03
The Tour de France takes place over three weeks, this year it runs from July 5th to July 27th.
Since the cyclists do not pedal continuously for three weeks, the race is broken up into different stages, with one stage happening per day (plus two rest days). Stages are usually between ~130-230 kilometers, and last ~4-6 hours. Time trials are an exception and typically much shorter by distance. This year will total 3,320 km of racing.
The route is different every year, although it may include climbs, roads or towns from previous Tours. The course is not contiguous –– that is, the riders do not start Stage 2 exactly where they ended on Stage 1. In fact, they may be driven many miles from one stage to another, and will race all around France (and sometimes other countries).
Every stage has a slightly different course, and stages are generally broken up into four types:
- Mountain stages: Very steep hills!
- Sprint stages: Flat and designed for a group push to the finish in the last few kilometers.
- Hilly “classics” stages: A mix of rolling terrain, some flat, and occasionally some shorter steep climbs.
- Time trials: Every rider goes onto the course alone to ride from A to B as fast as possible without assistance from teammates.
At the end of each stage, there is a winner of the stage, and everyone’s overall time is calculated. (More on this in a minute.) There will be a podium at the end of each stage.
While winning the Tour is the biggest deal of all, for many teams and riders winning a single stage is their aim. This can bring lots of media attention, bonuses for riders and teams, points for teams (there is relegation in cycling), better contract terms, etc. It’s also often fulfilling a lifelong dream.
Disclaimer about accidents:
If you’re used to watching North American sports, you mostly see people being grievously injured very slowly, over a long period of time. While great violence is being done to their bodies, it often only appears far later, debilitating their lives after they are out of the public eye.
Cycling shares its DNA more with ski racing, motorsport, bull riding, and other activities that can sometimes throw this violence directly at you as a viewer, and disrupt or end people’s races. That said, with every race, we hope any incidents are incredibly minor and do not affect anyone’s health.