Date | July |
---|---|
Region | France and nearby countries |
Local name(s) | Le Tour de France (French) |
Nickname(s) | La Grande Boucle |
Discipline | Road |
Competition | UCI World Tour |
Type | Stage race (Grand Tour) |
Organiser | Amaury Sport Organisation |
Race director | Christian Prudhomme |
First edition | July 1, 1903 |
Editions | 103 (2016) |
First winner | Maurice Garin (FRA) |
Most wins |
Jacques Anquetil (FRA)
|
Most recent | Chris Froome (GBR) |
Jacques Anquetil (FRA)
Eddy Merckx (BEL)
Bernard Hinault (FRA)
Miguel Indurain (ESP)
The Tour de France (French pronunciation: [tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s]) is an annual multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto; which is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1903 except when it was stopped for the two World Wars. As the Tour gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend around the globe. Participation expanded from a primarily French field, as riders from all over the world began to participate in the race each year. The Tour is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI WorldTeams, with the exception of the teams that the organizers invite.