question, "How long is the Tour de France?"