The Tour de France is one of the most prestigious cycling events in the world, featuring only the top athletes. But how long is the Tour De France, and how does the competition work?
The Tour de France dates back to the 19th century, when a French sports newspaper created the first race to attempt to win over readers from its competing newspaper. The very first race took place in 1903.
The Tour de France is held in July. It is regarded as the most famous of the three “Grand Tours”. The two other competitions are the “Tour of Spain”, held in September, and the “Tour of Italy”, held in May.
The Tour de France usually lasts around 21 days and spans an average of 2,000 miles, though the races have been longer or shorter on occasion. In fact, the race was more than 3500 miles long in 1926. There are usually about 20 teams competing with 9 players each.
The course spans over many parts of France, though it occasionally runs through other countries as well. It covers all types of terrain, from flat areas to steep mountainous regions. The cyclists compete in “stages”, which are day-long race segments. Their overall times are computed and the winner is determined based on the best time. The race almost always ends on Champs-Elysees, which is a well-known cultural avenue in France.
Tour de France competitors are allowed 2 days off during the three-week period, which is used for rest or to move to another town where the race resumes.
Lance Armstrong is the only cyclist to have won the Tour de France 7 times. There are several athletes who have won it five times or less.
So how long is the Tour de France? It is usually around 2,000 miles long and takes about 3 weeks to complete.