Tour de France’s most visited places

Cities and towns with most stage starts or finishes.

Paris  146

During the early years, Tour de France started from Paris. The first time when the race started outside the capital of France happened in 1926.

2024 will be a historical year for Tour de France. This will be the very first time in its history, when the race won't finish is Paris.

Bordeaux 81

Pau  74

Bagnères-de-Luchon 60

Nice 41

Tour de France 2024 will end in Nice.

Metz  40

Grenoble  40

Briançon  36

Marseille  36

Perpignan 36

Caen 35

Bayonne 33

Montpellier 31

Nantes 30

Belfort 30

Brest  30

L'Alpe d'Huez 30

Saint-Étienne 27

Toulouse 27

Roubaix 26

MORE TOUR DE FRANCE FUN FACTS

Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard celebrating his first Tour de France victory in Paris in 2022

The slowest and the fastest Tour de France

You might wonder which Tour de France edition was the slowest and wich. one the fastest. Here you have the answer.The slowest Tour de Francewas the 13th edition, held between 29th June and 27 July in 1919. The 5560 km long route of the race was  divided into 15 stages. (And it wasn’t even the … Read more

Vintage cycling image from the 1920s, two cyclists with the socalled laterne rouge, the prize for the last placed rider of the race

Lanterne rouge – list of the last cyclists of every Tour de France

They used to say history remembers only the winners. Fortunately this is not the case of Tour de France history. The last ones, the receivers of the famous lanterne rouge get enough attention too. Lanterne rouge is an actual red lamp used to be served to the last rider of the race as some of … Read more

Eddy Merckx at the Tour de France 1970 with 8 stage victories

8 stage victories during a single Tour de France edition

There are only three riders who managed to win eight stages during a single Tour de France edition. One of them is Eddy Merckx, of course. He achieved it twice, in 1970 and 1974. The other two cyclists  are Charles Pelissier (1930) and Freddy Maertens (1976). Charles Pelissier (1930) Charles Pelissier, the youngest brother in … Read more

French cyclist Bernard Hinault and some yellow jerseys.

Most days in yellow jersey

The iconic yellow jersey of Tour de France was introduced to the race in 1919. Eugène Christophe  was the first rider to wear it. Of course, on the top of the list there are those riders, who won 5 times the Tour de France. Also, there are cyclists, like Fabian Cancellara or René Vietto, who … Read more

Nicolas Frantz on the Col d'Allos at the Tour de France in 1927

Tour de France editions without previous winners in the peloton

It happened three times during the 110 years of Tour de France history, that there were no previous winners in the peloton. Obviously, in 1903 there couldn’t be any, because it was the very first edition. In 1927, it seems to have been a generational change in the peloton of Tour de France. Several riders, … Read more

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Legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx spent the most day wearing pink jersey (maglia rosa) during Giro d'Italia

Most days in pink jersey

The pink jersey (maglia rosa) was introduced to the Giro d’Italia during the race in 1931.Learco Guerra (The Human Locomotive”) was the first rider to wear it.The top 11 riders  with  most days in pink jersey :Eddy Merckx 78 (1968,1969,1970,1972,1973,1974)Alfredo Binda 65 (1925,1927,1928,1929,1931,1933)Francesco Moser 50 (1976,1977,1979,1980,1981,1982,1984,1985)Giuseppe Saronni 48 (1979,1981,1983,1985,1986)Gino Bartali 42 (1936,1937,1939,1946,1947)Jacques Anquetil 42 (1959,1960,1961,1964,1967)Fausto … Read more

Marco Pantani is climbing Passo del Mortirolo alongside with Miguel Indurain at Giro d'Italia 1994

Every time Passo del Mortirolo was part of Giro d’Italia

Passo del Mortirolo, usually a mid-stage ascent, was introduced to Giro d’Italia in 1990. The first rider on the top was the Venezuelan Leonardo Sierra. There is a monument to Marco Pantani at 8 km from the top (from the side of Mazzo di Valtellina).Also,  there is a special prize for the rider first atop, … Read more

Belgian cycling superstar Eddy Merckx leading an attack while wearing the pink jersey during Giro d'Italia 1973

Cyclists led the Giro d’Italia general classification from start to finish

There are only four riders who led the general classification of Giro d’Italia thtough the entire race. Although the number of days they spent in leadeship differs due to the different stucture of the race though the years. Costante Girardengo 1919 (10 stages) During the first edition of Giro d’Italia after World War I Girardengo … Read more

Record breaking vicrory of Mario Cipollini 42 stage victories at the Giro d'Italia

The most Giro d’Italia stage victories

Mario Cipollini won the most Giro d’Italia stages  He became the sole record holder on the 9th stage of Giro d’ Italia in 2003See the list of the top 25 riders:Mario Cipollini 42Alfredo Binda  41Learco Guerra  31Costante Girardengo  30Eddy Merckx  25Giuseppe Saronni  24Francesco Moser  23Roger De Vlaeminck 22Alessandro Petacchi 22Fausto Coppi  22Franco Bitossi  20Miguel Poblet … Read more

Mark Cavendish celebrating his last Giro d'Italia victory in 2023

The youngest and the oldest Giro d’Italia stage winners

Olimpio Bizzi is the younges stage winner ever with19 years  and 229 days.He won the 8th stage at Giro d’Italia 1936.Mark Cavendish was38 years and 7 daysold, when he crossed the finish line first in the last stage of Giro d’Italia 2023.