One of sports’ most iconic events, the Tour de France has started.
The race got underway on 1st July in Copenhagen, Denmark
This year the Tour de France riders will cycle 3,328 kilometres over 21 Stages.
There are 6 flat stages, 7 hilly stages, 6 mountain stages, and 2 time trial stages.
This year there are two Kiwi riders in the race George Bennett and Jack Bauer. The favourite to win the race is last years winner Tadej Pogačar.
A few interesting Tour de France facts
- The first Tour de France race was held in 1903.
- The youngest rider ever to win the Tour de France was Henri Comet – he was only 19 years old when he won in 1904.
- The oldest person to win the Tour de France was Firmin Lambot, who was 36 years old when he won in 1922.
- It is expected that around 15 million spectators will line the route of this years tour.
- The yellow jersey, worn by the overall ride leader each day, was first introduced on 19 July 1919. The first rider to wear one was Eugène Christophe, who led the general classification until the day before the finish – he must have been annoyed to loose it at the last minute!
- Each year the race takes a different route, but ever since 1975 the finish has always been in Paris.
