1. The Longest Tour
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Photo Credit: Anders
The length of the 2017 Tour route is 2,200 miles. The 1926 edition was the longest route in history, totaling 3,570 miles.
2. Water Bottles
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There will be more than 42,000 water bottles used by teams in this year’s race.
3. Most Stages Won
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Photo Credit: AP Photo
The most stages won by a single rider at the Tour de France is 34 by Eddy Merckx.
4. TDF Nickname
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The nickname for the Tour de France is La Grande Boucle, which means the "big loop," and refers to the route taken around France.
5. Calories Burned
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The average cyclist will burn around 4,000 and 5,000 calories during each stage of the Tour. That’s 123,900 calories for the entire race, the equivalent of eating 252 McDonald’s double cheeseburgers.
6. Revolutions Per Minute
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The average number of pedal strokes during the three-week race is 486,000 (at 90 revolutions per minute).
7. Alcohol
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Until the 1960s, it was common for participants to drink alcohol during the race to numb the pain. Alcohol consumption was soon banned because it was considered a stimulant.
8. Sweat
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Over the course of a Tour de France route, cyclists will sweat enough to flush a toilet 39 times.
9. Spectators
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Photo Credit: Tristam Sparks
Over 12 million spectators line the route each year, making it the largest sporting event in the world.
10. Least Number of Finishers
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In 1919, there were only 10 finishers, the least of all time.
11. Rest Days
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On the Tour’s rest days, most cyclists don’t rest. They ride for at least 2 hours to flush out lactic acid and keep their minds focused on racing.
12. Winning Margin
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The smallest winning margin in the history of the race is 8 seconds by American Greg LeMond in 1989 over Frenchman Laurent Fignon.
13. Amateurs
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Five-time winner Bernard Hinault of France once said of the Tour de France, “An amateur should think long and hard before attempting one of these stages. Two would probably necessitate a visit to a doctor, and three would require a psychiatrist – any more and you should be checking if that person has written a will."
14. Total Prize Money
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The total prize money awarded for the entire race (stages, sprints, overall classification) is $4.3 million.
15. TDF on TV
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There are 3.5 billion people that watch the Tour de France on television around the world each year.
17. Number of Rest Days
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In the early years of the Tour de France, there were 14 rest days instead of two. Stages often ran into the night and cyclists needed the following day to recover.
18. Lead Water Bottles
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Photo Credit: Georges Menager
The winner of the 1947 Tour de France Jean Robic was known for taking water bottles filled with lead at the top of climbs to descend faster.
19. Days in Yellow
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Photo Credit: ta_do
The most days any cyclist has spent wearing the leader’s yellow jersey is 96, held by Eddy Merckx.
20. Women's TDF
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Photo Credit: Epping Forest DC
On July 23rd, women will race the last stage of the Tour de France separate from the men. Though a landmark event, it isn’t the first time women’s race has taken place. Between 1984 and 1989, the Tour Cycliste Feminine was an 18-stage race. The first winner was American Marianne Martin.
21. The First Tour Winner
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Photo Credit: Epping Forest DC
The first winner of the Tour de France was Maurice Garin. He won again in 1904, but was later disqualified for cheating. Garin was caught taking a train to victory in the Alps.
22. Fastest Average Speed
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Photo Credit: Steve Selwood
The fastest average speed of a Tour de France was 25.7 miles per hour (mph), set in 2005. In 1919, the average speed was just 14.9 mph.
23. The Winner
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Photo Credit: Peter Dutton
The winner of the Tour receives a cash prize of $609,525. The long-standing tradition of the race dictates that winners split this money evenly with each of his teammates.
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