The Tour de France is a multi-stage men’s race that passes through the entirety of France that has 21 stages and lasts over 23 days (about 3 and a half weeks). It is the world's most prestigious race, attracting the best bike riders in the world for the most challenging biking race in history. It is staged for three weeks each July and comprises 20 professional teams of 9 riders covering 2,235 miles (3,600 km) in France, with occasional visits in other countries such as Belgium and Italy. Sometimes the race starts outside France but will always end in France. It is televised around the world and the winner wears a yellow jersey upon victory.
History of cycling
The race was established in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, a French cyclist and journalist, and has been run every year except for the years of the world war. His newspaper, L’Auto, helped promote the race and sparked much spectator interest, with two events specifically boosting audience numbers, the treacherous “circle of death” in mountain passes in the Pyrenees. Along with the victory yellow jersey, three other types of jerseys were given. The winner of bonus sprints, which award points and decrease time, gets given a green jersey. A polka-dotted jersey is given to the one who accumulates the most points in the climbing stages. Finally, a white jersey is given to the one who has the lowest possible time and is under 25. Many of the cyclists were sponsored by bike manufacturers.
Overall, the tour de France is not only the biggest event in biking, but also a huge global event. Such a huge journey indicates the talent and demanding work of the race members. Even those who sully the event with performance-enhancing substances such as Lance Armstrong cannot take away the global appeal of the event. Even though it may not be as popular further west, the tour de France has still garnered international praise and claim.
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