Tour de France

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Miguel Indurain

How fast is the Tour de France?

Cyclist Jonas Vingegaard, wearing the yellow leader's jersey, rides with the pack during a stage of the Tour de France on a rural road lined with trees.

Alberto Contador wearing the yellow jersey holds a Spanish flag above his head and smiles after winning the Tour de France, with a crowd in the background.

Alberto Contador of the Tinkoff-Saxo Team leads a group of cyclists around a curve at Col du Glandon, with cheering spectators lining the road during the Tour de France.

Greg LeMond, wearing a yellow jersey, rides a bicycle uphill during Stage 17 of the 1989 Tour de France, with support vehicles and a motorcycle following behind.

Lance Armstrong wearing a yellow jersey and cap, standing on the podium with both arms raised and holding a trophy after winning the Tour de France.

Fignon, Laurent

Trace the history of bicycles, the designs, the boom in the cycling industry, and how racing became an integral part

At a Glance

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Tour de France summary

Miguel Indurain — Miguel Indurain Spanish cyclist Miguel Indurain riding in the penultimate stage of the 1993 Tour de France; Indurain won the race for the third successive year.

Tour de France

cycling

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Last updated

Oct. 22, 2026 •History

Tour de France, the world’s most prestigious and most difficult bicycle race. Of the three foremost races (the others being the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España), the Tour de France attracts the world’s best riders. Staged for three weeks each July—usually in some 20 daylong stages—the Tour typically comprises 20 professional teams of 9 male riders each and covers some 3,600 km (2,235 miles), mainly in France, with occasional and brief visits to...

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