This world's largest cycling race is a national landmark that France cherishes almost as much as the Eiffel Tower and 360 cheeses! Tour de France is held annually in July and passes through the most picturesque places of the French metropolis. We will tell you about it.

In fact, for the fans and the athletes themselves, the Tour de France does not begin on the day the race starts, but at least a year in advance, with the presentation of the route. The route of the 21st stage is different every year, but the organizers of the Tour de France always give riders of various specializations a chance to prove themselves: sprinters, station wagons capable of climbing small mountains, mountaineers, individual time trial specialists. The Tour de France is a Grand Tour, a race that lasts three weeks.

There are three Grand Tours in total: the first is the Italian Grand Tour - the Giro d'Italia, then it's time for the French - Tour de France, and finally, the final three-week race, which is held in Spain - the Vuelta. But the Tour de France is the oldest and most prestigious of all three Grand Tours, traditionally starting in early July. During the 23 days of the competition, riders cover more than 3,000 kilometers. The route of the Tour can be laid clockwise or counterclockwise through the territory of France. Often, not only the Grand depart goes beyond the borders of the Tour's home country, but some stages go beyond the borders of France. So, at the mountain stage, the peloton can go to Andorra or Italy, and then return to France again.

Bemorepanda collected some funny memes.

1.Doing it right?

2.Look guys

3.Lost a bit of time

Usually, the cities that host the start and finish of the stage are famous for their rich history, sights, because the Tour is broadcast by television companies around the world, the spectator audience of the race is huge, which means that the French regions get the opportunity to attract tourists, advertise architectural monuments and natural beauties . Thus, the Tour de France is also an exciting journey through France, which opens up new interesting routes and corners of the country for cycling fans. The race is usually attended by 22 teams, each of which has 9 cyclists. The most powerful cyclists in the world set the Tour de France as their goal and prepare for it in advance.

For its more than a century of existence, the cycling race has seen the country and reeled up the mileage. Currently, the annual route is 3,500 kilometers and is covered during the first three weeks of July by 22 teams of 8 cyclists. On the most beautiful roads in France, 176 participants compete for 23 days, the cycling race consists of 21 stages. The route, which passes through more than a third of the French departments, changes every year.

The first Tour de France took place in 1903. Then there were only six stages, but what! Paris-Lyon, Lyon-Marseille, Marseille-Toulouse, Toulouse-Bordeaux, Bordeaux-Nantes and Nantes-Paris - this was the program, and 60 cyclists came to the start. In those days, the participants in the race pedaled for 18 hours in a row (day and night) and rode on highways and dirt roads. By the finals, they covered 2,300 kilometers. What a load on the legs!

4.Not even once

5.Best sprinter

6.So wrong

Mountain trials are the most controversial and best known. It must be seen: cyclists climb the passes, having risen in the saddle, and descend from them at a speed of more than 100 km / h! The ascents of the Galibier and Tourmalet passes in the Pyrenees and the Alps became the legends of the Tour de France and gave the best cyclist a very elegant polka-dot jersey.

France leads the race in terms of national wins with 36 bike rides, followed by Belgium (18) and Spain (12). But Eddy Merckx remains the darling of the race with a record 111 days in the yellow jersey. This Belgian is a 5-time Grand Loop champion along with Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hino and Miguel Indurain.

The yellow jersey is awarded to the leader in the overall standings (the time shown at each stage is summed up). This tradition began in 1919. It has nothing to do with the July sun or sunflower fields on the roadsides. Yellow color is the color of the pages of the newspaper "Auto" (L'Auto) - the founder and organizer of the first competitions.

In 2018, as in 2011, the race started from the island of Noirmoutier in the Vendée. On June 30, a group of participants set off for the continent along the Passage du Gois, a 4-kilometer underwater highway that is flooded by the sea at high tide. Woe to those who lag behind!

7.Beaten

8.Jens Voigt

9.Drugs

The Tour de France is the third most important sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and the World Cup, and is covered by 600 media outlets and 2,000 journalists. The race is broadcast by 100 television channels in 130 countries and is watched by 3.5 billion viewers, the broadcast time is 6,300 hours. The numbers speak for themselves!

Every year the cycling race starts in a new place - in one of the cities of France or neighboring countries. But since 1975, the triumphant finish of the participants has always taken place on the Champs Elysees in Paris. For a swift final spurt, of course, you need the most beautiful avenue in the world!

If you shoot with a helicopter or drone, then from a height a group of participants in a cycling race resembles a long colored ribbon unwinding in the midst of the most beautiful French landscapes: from Normandy copses to Alpine peaks, from the coast of Brittany to the beaches of the Côte d'Azur. In 2017, the Col d'Izoard mountain pass in the Hautes-Alpes, which is 2361 m high, was chosen as the "most beautiful scenery of the Tour de France". 

Another tradition of the race - the last, final stage takes place in Paris, its route is laid along one of the most famous and beautiful streets in the world - the Champs Elysees, which every year await a new winner of the Tour de France.

10.Live dangerously

11.Involved in a crash

12.Muttonchop

13.Good question

14.Never finished in top

15.Let’s retire

16.No idea

17.Blocking roads

18.Opi is antivaxxer

19.This is not a joke

20.Sharing a cigarette

21.Dont preorder

22.Tour de Iceberg

23.Le Mans

24.Pay attention to her

25.Who would win

26.Go out

27.Help

28.That explains

29.Retour

30.Stop

31.Good crush

32.Nani

33.Why I watch this

34.Grand parents

35.My mental health

36.Post title

37.Very long

38.Far more interesting

39.Winner

40.He is ok

41.Student loans

42.Rare photo

43.Good

44.Dont preorder

45.Evolution

46.Freeze frame

47.Mordor

48.Long time ago

49.I don't see a problem

50.Who would win