What is the Tour de France?
The Tour de France is the greatest bicycle race on Earth — three weeks and roughly 3,500 kilometers around France every July since 1903, its leader wearing the yellow jersey. Tadej Pogačar won his fifth Tour in 2026, by six and a half minutes over Remco Evenepoel, joining Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault and Induráin on the all-time record.[1] [2]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) | Record-tying 5th title — +6:26 over Evenepoel |
| 2025 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) | 4th title |
| 2024 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) | Giro–Tour double |
| 2023 | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) | Back-to-back |
| 2022 | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) | |
| 2021 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) | |
| 2020 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) | Youngest post-war winner; September race |
| 2019 | Egan Bernal (COL) | Colombia's first Tour champion |
| 2018 | Geraint Thomas (GBR) | |
| 2017 | Chris Froome (GBR) | 4th title |
Yellow-jersey winners of the last ten Tours.
How does it work?
Twenty-two invited teams of eight ride 21 stages — flat, mountain and time trial — with the lowest cumulative time winning; the green (points), polka-dot (mountains) and white (young rider) jerseys run beside the yellow. Organized by ASO under UCI sanction, with the Tour de France Femmes the women's race since 2022.[1] [3]
Why does it matter?
It is one of the world's largest annual sporting events — roadside crowds in the millions, a global July audience — and the race every road cyclist's career is measured against: riding it is a credential, winning it is history.[2] [3]
References
- Tour de France — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- NPR — Pogačar wins the 2026 Tour de France, his fifth. Accessed August 2026.
- UCI — official site. Accessed August 2026.