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Tour de France coverage from Cycling Weekly, with up to date race results, rider profiles and news and reports.

The Tour de France 2024 began on Saturday 29 June and marks the 111th edition of cycling's flagship race. In the first Grand Départ for Italy, the race started in Florence and traced a path east across the country, before heading back west towards France and into the Alps. 

The riders will also take on the Apennines, Massif Central and Pyrenees mountain ranges, and pass through Italy, San Marino, Monaco and France.

With Paris busy preparing for the Olympic Games in August there will be no room for the Tour de France's traditional final stage finish on the Champs-Elysées. Instead the race will finish in Nice – the first time it has ever finished outside the capital.

The world's best riders are locked into a battle for victory, with newly crowned Giro d'Italia winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) taking on Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) – both of whom are currently returning from injury – and Primož Roglič (Red-Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).

The three-week event is the second in the trio of Grand Tours, coming after the Giro d'Italia and before the Vuelta a España .

Check out our page on the  Tour de France 2024 route  for everything you need to know about the 21 stages from Florence to Nice, and look at  complete start list for the race .

This will be the first Tour since  GCN+ closed down , so make sure you read our how to watch the Tour de France guide carefully to make sure you can be fully tuned in. 

Tour de France 2024 reports

• Romain Bardet snatches first stage of the Tour de France as Mark Cavendish struggles
• Kevin Vauquelin secures first ever Tour de France stage victory for Arkea-B&B Hotels, while Tadej Pogačar claims the yellow jersey on stage 2
• Biniam Girmay becomes first black African to take a Tour de France win in stage 3 sprint
• Tadej Pogačar wins stage 4 duel with Jonas Vingegaard to reclaim yellow at the Tour de France
• Mark Cavendish breaks Tour de France stage win record with victory on stage five
• Dylan Groenewegen edges home first in bunch dash for Tour de France stage six
• Remco Evenepoel powers to time trial victory on Tour de France stage seven , as Tadej Pogačar keeps yellow
• Biniam Girmay powers to second Tour de France win on stage 8
• Anthony Turgis pips Tom Pidcock to win stage 9 of Tour de France after breathless day on the gravel
• Jasper Philipsen finally has his moment, winning Tour de France stage 10 bunch sprint
• Jonas Vingegaard outsprints Tadej Pogačar to claim victory on stage 11 of the Tour de France
• Biniam Girmay sprints to third win of the Tour de France on stage 12
• Jasper Philipsen outsprints Wout van Aert to win stage 13 of the Tour de France in Pau
• Tadej Pogačar wins stage 14 of the Tour de France and tightens his grip on the yellow jersey
• Tadej Pogačar dominates stage 15 of the Tour de France to extend his lead

Tour de France 2024: Overview

Tour de france 2024: the route.

One for the climbers, the 2024 Tour de France route incorporates four summit finishes, spans four mountain ranges, and features the hilliest opening stage in Tour de France history.

One of the most interesting and intriguing routes of recent years, sitting between the predominantly hilly week one and week three sits a flatter week two, and stage nine – with an abundance of white roads; 14 sectors in total.

There's plenty for the sprinters as well as the general classification and climbing specialists, although there are going to be some tough mountains to get over to reach the sprint stages, and to finish the three weeks.

For the first time in 35 years, a final stage means the yellow jersey won't be decided on the penultimate day, but with a time trial in Nice.

• Tour de France 2024 route: Two individual time trials, five summit finishes and gravel sectors
• Opinion: Is the 2024 Tour de France too hard?
• FAQs of the Tour de France: How lean? How much power? How do they pee mid-stage? All that and more explained

Tour de France 2024 route: Stage-by-stage

Tour de france 2024: the teams.

The Tour de France peloton consists of 22 teams of eight riders. This includes all 18 UCI WorldTour teams, as well as the two best-ranked UCI ProTeams, and two further squads invited by the organiser, ASO. 

The teams racing the 2024 Tour de France are:

• Alpecin-Deceuninck
• Arkéa-B&B Hotels
• Astana-Qazaqstan
• Bahrain-Victorious
• Bora-Hansgrohe
• Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
• dsm-firmenich PostNL
• EF Education-EasyPost
• Groupama-FDJ
• Ineos Grenadiers
• Jayco-AlUla
• Intermarché-Wanty
• Israel-Premier Tech
• Lotto Dstny
• Soudal Quick-Step
• TotalEnergies
• UAE Team Emirates
• Uno-X Mobility
• Visma-Lease a Bike

Tour de France 2024: General classification riders

When it comes to potential yellow jersey winners, there are four riders to watch out for.

The quartet comprises Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), who has just won the Giro d'Italia; Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike), and Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) . 

Reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard is the only rider over whom hangs a significant question mark for the race. Along with Roglič and Evenepoel, he came down in a nasty crash on stage four of the Itzulia Basque Country in April. All were injured but the Dane came off worst, and he only began riding outside in May. All three made it to the start line, but how their form will progress over the Tour remains to be seen. 

Following the route announcement in October, Tadej Pogačar said that the "end of the journey makes me smile", with the final two stages starting and finishing close to his home in Monaco. Pogačar is hoping to take back the top step in 2024 after two years of missing out on yellow to Vingegaard. The Slovenian won the Giro earlier this year.

Remco Evenepoel will make his Tour de France debut in 2024. Although he took a win in 2022 at the Vuelta, his performance in other Grand Tour races has been either inconsistent or blighted by illness. If he's to compete against the likes of Vingegaard and Pogačar, he'll have to up his game. After coming 5th overall and taking a stage win in his Tour debut in 2023 , Carlos Rodríguez will lead Ineos Grenadiers .

Tour de France 2024: Sprinters

It's going to be a tough year for the sprinters. Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck was one of the star men of last year's Tour de France, taking four stage wins and the green sprinter's jersey at the end of the three weeks. He has had a fine season so far, with a win at Milan-San Remo and second at Paris-Roubaix and is likely to be the rider to beat at the Tour.

Like Philipsen, Mads Pederson of Trek-Segafredo has enjoyed a successful early season, with a win at Gent-Wevelgem and (unlike Philipsen) a hatful of sprint victories. He's likely to be the Belgian's main rival in the bunch finishes.

All eyes will be on Mark Cavendish in the 111th Tour de France after he postponed retirement to target the Tour win record, currently shared with Eddy Merckx, and gain his 35th win. He said, however, that he was "in shock" and that this was the "toughest course" he had ever seen , when it was revealed in October. 

Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) and Fabio Jakobsen (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) are also challenging for wins.

Tour de France 2024: On TV

As you'd expect the Tour de France is being broadcast in several different places throughout July. 

The race is being live-streamed on Discovery+ and Eurosport , as well as ITV4, in the UK and in Europe. Subscription costs are £6.99/month or $8.99/month, and £39.99 or $49.99 for a year.

A Flobikes  annual subscription will cost you $209.99 if you want to watch in Canada, while in the USA  NBC Sports  via Peacock Premium ($4.99 per month) will show the race. Australians can can watch the Tour for free on SBS on Demand.

And, of course, if you want to watch your local stream from anywhere in the world you'll need a VPN from a trusted company like ExpressVPN .

Tour de France: The jerseys

Much like every year in recent memory, the Tour de France jerseys and classifications are yellow for the overall leader, green for the leader in the points standings, polka-dot for the mountain classification, and white for the best young rider.

Along with the jersey prizes, there is an award for the most combative rider of each stage, with the winner wearing a red number on the following day. This is awarded each day, with a 'Super Combativity' award decided by a jury at the end of the race for the most active rider throughout the entire event.

There is also a team classification where the time of the first three riders from each team is put together to create a single time. This is then done in a similar way as the individual general classification.

In addition, there are plenty of bonus seconds up for grabs at the race. There are ten, six and four bonus seconds available at the end of each stage for the first three riders, as well as bonus sprints that are dotted throughout the race on key climbs to try and make the racing more entertaining for spectators.

Of course, there's also prize money up for grabs. For winning the 2023 edition of the race, Jonas Vingegaard collected €535,220 (£463,100), a sum which is customarily shared out among the team's riders and staff.

Tour de France past winners in the last 12 years

• 2012: Bradley Wiggins (GBr) 
• 2013: Chris Froome (GBr) 
• 2014: Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) 
• 2015: Chris Froome (GBr) 
• 2016: Chris Froome (GBr) 
• 2017: Chris Froome (GBr) 
• 2018: Geraint Thomas (GBr) 
• 2019: Egan Bernal (Col) 
• 2020: Tadej Pogačar (Slo) 
• 2021: Tadej Pogačar (Slo)  
• 2022: Jonas Vingegaard (Den)
• 2023: Jonas Vingegaard (Den)

Tour de France FAQ

How does the tour de france work.

The Tour de France is one of a trio of races that are three weeks long, known as the Grand Tours, alongside the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España. The Tour is the best known and arguably the most prestigious.

It is the second of the three races in the calendar with the Giro taking place in May, the Tour usually in July, and the Vuelta in August and September.

The Tour, like all Grand Tours, takes on varying terrain with flat days for sprinters, hilly days for puncheurs and mountains for the climbers and GC riders, along with time trials, so that a winner of the race has to be able to perform on all types of road.

The main prize in the race, known as the general classification, is based on time with the overall leader wearing the yellow jersey. The race leader and eventual winner is the rider who has the lowest accumulated time over the 21 days of racing. Riders can win the Tour de France without winning a stage, as Chris Froome did in 2017. Time bonuses of 10, six, and four seconds are given to stage winners though, creating incentive for those general classification riders to chase individual victories and lower their overall time.

In 2020 it took race winner Tadej Pogačar 87 hours 20 minutes and 5 seconds to complete the race with the second-place rider overall 59 seconds slower. That continues all the way down to the last place rider, which was Roger Kluge (Lotto-Soudal) who finished 6 hours 7 minutes and 2 seconds behind.

The white best young rider's jersey is worked out in the same way but only riders under the age of 26 are eligible for the jersey.

The polka-dot mountains jersey and the green points jersey are based on a points system and not time. The only reason time would come into account would be if riders are tied on points, then it would go to who is the best placed in the general classification.

The team classification is based on the general classification times of the first three riders of a team on each stage. The time of those three riders is added up and put onto their team's time, creating a GC list much like in the individual classifications. The leading team gets to wear yellow numbers and helmets on each stage.

The final classification available is the combativity prize. This is decided by a race jury or, in more recent years, Twitter. This takes place just before the end of each stage and often goes to a rider from the breakaway who has put in a daring performance or attempted to liven up the stage by attacking. The winner of the combativity award gets to wear a special red race number on the following day's stage.

There is a final prize added to this with the Super Combativity prize being awarded on the podium in Paris. This is decided in a similar fashion to pick out the most aggressive, entertaining, and daring rider of the whole three weeks. Again, usually going to a rider who has featured regularly in the breakaway.

Stage winners do not wear anything special the day after apart from getting a small yellow jersey to stick on their number on their bike, this can be replaced if they win multiple stages.

Teams used to come to the race with nine riders but the UCI, cycling's governing body, decided that nine riders from each team was too dangerous and dropped it to eight, however more teams now take part.

How long is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France takes place over 23 days with 21 of them being race days. The riders get two days of resting; they usually fall on the second and third Monday of the race.

This year's race is 3,492km long, which is 2,170 miles, around the same distance from Washington DC to Las Vegas, or Helsinki to Lisbon. 

Road stages can range from anything around 100km to something approaching 250km, sometimes more. This year the shortest road stage is stage 20, from Nice to Col de la Couillole, with the longest being 229km on stage three in Italy, from Plaisance to Turin.

Road stages often take around four to five hours with the longer days sometimes nudging over seven hours.

Time trials are always much shorter. Team time trials have long since gone out of fashion in the world of road racing so individual time trials are the main focus these days. 

In 2024, the Tour has two individual time trials for the riders to tackle, the first on stage seven at 25km long from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin, and the second on the final stage from Monaco to Nice, at 34km long.

When does the Tour de France start?

The 2024 Tour de France starts on June 29 in Florence, Italy, with a road stage. There will be three full stages in Italy, before the fourth heads into France. The race finishes in Nice three weeks later.

The 2024 edition of the race runs from 29 June - 21 July, covering 21 stages. 

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Kasia Niewiadoma and Tadej Pogačar both finished in yellow - but the Tour de France Femmes winner took home less than a tenth of the prize money

To put it in Euro per kilometre, the 2023 men's Tour paid €142.94 per km while the women earned €52.7 per km

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Retour sur l’édition 2024, étape 1 | 29/06 florence > rimini, étape 2 | 30/06 cesenatico > bologne, étape 3 | 01/07 plaisance > turin, étape 4 | 02/07 pinerolo > valloire, étape 5 | 03/07 saint-jean-de-maurienne > saint-vulbas, étape 6 | 04/07 mâcon > dijon, étape 7 | 05/07 nuits-saint-georges > gevrey-chambertin, étape 8 | 06/07 semur-en-auxois > colombey-les-deux-églises, étape 9 | 07/07 troyes > troyes, repos | 08/07 orléans, étape 10 | 09/07 orléans > saint-amand-montrond, étape 11 | 10/07 évaux-les-bains > le lioran, étape 12 | 11/07 aurillac > villeneuve-sur-lot, étape 13 | 12/07 agen > pau, étape 14 | 13/07 pau > saint-lary-soulan pla d'adet, étape 15 | 14/07 loudenvielle > plateau de beille, repos | 15/07 gruissan, étape 16 | 16/07 gruissan > nîmes, étape 17 | 17/07 saint-paul-trois-châteaux > superdévoluy, étape 18 | 18/07 gap > barcelonnette, étape 19 | 19/07 embrun > isola 2000, étape 20 | 20/07 nice > col de la couillole, étape 21 | 21/07 monaco > nice, préparez votre venue sur le tour, paysage du jour, nos engagements, grand départ lille-nord de france 2025, les actus du tour, voyagistes officiels, boutique officielle, accessoires, suivez-nous.

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Daredevil descending and THAT handshake – 13 best moments of Tour de France 2022

Updated 25/07/2022 at 19:36 GMT

Bradley Wiggins described it as the best Tour de France in his lifetime and it’s hard to disagree. A thrilling three weeks saw Tom Pidcock drop a descending masterclass, Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar share a mid-race handshake, and Wout van Aert do just about everything. Felix Lowe takes a look back and picks out the best moments of a pulsating 109th edition of the world’s biggest bike race.

‘Wow’ – Vingegaard allows Pogacar to catch up after crash in ‘incredible’ gesture

Fabio Jakobsen’s maiden Tour stage win

'hard pill to swallow' - van aert reveals physical issue that led to groves defeat.

‘What a story’ - Jakobsen completes stunning comeback from coma

Magnus Cort celebrating polka dots like a stage win

‘Brilliant to see’ – Cort delights Danish crowd in polka dots

Van Aert’s attack in Stage 4

‘Deadly demonstration’ – Van Aert conquers Stage 4 after Jumbo-Visma blow race apart

Jumbo-Dismal on cobbles stage

Chaos on the col du galibier.

‘Attack, attack, attack!’ – Jumbo-Visma try to crack Pogacar in thriller

Tom Pidcock’s zippy descent of the Galibier

‘Heart in your mouth’ – Pidcock flies past rivals at terrifying speeds on descent

Michael Matthews' ding-dong battle with Alberto Bettiol

'A Matthews Masterpiece in Mende' - BikeExchange star powers to Stage 14 win

Hugo Houle’s emotional win in Foix

‘For you, Pierrick’ – Houle dedicates win to late brother after winning Stage 16

Vingegaard’s sporting gesture after Pogacar’s crash

Van aert’s final pull on hautacam.

Van Aert powers Vingegaard to cusp of Tour title with explosive attack

First French stage win two days from Paris

‘Phenomenal!’ - Laporte ends French drought with shock Stage 19 win

Le Gac gives Bisseger a swig of water

‘Given up!’ – Bissegger shares drink with rival mid-time trial

Vingegaard and Van Aert's Rocamadour hug

Plus... quote of the race: yves lampaert, mas launches rare attack away from o’connor and roglic, 'tough to keep it up' - reaction to pidcock's road race, comedown from winning gold, ‘i have other priorities this year’ - vingegaard rules out vuelta a espana tilt.

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What to Know About This Year’s Tour de France (Which Begins in Italy)

Two previous winners are the leading contenders to win cycling’s most famous race, which, in a rarity, does not end in Paris.

By Victor Mather

For three weeks starting Saturday, the world’s best cyclists will do battle in the Tour de France, racing through valleys, hills and high mountains. Though 176 riders will start, most eyes will be on a pair of two-time winners who seek title No. 3.

After more than 2,000 miles and dozens of punishing climbs, will the winner be Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark, who took the last two Tours de France but was hurt in a crash this year? Or Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, the 2020 and 2021 winner ? Or will an unexpected contender jump up and surprise them?

And, wait: Is it really the Tour de France if the race doesn’t finish on the Champs-Élysées? Here’s a primer to read before the race gets underway.

Where will they race?

For the first time, the race will start in Italy , with the opening stage beginning in Florence and winding through the Apennine Mountains to Rimini, a city on the Adriatic coast. It will be more difficult than most opening stages, with several uphill climbs.

After a few days in Italy, the race will enter France, then go counterclockwise around the country, passing through the Alps, the Massif Central, the Pyrenees and then the Alps again.

Who are the favorites?

Vingegaard won last year’s event by an emphatic seven and a half minutes. But after a good start to the 2024 cycling season, he crashed badly in the Tour of the Basque Country in April and spent 12 days in the hospital with a broken collarbone. He is expected to ride in the Tour de France, but there is uncertainty as to what kind of shape he will be in.

As a result, Pogacar, who has been in fine form, is the favorite to win and regain his crown.

Pogacar rode in the Giro d’Italia, or Tour of Italy, in May. Unlike riders in that race who hold back to preserve their strength for the Tour de France, he gave it his all, winning by almost 10 minutes. If Pogacar claims the Tour as well, he will be the first cyclist since Marco Pantani, in 1998, to win the Giro and the Tour in the same season.

After the big two, other possible contenders include Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, the 2023 Giro winner, and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium, who won the 2022 Tour of Spain.

Though an individual wins the Tour, his team can help a lot, pacing him in the mountains and blocking attacks from rivals. Last year’s leading team, Jumbo-Visma (now Visma–Lease a Bike) has broken up; Vingegaard is still its leader, but Roglic left to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. UAE Team Emirates will support Pogacar with a squad that includes Adam Yates of Britain, a rider with the talent to win the Tour himself; he placed third last year.

Tell me the days that really matter.

The first stage to focus on is July 2, when the riders travel from Italy to France. It includes a climb up the Galibier, one of the Tour’s toughest mountains, and one that still has snow on the side of the roads.

In the midst of a week of flat stages that won’t change the leaderboard much, there is a time trial on July 5 in Burgundy wine country. The riders will race alone against the clock, with no help from teammates, which is why a time trial is known as “the race of truth.”

The real action comes at the end, with five mountain stages. The July 13 stage is particularly notable; it includes a climb up the Tourmalet in the Pyrenees and ends with an uphill — or more accurately, up-mountain — finish that is sure to winnow out any pretenders. Also make note of July 14, 17, 19 and 20 as four more brutal mountain stages where the Tour is likely to be won, or lost.

But even the flat stages, which are usually won by sprinters and seldom affect the overall standings, may have some extra interest this year. The great sprinter Mark Cavendish, 39, has 34 career stage victories and needs one more to break the record he shares with Eddy Merckx, the dominant rider of the 1960s and ’70s.

What’s different this year?

The day after that last mountain stage, the race will end, but not with the traditional ceremonial cruise down the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Instead, the field will hold a time trial to finish the Tour for the first time since 1989. If the race is close, the winner could be decided on that final day, as it was in 1989. That year, the American Greg LeMond snatched the Tour from Laurent Fignon of France in a time trial by a mere eight seconds, still the closest margin in history.

To avoid the Paris Olympics, which open five days later, the time trial will run from Monaco to Nice. It is the first time since 1974 the race has not ended on the Champs-Élysées and the first time ever it has not ended in Paris or its environs.

Remind me what the jerseys mean.

In each stage, whoever is the overall leader wears the yellow jersey to make him easier to spot for TV viewers and the thousands of fans along the route.

But there are other jerseys, too. Finishing near the front in individual stages, especially flat ones, earns points toward the green jersey for best sprinter. Last year’s winner of this jersey was Jasper Philipsen.

The first riders to reach the top of the race’s many mountains earn points toward the garish polka-dot jersey for best climber. The top contenders for yellow are also favored to win this jersey, as is Giulio Ciccone of Italy, who won last year.

Are there any Americans racing?

The days of American favorites like LeMond and Lance Armstrong are over for the time being. Moreover, Sepp Kuss, the American who won the 2023 Tour of Spain, is out because of a Covid-19 infection.

Matteo Jorgenson, 24, on the Visma team, is the top-ranked American. He won this year’s weeklong Paris-Nice race, and some think he can contend for the tour’s title in the future, or maybe, if all goes well, this year.

How can I watch?

Stages generally start around 6 or 7 a.m. Eastern time and last four to five hours. In the United States, Peacock will stream every stage live. Some stages will be shown on NBC and USA as well.

Other broadcasters include ITV and Eurosport (United Kingdom), SBS (Australia), FloBikes (Canada), France Televisions (France), ARD (Germany) and J Sports (Japan).

Victor Mather, who has been a reporter and editor at The Times for 25 years, covers sports and breaking news. More about Victor Mather

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Tour de france 2021 schedule: start time, stages, length, dates, how to watch live stream, route, tv coverage, highlights.

• Mary Omatiga ,
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The 2021 Tour de France begins on Saturday, June 26 through Sunday, July 18. This year’s cycling event features 10 new sites and stage cities indicated with an asterisk in the schedule below. Additionally, there will be 2 individual time trials in this year’s Tour. See below to find out more information including how to watch, stages, the complete schedule, and more.

STREAM LIVE: Click here to watch the 2021 Tour de France live on Peacock.

2021 Tour de France Key Information

When is the 2021 tour de france what time does coverage start.

The 2021 Tour de France will take place from June 26 - July 18. Coverage of Stage 20 starts at 7:00 a.m. ET on NBCSN and 6:55 a.m. ET on Peacock . Click here for start times for the rest of the 2020 Tour de France.

RELATED: 2021 Tour de France stage profiles, route, previews

How can I watch the 2021 Tour de France?

Stream all 21 stages of the 2021 Tour de France from start to finish, or watch on-demand on Peacock . Coverage will also be available on NBCSN. Click here for the full broadcast schedule .

• Stage 1 Extended Highlights
• Stage 2 Extended Highlights
• Stage 3 Extended Highlights
• Stage 4 Extended Highlights
• Stage 5 Extended Highlights
• Stage 6 Extended Highlights
• Stage 7 Extended Highlights
• Stage 8 Extended Highlights
• Stage 9 Extended Highlights
• Stage 10 Extended Highlights
• Stage 11 Extended Highlights
• Stage 12 Extended Highlights
• Stage 13 Extended Highlights
• Stage 14 Extended Highlights
• Stage 15 Extended Highlights
• Stage 16 Extended Highlights
• Stage 17 Extended Highlights
• Stage 18 Extended Highlights
• Stage 19 Extended Highlights
• Stage 20 Extended Highlights
• Stage 21 Extended Highlights

How long is the Tour de France 2021 ?

The 2021 Tour de France is 23 days long. There will be one stage contested per day and two rest days. The first rest day is on July 5 (between stages 9 & 10) and the second will be on July 12 (between stages 15 & 16).

How many riders are in the Tour?

There will be a total of 184 riders. There will be 23 teams with 8 riders per team.

How many stages is the Tour de France?

There are 21 stages: 8 flat, 5 hilly, 6 mountain stages, and 2 individual time trials.

What is the 2021 Tour de France schedule and route?

Click here to see the full map.

How many miles is the 2021 Tour de France?

The route is 3,414 km (approximately 2,121 miles) long.

Previous Tour de France Winners

2020 - Tadej Pogacar

2019 - Egan Bernal

2018 - Geraint Thomas

2017 - Chris Froome

2016 - Chris Froome

2015 - Chris Froome

2014 - Vincenzo Nibali

2013 - Chris Froome

2012 - Bradley Wiggins

2011 - Cadel Evans

2010 - Andy Schleck

2022 Tour de France: Who are the Seven Americans Competing?

As the 2022 tour de france kicks off, here’s everything you need to know about the seven americans competing this year., by julia elbaba • published july 1, 2022.

The 2022 Tour de France is officially underway.

The event, known to be the world's "most prestigious and most difficult" race, includes seven determined Americans seeking the iconic Tour de France trophy and a cash prize of $528,000. 

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The action, consisting of 176 riders from around the world, kicks off on Friday, July 1 with the Grand Depart in Copenhagen, Denmark and concludes on July 24.

Americans competing in the different stages of the epic competition can be watched on Peacock and the NBC Sports app.

Here are the seven Americans competing in the 2022 Tour de France:

Sepp Kuss 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sepp Kuss (@seppkuss)

Sepp Kuss is the American to watch.

Last year, the 27-year-old won stage 15 of the Tour de France, becoming the first American to win a stage of the event since Tyler Farrar, who won stage 3 in 2011.

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Making his third appearance at the prestigious event, Kuss has also won a stage of the Vuelta de España.

Kuss currently rides for Jumbo-Visma.

Neilson Powless

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Neilson Powless (@neilsonpowless)

Neilson Powless was the first US Native American to compete in the Tour de France. He is a member of the Oneida Indian Nation.

Now competing in his third Tour de France, the 25-year-old Powless won the 2021 San Sebastian Classic in Spain, becoming only the second American to achieve that.

Powless currently rides for EF Education-EasyPost.

Brandon McNulty

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brandon McNulty (@brandon_mcnulty)

Brandon McNulty is competing in his second Tour de France.

The 24-year-old’s first tour was in the 2022 Giro d'Italia where he finished 15th overall.

In 2021, he rode in the Tour de France, serving as a domestique for teammate and race winner Tadej Pogacar. A domestique is a rider who works to help and lead their team.

McNulty currently rides for UAE Team Emirates.

Joe Dombrowski 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joe Dombrowski (@joedombro)

Although Joe Dombrowski has been around for a while, he is making his Tour de France debut this year. 

The 31-year-old won a stage in the 2021 Giro d'Italia and has made four appearances in the Vuelta de Espana.

Dombrowski currently rides for Astana Qazaqstan but has spent time with Team Emirates, Splitstream, Bontrager-Livestrong and Team Sky.

Matteo Jorgenson

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Matteo Jorgenson (@matteojorgenson)

Matteo Jorgenson is also making his Tour de France debut and will ride in a support role for Spanish Movistar Team lead rider Enric Mas.

The 23-year-old has competed in one other tour in his young career -- the 2021 Giro d'Italia.

Kevin Vermaerke

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin Vermaerke (@kvermaerke)

Kevin Vermaerke is making his Tour de France debut this year.

The 21-year-old has competed in two other tours, winning the ub-23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege and finishing fourth in the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Vermaerke currently rides for Team DSM.

Quinn Simmons

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Quinn Simmons (@skin.quimmons)

Quinn Simmons is the youngest American competing at this year's Tour de France.

In 2021, the 21-year-old got himself in some trouble for actions he took on Twitter. In the incident, Simmons tweeted a black hand emoji and said "Buh-bye" in response to a cycling journalist who told supporters of former president Donald Trump to unfollow her.

Simmons was reinstated after issuing an apology and denying racist intent.

Simmons currently rides for Trek-Segafredo.

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The Best Photos from Every Stage of the 2020 Tour de France

Veteran cycling photographer Chris Auld captures the racing, scenery, and drama of the 2020 Tour.

After a two-month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Tour de France set off from Nice on August 29. Photographer Chris Auld will capture the race’s action over each of the 21 stages and 4,484 kilometers before the riders, hopefully, reach the finish line in Paris.

Auld follows the peloton and leapfrogs ahead of the riders to photograph the Tour as it unfolds, capturing elation and anguish—from the start to the finish line. Here our favorite photos from Auld’s coverage of the 2020 Tour de France so far.

Mantes-La-Jolie > Paris Champs-Élysées - 122 km - Flat

Lure > La Planche Des Belles Filles - 36.2 km - Individual time trial

Méribel > La Roche-Sur-Foron - 175 km - Mountain

Grenoble > Méribel Col De La Loze - 170 Km - Mountain

La Tour Du-Pin > Villard-De-Lans - 164 km - Mountain

Lyon > Grand Colombier - 174.5 km - Mountain

Clermont-Ferrand > Lyon - 194 km - Flat

Châtel-Guyon > Puy Mary Cantal - 191.5 km - Mountain

Chauvigny > Sarran Corrèze - 218 km - Hilly

Châtelaillon-Plage > Poitiers - 167.5 km - Flat

Île d'Oléron Le Château-d'Oléron > Île de Ré Saint-Martin-de-Ré - 168.5 km - Flat

Pau > Laruns - 153 km - Mountain

Cazères-Sur-Garonne > Loudenville - 141 km - Mountain

Millau > Lavaur- 168 km - Flat

Le Teil > Mont Aigoual - 191km - Hilly

Gap > Privas - 183km - Flat

Sisteron > Orcières-Merlette - 160.5km - Hilly

Nice > Sisteron - 198km - Flat

Nice Haut Pays > Nice - 186km - Mountain

Nice Moyen Pays > Nice - 156km - Flat

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Tour de France Stage 21 Preview

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How to Watch the Tour de France 2024

The most anticipated cycling event in the world is back. Tag along and tune in to see all the action on Peacock.

The thrill of the ride is upon us once more. Cycling’s greatest event is back – the 2024 Tour de France begins Saturday, June 29. With a start in Italy and a finish in Nice, this year is unlike any other. Follow your favorite cyclists as they undertake grueling hills, long days, and tests of endurance as they move through the European countryside on their way to the finish line. Ride along and catch all 21 day-long stages of the Tour LIVE on Peacock.

What Is the Tour de France? 

The Tour de France is a massive bike race that takes cyclists on a three-week journey through France. With the exact route changing every year, this is a unique challenge unlike anything else on the cycling calendar. The race is broken up into stages, with each day covering a certain portion of the route. Each stage has its own winner, and the winner of the entire event is the person who has the fastest time of all 21 stages. Every stage matters. Even winning one, even if the rider doesn’t win the tournament, will boost that rider’s standing significantly. Only the absolute best, most competitive riders make it into the Tour de France, so tensions are high for the right to win the coveted yellow jersey.  

This year’s event challenges 176 riders. 22 teams of 8 riders will travel across 3,498 km of road, hill, and mountain terrain.  Riding for hours each day, the cyclists are put to the ultimate test as they try to have the lowest time and pass their fellow competitors, scaling mountains and gliding on roads in the process. While the course is always different and a new challenge for the riders, this year’s course is unprecedented. The Tour completely skips Paris – typically the finish line is located on the Champs-Elysées – and kicks off in Florence, Italy. With twelve new locations along the route and four countries total, this may be the best Tour de France yet.  

What’s Different About This Year? 

With the 2024 Summer Olympics beginning July 26 in Paris, the tour is having a few changes. The race avoids Paris entirely and will have its grand finale in the beautiful French Riveria. The race will travel through four countries – France, Italy, San Marino, and Monaco – and feature ten new locations along the way. Four mountain ranges will be visited – the Apennines, the Italian and French Alps, the Massif Central, and the Pyrenees – and 52,230m of total vertical gain. Rather than a sprint for the final stage, this year’s Tour de France Stage 21 will be a time trial for the first time since 1989.  

Some athletes will finish the race and only have a few days rest before gearing up to represent their country in cycling at the Paris Olympics beginning July 27. France is in the world’s eye this summer and the Tour de France is sure to bring the action.  

What Is the Schedule For the Tour de France?    

The 2024 Tour de France begins June 29, and each day will likely have some surprises. Check out the full schedule here and make sure to watch along on Peacock.  

Saturday June 29  

6:30a ET: Stage 1 – Florence to Rimini 

Sunday June 30 

6:05a ET: Stage 2 – Cesenatico to Bologne 

Monday July 1 

6:50a ET: Stage 3 – Plaisance to Turin 

Tuesday July 2 

7a ET: Stage 4 – Pinerolo to Valloire  

Wednesday July 3 

6:55a ET: Stage 5 – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas 

Thursday July 4 

7a ET: Stage 6 – Mâcon to Dijon  

Friday July 5 

7:10a ET: Stage 7 –Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin 

Saturday July 6 

6a ET: Stage 8 – Semur-en-Auxois to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises 

Sunday July 7 

7:05a ET: Stage 9 – Troyes 

Monday July 8 

No coverage – rest day in Orléans 

Tuesday July 9  

6:55a ET: Stage 10 – Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond 

Wednesday July 10 

6:55a ET: Stage 11 – Évaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran 

Thursday July 11  

6:55a ET: Stage 12 – Aurillac to Villeneuve-sur-Lot  

Friday July 12 

7:30a ET: Stage 13 – Agen to Pau 

Saturday July 13 

6:30a ET: Stage 14 – Pau to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet 

Sunday July 14 

6:55a ET: Stage 15 – Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille  

Monday July 15 

No coverage – rest day in Gruissan 

Tuesday July 16 

6:50a ET: Stage 16 – Gruissan to Nîmes  

Wednesday July 17 

6:05a ET: Stage 17 – Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Superdévoluy  

Thursday July 18 

6:55a ET: Stage 18 – Gap to Barcelonnette  

Friday July 19 

7:05a ET: Stage 19 – Embrun to Isola 2000 

Saturday July 20 

7:35a ET: Stage 20 – Nice to Col de la Couillole 

Sunday July 21 

10:10a ET: Stage 21 – Monaco to Nice  

Can I Watch a Stage Later if I Can’t Catch it Live? 

Yes! In addition to full live coverage, Peacock will have full replays available of every stage of the Tour de France. You’ll also be able to stream highlights, recaps, interviews, and much more. Every replay will be available after the conclusion of each stage so you never have to miss a moment. The Tour de France is the most dramatic race on the calendar, so Peacock is making sure you get to see it all. 

Which Cyclists Should I Look Out For? 

Two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) is a must- watch. Will he be able to go for three? He’s a likely favorite but not the only one. Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) won in 2020 and 2021 and placed second in 2022 and 2023. The two will likely battle it out for the entirety of the 2024 edition, making a thrilling spectacle all fans will enjoy.  

But don’t count others out! Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) is debuting at the 2024 Tour de France and a young up-and-comer to watch at 23 -years old. Another possible rising star is Canada’s Derek Gee. A few American riders will be in the mix, including Neilson Powless, Sean Quinn, and Matteo Jorgenson. Brothers Simon and Adam Yates (United Kingdom) will compete for different teams. France’s David Gaudu and Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz may also create a stir. Anything could happen, and all of these cyclists will give it their all the entire Tour.  

Who will cycle to victory at the 2024 Tour de France? With so many changes and new additions, along with the backdrop of the Olympics as another opportunity to impress on the world stage, this is the race to watch.  

Watch the Tour de France  on Peacock.

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‘The Sport Has Given Me Everything’: Lawson Craddock Plans to Retire the Way He Raced, Giving Back

Texan racer lawson craddock looks back on his 11-year-career before his incoming retirement: 'i’ve got no complaints. i’ve given it my all every step of the way.'.

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It’s been a long and winding road for Texan rider Lawson Craddock .

The journey started with high expectations of success, then pivoted after a big accident in the Tour de France. It is now drawing to a close after 11 years in the pro peloton.

When Craddock finally takes the number off his jersey in the weeks ahead, he’ll walk away a happy man.

He didn’t achieve what he initially expected but, in many ways, is a better person for it.

“I definitely had aspirations when I started my career,” the Texan told Velo at the recent Arctic Race of Norway.

“I thought I was going to be grand tour racer and contender and everything. I had a couple setbacks along the way, which probably knocked me down a peg or two, in terms of my career trajectory.

“But that’s fine. It’s just the way the sport goes.

“Hardly anyone’s career turns out exactly how they did. But standing here close to the finish line, I’ve got no complaints. I’ve given it my all every step of the way.

“I’m the person I am today. And that’s something I feel like I can be really proud of.”

Craddock is racing his final season with Team Jayco AlUla , where he has been competing for the past three seasons.

He’s a friendly, multi-faceted individual who has given a lot, and is far from being the self-focussed and blinkered individual many top athletes are.

That approach ultimately enhanced him as a person, but cost him as an athlete.

He’s fine with that now, even if early on he looked set to be one of the top champions.

Way back in 2009 he wowed with a silver medal in the junior world championship time trial in Moscow. The following year he was third, and then in 2013 he topped the youth classification at the Amgen Tour of California. He was also fifth in the world under 23 TT championships.

Those results were turning heads and, unsurprisingly, the professional teams came calling. He turned pro with the WorldTour squad Team Giant-Shimano in 2014.

Craddock immediately shone with third overall in the Tour of California.

However over time that early trajectory tailed off, with a turning point coming in the 2018 Tour de France. It’s something he describes as an epiphany.

He had a remarkable achievement in that race, but perhaps not in the way that you might expect.

When the Tour de France and Hurricane Harvey intersect

Things got off to a traumatic start for Craddock almost immediately in that Tour.

His wheel clipped a discarded water bottle on stage one, knocking him off balance and seeing him clatter to the ground.

The impact was a serious one: he suffered a fractured shoulder blade plus a deep gash to his right eyebrow.

Craddock pressed on, crossing the finish line in Fontenay-le-Comte in serious pain and with his face covered in blood.

The fracture and resulting pain led to doubts that he could continue in the race. However he lined out the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. He pledged to donate $100 for each stage he completed, with the money going to the outdoor velodrome in Houston where he had competed as a young rider.

The venue had been hit by floodwaters during the previous year’s Hurricane Harvey, causing serious damage.

That fundraiser gave him inspiration and he soldiered on day by day, struggling but persevering.

That grit plus his new goal earned plenty of attention and he ultimately raised more than $225,000 during that race.

It was a remarkable achievement, and so too was completing that Tour.

“My biggest strength in the sport was definitely my toughness,” he told Velo .

“It was kind of bred into me from a young age. It’s just how Texans are bred, I guess.

“There’s a lot of things that went into that Tour. A lot of reasons why I wanted to continue from the gun. It’s not like the fundraiser was the very first thing that sparked it. It was just one of those things that helped along the way.

“That year I made a lot of sacrifices just to be at the start line. I came off a terrible season the year before. So just being there at the start wasn’t enough for me.

“It kind of what just went from there.”

‘You have this epiphany … you can have an impact’

Craddock ultimately placed 145th, 4 hours 34 minutes behind the overall winner Geraint Thomas of Team Sky. He was the lanterne rouge, the affectionate title given to the last rider in the Tour.

He’d been accustomed to stellar results early on, but that moment completely upended his perspective.

“It was a race that taught me a lot about myself, which was really important,” he said.

“It showed me what I truly was capable of. I got to the end of it, and I realized … you have this epiphany, if you will, that sport and life isn’t just based off of wins and losses.

“You can have an impact just the same. That was one of the biggest revelations for me after that Tour.

“And I feel like I’ve really carried a lot of lessons into the following years.”

The fundraiser continued on after the race, by his reckoning, ended up bringing in a staggering $380,000 or so.

Had he not fallen, that might never have happened.

‘You have to definitely search for it’

There’s a striking moment from the 2021 Vuelta a España that speaks volumes about his character. Craddock was clear in a big breakaway group and did a huge amount of work for his then-EF Education EasyPost teammate Magnus Cort.

The Dane won a seven-man sprint for the line into Monforte de Lemos, with Craddock rolling across the line at the back of the group, raising both hands off the bars and celebrating as if he had taken the stage.

He crossed the line, dismounted, raised his bike above his head and roared in jubilation. He then grabbed Cort in a big hug, hoisted him off the ground and roared again, laughing.

Anyone watching would have thought Craddock rather than Cort was the one who had triumphed.

The Dane praised him highly afterward, saying he did a huge amount of work, including in keeping things together in the finale.

“I have to thank Lawson, because I could not have taken this victory without him in the breakaway as well today,” he said then.

Craddock has taken many top ten stage finishes in the race, including third, fourth and fifth, but few if any days will have meant as much as that one.

Tell me it’s a team sport, without telling me it’s a team sport Lawson Craddock celebrated that victory like it was his own pic.twitter.com/i2BoYaiUkz — Velon CC (@VelonCC) August 17, 2022

Following his transformative Tour de France three years earlier, Craddock’s new mindset saw him take more of a domestique role. He’s a natural giver, and found considerable reward in that role.

“Everyone beats to the tune of their own drums,” he said. “It took me a long time in this sport, but I finally found what worked for me, and that was finding that good balance.

“It doesn’t come natural. You have to definitely search for it and work on it for a long time.

“I am fortunate that I that I did find that, and I’m standing here being able to appreciate it as much as I can.”

‘Everyone has different values’

Talking to Craddock, you are struck by just how grounded he is. He seems very comfortable his own skin, and also in the direction his career has taken.

Other riders might look at those early results and be frustrated. Those performances in the world championships, the Amgen Tour of California and other events suggested a glittering palmares could lie ahead.

He’s still achieved impressive things, but the results of his efforts were most often reflected in his teammates’ W columns rather than his.

He’s at ease with how things turned out.

“Everyone has different values about what is important, and what really makes them tick. It’s easy to judge others for doing something differently than you, and it’s also easy to be judged for doing something different than what others are doing.

“Especially in the last couple years, I’ve tried to find that mindset. To really just be able to look in the mirror at the end of every day and be proud of what I accomplished and the work that I did, and not what someone else was doing.”

‍♂️ PRE-RACE CHAT @lawsoncraddock #klasikoa2024 pic.twitter.com/Irfqf3yiR3 — GreenEDGE Cycling (@GreenEDGEteam) August 10, 2024

Craddock is now in the last few weeks of his pro career. He will compete in the Grand Prix Cycliste races in Québec and Montréal this weekend, North America’s only WorldTour events, and will likely finish things off in the Italian one-day races in October.

Still just 32 years of age, he’s hanging up his racing wheels at a relatively young age.

“It’s always hard to make that final decision,” he admitted. “But once I made it with my wife it’s been no looking back.

“Of course, you see guys racing till they’re almost 40, but I think for at least for me, personally being an American, I’ve had to move my entire family over to Europe. I’ve spent more time in Europe than I have in America in the last 15 years.

“That was one of the biggest things that sparked the thought in my mind. It is beautiful sport and a beautiful life that we have. But I also miss being home. I’ve got two kids, they miss the grandparents and vice versa.”

It’s time for a change.

‘The sport has given me everything’

So what has he planned post-career?

Craddock has factored in some time to unwind. He and his family are likely to remain in Europe for a couple of months, savoring time together there before moving back to the US closer to Christmas. And then it’s time for ‘real life,’ as he describes it.

One of the things he wants to do post-racing career is to spend more time at the velodrome he raised money for during his epic Tour ride six years ago. He wants to help out, including giving an input into the junior program being run there.

In that way he will continue giving back to the sport.

Considering that trait, it’s little surprise that his Tour ordeal six years ago plus the money raised is right up there in terms of what he treasures.

“It’s absolutely a highlight,” he said. “When I talk about that Tour, that’s what comes to mind. It’s not the racing every day or finishing, it’s actually what we were able to do off the bike.

“It really shows you the platform that we do have and what we can do with our actions.”

Some riders end their careers with reservations and regrets.

Some wonder what might have been, particularly when strong amateur results raise expectations.

Craddock, though, is full of gratitude for what cycling has done for him.

“I could talk for an hour about what the sport’s given to me,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the short answer is it’s given me everything. It’s given me the ability to change careers. And also just be comfortable with myself, with who I am.

“I’m going into real life with a lot of great foundation already, which is something that others aren’t afforded the same opportunity. So it’s something I try not to take granted too often.

“But I think it also teaches you a lot about yourself, your work ethic and whatnot.

“Granted, I won’t be riding the same speed as I was. But I’ll be taking a lot of the same practices into the next phase.”

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Tour de France 2021

Latest news from the race.

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In the Winners’ Words: Tadej Pogacar

Tadej pogacar wins 2021 tour de france as van aert takes final stage.

Tour de France stage 21 - As  it happened

Wout van Aert ( Jumbo-Visma ) sprinted to the prestigious stage 21 victory in Paris to win the final stage of the 2021 Tour de France . The finish straight on the Champs-Élysées was 700 metres in length, 400 metres longer than in previous years, but that did not afford chasers enough real estate to catch Van Aert, who surged to the front of the peloton with under 250 metres remaining and took his third stage win of the three-week Grand Tour.

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) finished second, less than a wheel length from the line, to get his third second-place finish at the Tour. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-QuickStep) finished third, but held on to the green jersey as the overall points classification victor, beating Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) by 56 points.

UAE Team Emirates rode into Paris with Tadej Pogačar wearing the maillot jaune and safely escorted him to the final podium to claim three classifications – overall, mountains and best young rider.

For the first time since 2012, only two riders finished within 10 minutes of the yellow jersey - Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) finished second, 5:20 off the winning mark, and Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) placed third, another 1:43 back.

Bahrain Victorious won the team competition by 19 minutes ahead of EF Education-Nippo, and Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) claimed the super-combativity award after an aggressive three weeks of racing.

Stage 21 started in Chatou with a gentle pace set by UAE Team Emirates, sporting new jerseys emblazoned with yellow bands to celebrate Pogačar’s second consecutive Tour win. The final 52km of the stage took place over the eight laps of the Champs Élysées, and while sprinters looked for glory in the stage win, Pogačar and his teammates eased across the finish to celebrate a job well done.

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• Tadej Pogacar says there is nothing illegal about his bike at Tour de France
• Mohoric says 'I felt like a criminal' after zipping lips in Tour de France stage win
• Anti-doping agency and French police communicating over Bahrain Victorious Tour de France raid
• Woods and López leave Tour de France with Tokyo Olympics in mind
• De Gendt’s Tour de France circle complete after stage 18
• Tour de France spectator saved from fall into ravine by Gilbert, Froome
• Ben O’Connor: I’m still going to be exactly the same bloke after this Tour de France
• Rigoberto Urán's Tour de France GC challenge collapses on final Pyrenean stage
• Mas falls short of Tour de France stage victory on 'the Spanish mountain'
• No gifts as Tadej Pogacar puts a seal on Tour de France at Luz Ardiden
• Vingegaard: Tour de France has been a big, big learning process for me
• Tour de France podium in view for Carapaz after final mountain stage
• Tour de France: Mark Cavendish survives Luz Ardiden with two chances to beat Merckx's record
• Rigoberto Uran cracks and loses chance of Tour de France podium
• Tour de France: Which GC riders lost time at Luz Ardiden
• Tour de France: I knew Carapaz was bluffing, says Pogacar
• Tour de France: Which GC riders lost time on the Col du Portet
• Pogacar doubles down on overall lead with win on 'hardest stage' of Tour de France
• Vingegaard: Second at the Tour de France is really amazing for me
• Majka: Now nobody can say Pogacar doesn't have a strong team at Tour de France
• Ben O'Connor: If I can keep fifth place at the Tour de France, that would be insane
• Kelderman makes gains in Tour de France GC despite crash on stage 17 descent
• Mark Cavendish survives time cut on hardest Tour de France stage so far
• Gaudu working his way up Tour de France hierarchy in final week
• Steven Kruijswijk abandons Tour de France, leaving Jumbo-Visma with four riders
• Nibali: Racing hard at Tour de France has helped me peak for Tokyo Olympics
• Wright makes his first breakaway of Tour de France to support teammate Colbrelli
• Van Aert sparks late skirmish for Tour de France GC favourites on stage 16
• Tour de France: Going long pays off for Konrad in Saint-Gaudens
• Michael Matthews closes in on Mark Cavendish in Tour de France green jersey race
• Chris Froome: If Pogacar stays on his bike this Tour de France is over
• Tour de France stage 16: Riders stop after cold downhill neutral start
• Tour de France stage 15 analysis: a team sport for individuals
• Pogacar broadens his lead on Tour’s first full day of Pyrenean racing
• Sepp Kuss ends 10-year-drought on American Tour de France stage wins
• Jonas Vingegaard: I'm growing into team leader role at Tour de France
• Guillaume Martin: When you have given everything, you can’t be disappointed
• Tour de France: Ineos vow to fight on despite Pogacar's continued dominance
• Tour de France: Which GC riders lost time on stage 15 in the mountains
• Nacer Bouhanni abandons the Tour de France
• Kelderman expecting 'different racing' in Tour de France's third week
• Tao Geoghegan Hart's Tour de France debut 'far from ideal'
• Mollema chooses his moment wisely at Tour de France
• Konrad: Mollema made smart move on twisty roads to net Tour de France victory
• Tour de France: Carapaz convinced Pyrenean stages will be 'very favourable'
• Tour de France: Vingegaard wears tag of challenger lightly ahead of Andorra test
• Woods 'proud' to lead Tour de France’s King of Mountains ranking
• Tadej Pogacar: Everybody in the top-10 is dangerous at the Tour de France
• Tour de France: Guillaume Martin climbs to second overall thanks to clever day in the break
• Tour de France: Michael Woods crashes in the breakaway but takes polka-dot jersey
• Kragh Andersen and Barguil abandon the Tour de France after stage 13 crash
• Lefevere: Mark Cavendish is the same rider as before but less stressed
• 1959 Tour de France winner Bahamontes warns Pogacar 'there's a long way to go yet'
• Mark Cavendish: I don't think I can ever be compared with the great Eddy Merckx
• Tour de France leader Pogacar congratulates Cavendish on 34th stage win
• Mark Cavendish: It’s another win on the Tour de France and what I’ve dreamed of as a kid
• Simon Yates abandons Tour de France after crash on stage 13 descent
• Tour de France: 3km crash rule extended to 4.5km mark on stage 13
• Vingegaard: We had to change our mindset at the Tour de France after losing Roglic
• Richard Carapaz: The Tour de France isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon
• Tour de France leader Pogacar warns he could attack again in the Pyrenees
• Breakaway denies Cavendish a chance to equal Tour de France stage record in Nîmes
• Politt seizes chance offered by Sagan's early Tour de France exit
• Alaphilippe rolls the dice in another Tour de France attack but misses out again
• Peter Sagan abandons the Tour de France
• Tour de France history made on Mont Ventoux with double ascent - Gallery
• Rowe on Tour de France: I hit the wall, guys who I'd normally out-climb were leaving me for dead
• O'Connor battles through 'hardest in-race moment' to stay in Tour de France top five
• Urán moves up to second in Tour de France after steady Mont Ventoux ride
• Tour de France: Wout van Aert claims 'best victory ever' over Mont Ventoux
• Mark Cavendish beats Tour de France time cut on Mont Ventoux as Rowe misses out
• Tour de France: Which GC riders lost time on the Mont Ventoux stage
• Tour de France: All the riders who have abandoned on the Mont Ventoux stage
• Tadej Pogacar: I push good watts, that's why I'm first at the Tour de France
• Michael Matthews: Mark Cavendish is just too fast these days
• UAE Team Emirates: No room to relax as Tour de France far from decided
• Woods draws up battle plans for Tour de France mountains jersey
• Van Aert: Everyone wants to be on the QuickStep train at the Tour de France
• Mark Cavendish questions BikeExchange tactics after third Tour de France stage win
• Nic Dlamini misses Tour de France time cut by 40 minutes but fights to reach Tignes
• Carapaz: Pogacar is in a different race to us at the Tour de France now
• Ben O'Connor: Tadej Pogacar is the next level above me at the Tour de France
• Pogacar attacks in Tignes to keep O'Connor out of Tour de France yellow jersey
• Ben O'Connor: Winning a Tour de France stage will make your heart stop
• Tour de France: Which GC riders lost time on stage 9 summit finish at Tignes
• Thomas undecided about continuing Tour de France despite Tignes fightback
• Cavendish beats time cut at Tour de France as Démare, Coquard miss out
• Mathieu van der Poel abandons Tour de France to focus on Tokyo Olympic Games
• Primoz Roglic abandons Tour de France
• Mathieu van der Poel’s dream week in Tour de France yellow ends in Alps
• Jumbo-Visma rewrite Tour de France game plan after Roglic loses 35 minutes in the Alps
• Tour de France: Teuns continues Bahrain Victorious’ remarkable run at Le Grand-Bornand
• Tadej Pogacar: I haven't killed the Tour de France, there's still a long way to go
• Woods 'comes apart' in sight of Tour de France breakaway win
• Ineos Grenadiers boss Brailsford says 'expect the unexpected' at Tour de France
• Tour de France: Which GC riders lost time on the first day in the Alps
• Pogacar: I could be my own biggest rival at the Tour de France
• Geraint Thomas' Tour de France challenge ends in the Alps
• Van Aert joins forces with Van der Poel in pursuit of Tour de France yellow
• Dan Martin: My Tour de France has been boring so far but my race starts in the Alps
• Tour de France: Geraint Thomas dropped but digs deep to survive stage 7
• Primoz Roglic’s Tour de France hopes fade on stage 7
• Tour de France leader Van der Poel rejects idea of becoming a future GC contender
• Tour de France prize money: The teams and riders ranked
• Philipsen: There's no shame in being beaten by Cavendish
• Vincenzo Nibali stuck between rock and hard place with Tour de France break aspirations
• Consistent Bouhanni takes another sprint podium at Tour de France
• Cavendish says Châteauroux Tour de France win 'means as much as 13 years ago'
• Mørkøv: It’s the Cavendish at the Tour de France we know from 10 years ago
• Peter Sagan: I'm still in the hunt for the green jersey at the Tour de France
• Van Aert: I still believe in a stage victory at the Tour de France
• 'Don’t say the name!' Mark Cavendish plays it cool as Merckx’s Tour de France record edges closer
• Eisel: Mark Cavendish’s 2008 Châteauroux Tour de France stage win changed everything
• Which GC riders lost time on stage 5 time trial at the 2021 Tour de France
• Tadej Pogacar lands major blow in Tour de France with time trial victory
• Tour de France: Alaphilippe comes up short in quest for yellow jersey in time trial
• Primoz Roglic: I will definitely keep fighting at the Tour de France
• Mathieu van der Poel: I knew I had the watts somewhere, it was just a matter of position
• Geraint Thomas struggles through Tour de France time trial
• Tour de France: Mark Cavendish has proved he is one of the best sprinters in the world says Alaphilippe
• Mark Cavendish: I didn't think I'd get to come back to the Tour de France
• Geraint Thomas: The Tour de France doctor popped my shoulder back in and it was instant relief
• Tour de France peloton to stage go-slow in protest of crash-filled stage 3 route
• Tour de France: Heavily bandaged Roglic shows off his wounds ahead of stage 4
• Merlier celebrates stage 3 Tour de France victory but rules out green jersey
• Tour de France leader Van der Poel: I knew there was going to be trouble
• Tadej Pogacar loses 26 seconds in Tour de France crash but keeps GC ambitions alive
• Which GC riders lost time on stage 3 of the 2021 Tour de France
• Riders criticise crash-marred stage 3 final at the Tour de France
• Madiot makes impassioned plea for cycling to change after chaotic, crash-filled Tour de France finale
• Ewan abandons Tour de France after sustaining broken collarbone in stage 3 crash
• Primoz Roglic vows to fight on at Tour de France
• Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, Caleb Ewan and Peter Sagan among crash victims on stage 3
• Tour de France: Primoz Roglic crashes with team boss stating his leader was 'bumped and sent flying'
• Van der Poel gets custom Canyon with poignant message at Tour de France
• Thomas suffers dislocated shoulder and Gesink abandons after Tour de France crash
• Tour de France: Police use Facebook in search for spectator that triggered crash
• Tadej Pogacar: I'm pleased with how my Tour de France is looking
• Chris Froome in battle for Tour de France survival after crash injuries
• Van der Poel takes Tour de France yellow jersey in honour of grandfather Poulidor
• Tour de France: Geraint Thomas drops 10 places in general classification
• Tour de France: Gamble pays off for emotional Mathieu van der Poel with historic win and yellow jersey
• Tony Martin: The Tour de France is not a circus
• AG2R Citroen to get up and fight at Tour de France after crashes hit hard
• Chris Froome will start stage 2 despite crash injuries
• Tour de France organisers aim to sue spectator who caused mass stage 1 crash
• Tour de France crashes make an immediate impact on Ineos Grenadiers leadership strategy
• Rough Tour de France start for Movistar as Soler abandons, López loses time
• 21 riders injured in Tour de France opening stage crashes
• Concern for teammates overshadows Tadej Pogacar's start at Tour de France
• Matthews outshines Tour de France sprint rivals with second behind Alaphilippe
• Alaphilippe 'raced like there was no tomorrow' for Tour de France lead
• Tour de France: Jumbo-Visma left counting the cost after devastating crash on stage 1
• Which GC riders lost time on stage 1 of the 2021 Tour de France
• Chris Froome crashes on stage 1 of Tour de France
• Tour de France: Spectator causes mass crash on stage 1 with Roglic taken down

The build-up

Here at Cyclingnews we've been counting down the days until the 2021 Tour de France, with a series of special features to build up to the Grand Départ on Saturday June 26. 

• Tour de France 2021: The essential race guide
• Tour de France bikes: who's riding what in 2021
• Form ranking: Tour de France 2021 contenders, pre-race
• Philippa York: I struggle to see Chris Froome as a Tour de France road captain
• Tour de France snubs: The 9 most controversial rider non-selections
• Out of Pinot's shadow and into the glare: David Gaudu takes aim at the Tour de France
• Tadej Pogacar: A life-changing moment captured in a photograph
• Analysing Ineos Grenadiers' 2021 Tour de France team
• Analysing Jumbo-Visma's 2021 Tour de France squad
• Tour de France 2021: 5 key stages
• Brandon McNulty: The Tour de France call-up
• Alberto Contador: Blowing the Tour de France apart

The 2021 Tour de France will start in Brest in Brittany , on Saturday, June 26 having originally been scheduled for a Grand Départ in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The opening two stages to Landerneau and Mûr-de-Bretagne will provide a chance for the puncheurs, versatile sprinters and climbers to take the maillot jaune early on before the sprinters get two chances to win as the race heads east across the centre of France.

An early GC showdown will come on stage 5 with the 27.2-kilometre time trial from Changé to Laval Espace Mayenne before the road racing resumes with two stages that take the peloton to the Alps.

Stage 8 to Le Grand Bornard will see the first major climbing of the Tour, with three first-category climbs – including the Col de la Colombière – in the second part of the 150.8-kilometre stage. The following day to the 21-kilometre long summit finish at Tignes is just as tough, revisiting the Critérium du Dauphiné one-two of the Col du Pré and Cormet de Roselend.

Tignes also hosts the first rest day on July 5, ahead of a sprint stage in Valence and stage 11's visit to Mont Ventoux, which will be tackled twice before a descent straight to the finish in Malaucène.

Nîmes and Carcassonne offer up two more sprint chances on the following days before a nailed-on breakaway stage in the hills to Quillan take the peloton to the Pyrenees.

There, stage 15 to Andorra brings with it three first-category tests, including the Souvenir Henri Desgrange as the race hits 2,408 metres at Port d'Envalira. A rest day in the microstate. A tough stage to Saint-Gaudens follows but all minds will be on the final two mountain stages.

Stage 17 takes the riders over the Col de Peyresourde and Col de Val Louron-Azet before the HC-rated summit finish at 2,215 metres at the Col du Portet. Stage 18 provides two more HC tests in the Col du Tourmalet and the summit finish at Luz Ardiden, the last chance for climbers to make their mark.

A penultimate sprint stage follows, taking the peloton to Libourne, where stage 20 brings the GC finale in the shape of a 30.8-kilometre time trial to Saint-Emilion. If the Tour hasn't already been decided, then it certainly will be here.

As ever, the grand finale and the crowning of the Tour de France champion comes in Paris on the Champs-Élysées following a 108.4-kilometre ride from Chatou on July 18.

Check out the full details of the 2021 Tour de France route here.

The contenders

Once again, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) will be the main favourites for the title. The two are among the strongest climbers in the peloton and are also world-leading time trialists, which could prove decisive with two tests against the clock lying in wait for the riders.

The pair have enjoyed stellar starts to 2020, with Pogačar taking wins at the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, while Roglič took three wins at PAris-Nice and the overall at Itzulia Basque Country.

The main challenge to the Slovenian duo should come from Ineos Grenadiers, who are led by 2018 winner Geraint Thomas and 2019 Giro d'Italia champion Richard Carapaz . The Welshman recently finished third at the Critérium du Dauphiné and looks best placed to challenge in both the mountains and time trials, while Carapaz is arguably the stronger climber.

Movistar's triumvirate will this year be headed up by new signing Miguel Ángel López , alongside Enric Mas and Alejandro Valverde. The Colombian looked in dominant form at the Mont Ventoux Dénivéle Challenge in June and will hope to improve on his sixth place in 2020.

His compatriot Nairo Quintana is a three-time podium finisher at the Tour and once again leads out Arkéa-Samsic. He won the Vuelta Asturias earlier this year but was off form at the Dauphiné.

Another Colombian to watch is EF Education-Nippo's Rigoberto Urán , who finished second in 2017 and has taken two top 10s since. His teammate and countryman Sergio Higuita could end up the team leader this year.

Elsewhere, look out for Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation), Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), and Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange). They're all likely to be in the top 10 GC battle, though fighting for the very top spots looks a little tougher.

Finally, the battle for sprint victories and the green jersey looks wide open, with Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) facing challenges from Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious), Tim Merlier and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Elia Viviani (Cofidis), Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka Assos), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Cees Bol (Team DSM), Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates), and more.

Bikes and tech

As the world's biggest bike race, the publicity and global reach that the Tour de France achieves is a sponsor's dream. As a result, the Tour de France is always a hotbed of tech, with new releases and custom colourways unveiled almost daily as brands work to capture the attention of onlookers. 

What's more, with the hard-fought battle for the yellow jersey, teams will do everything within their power to eke out marginal gains with innovative inventions and mechanical hacks. Most of the time this comes directly from their contracted sponsors, but occasionally teams will look further afield, breaking contracts in the pursuit of free speed. 

Here are the tech talking points we've seen so far:

• Tour de France bikes : who's riding what in 2021
• Oakley launches 2021 Tour de France collection
• Lapierre launches new Xelius SL ahead of the Tour de France
• Trek-Segafredo bikes given all-new colour schemes ahead of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia Donne
• Pinarello launches new Dogma F in preparation for the Tour de France
• Michael Matthews gets a custom Bianchi Oltre XR4 for Tour de France
• Why are Jumbo Visma using blue tyres at the Tour de France?
• Ineos Grenadiers switch to sponsor-incorrect Princeton Carbonworks wheels at Tour de France
• Tour de France tech: All the tech and trends from the 2021 race
• Is Canyon's broken Aeroad handlebar now fixed? Van der Poel's Tour de France bike suggests it is
• Tour de France winning bikes : Which brand has won the most Tours in history?
• Julian Alaphilippe's S-Works Tarmac SL7 at the Tour de France
• Radical new sunglasses for Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France
• Tour de France gallery: 40 years of time trial technology
• Mark Cavendish's Tour de France stage-winning S-Works Tarmac SL7
• 10-hour journey delivers sponsor-incorrect wheels for Van der Poel's Tour de France time trial
• Alpecin-Fenix go all-in with sponsor-incorrect tech as Van der Poel fights to keep yellow
• Kasper Asgreen to ride the Specialized Aethos in Tour de France mountain stages
• Tour de France helmets : Who's wearing what?
• Tour de France power analysis: Ben O'Connor's Stage 9 win in Tignes
• Spotted: Jumbo Visma on yet more non-sponsor wheels at the Tour de France

Race history

Pogačar is the reigning champion, having overhauled his Slovenian compatriot Roglič in the final time trial at last year's race. The 21-year-old became the race's second-youngest winner after Firmin Labot back in 1904.

Pogačar broke a Ineos/Sky stranglehold on the race, with the British team having won seven of the previous eight Tours de France with Egan Bernal, Geraint Thomas, Bradley Wiggins and four-time winner Chris Froome. Vincenzo Nibali, then riding for Astana, was the other man to break the British squad's dominance with a win in 2014.

The Tour wins record is currently held by four men, with Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain all on five titles.

2020 was also the year which saw the rare occasion of Sagan getting beaten in the battle for the green jersey. He lost out to Bennett after a race-long battle, but still holds the all-time green jersey rankings with seven wins in nine participations. Erik Zabel's six jerseys lie second, ahead of Sean Kelly's four.

Pogačar is the reigning mountain classification champion, too, having won the yellow, polka dot and white jerseys in 2020. He broke a three-year French stranglehold on the jersey after wins for Romain Bardet, Julian Alaphilippe and Warren Barguil.

Richard Virenque holds the record for polka dot jersey wins at seven, and it won't be beaten anytime soon as Rafał Majka is the only current rider to have won more than one king of the mountains title, with two.

Read on for a list of the riders with the most wins of the Tour de France, the most stage wins, as well as the major jerseys (active riders in bold ).

Most Tour de France wins

• 5 – Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain
• 4 –  Chris Froome
• 3 – Phiilippe Thys, Louison Bobet, Greg LeMond
• 2 – Lucien Petit-Breton, Firmin Lambot, Ottavio Bottecchia, Nicolas Frantz, André Leducq, Antonin Magne, Sylvère Maes, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Bernard Thévenet, Laurent Fignon, Alberto Contador
• 1 – Vincenzo Nibali , Geraint Thomas , Egan Bernal , Tadej Pogačar

Most Tour de France stage wins

• 34 – Eddy Merckx
• 30 – Mark Cavendish
• 28 – Bernard Hinault
• 25 – André Leducq
• 22 – André Darrigade
• 20 – Nicolas Frantz
• 19 – François Faber
• 17 – Jean Alavoine
• 16 – Jacques Anquetiil, René Le Grevès, Charles Pélissiier –
• 12 – Peter Sagan
• 11 – André Greipel
• 7 – Chris Froome
• 6 – Vincenzo Nibali

Most Tour de France green jersey wins

• 7 –  Peter Sagan
• 6 – Erik Zabel
• 4 – Sean Kelly
• 3 – Jan Janssen, Eddy Merckx, Freddy Maertens, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Robbie McEwen
• 2 – Stan Ockers, Jean Graczyk, André Darrigade, Laurent Jalabert, Thor Hushovd
• 1 – Mark Cavendish , Michael Matthews , Sam Bennett

Most Tour de France polka dot jersey wins

• 7 – Richard Virenque
• 6 – Federico Bahamontes, Lucien Van Impe
• 3 – Julio Jiménez
• 2 – Felicien Vervaecke, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Charly Gaul, Imerio Massignan, Eddy Merckx, Luis Herrera, Claudio Chiappucci, Laurent Jalabert, Michael Rasmussen, Rafał Majka
• 1 – Nairo Quintana , Chris Froome , Warren Barguil , Julian Alaphilippe , Romain Bardet , Tadej Pogačar

• Tour de France 2021 map
• Tour de France 2021: The Essential Race Guide
• Tour de France past winners

• Rest Day 1 2021-07-05

• Rest Day 2 2021-07-12

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