The first Tour de France was in 1903 and began as a publicity stunt for a French newspaper! Things have changed a lot in the last 100 years and it has now become one of the greatest sporting events in the world. Every year over 12 million spectators line the roadside to watch the Tour live with a further 3.5 billion people tuning in to watching on television in over 190 different countries.

This world-famous, multi-day race takes place over 21 stages. These are often broken down into 7 flat stages, 5 hilly stages, 7 mountain stages, 1 team time trial and 1 individual time trial. Although the full route and the starting location change every year the Tour de France always finishes in Paris on the Champs-Elysées. The final stage sees riders racing around the cobbles in Paris and sprinters fighting to win the stage. While all this excitement is played out at the front of the race, the winning team, safely near the back of the race, sip champagne and celebrate!

If this is your first time watching the Tour de France and want to understand your pelotons from your echelons then take a look at our easy ABC guide to the TdF. You'll be an expert in no time!

The 2021 edition of the Tour de France begins in Brest in Brittany. It moves through the centre of the country reaching the Alps for the first set of mountain stages. The race will then transition towards the Pyrenees through the south. The race will conclude with its traditional run into Paris and the Champs-Élysées on July 18.

You can read more about the individual stage locations, distances and more by clicking on the yellow splat below: