Editing Tour de France (section)

==Stages==
The modern tour typically has 21 stages, one per day.

===Mass-start stages===
[[File:Tour de France 2006.JPG|thumb|A collected peloton in the [[2006 Tour de France]]]]
The Tour directors categorise [[Mass start|mass-start]] stages into 'flat', 'hilly', or 'mountain'.<ref>{{cite web|title=2015 Route|url=http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2015/us/overall-route.html|publisher=ASO|access-date=30 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818234948/http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2015/us/overall-route.html|archive-date=18 August 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> This affects the points awarded in the sprint classification, whether the 3 kilometer rule is operational{{Clarification needed|reason=What is the 3 kilometer rule?|date=July 2023}}, and the permitted disqualification time in which riders must finish (which is the winners' time plus a pre-determined percentage of that time).<ref>{{cite web|title=Race Regulations 2015|url=http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2015/docs/TDF15_Reglement-BD.pdf|publisher=ASO|access-date=30 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707032116/http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2015/docs/TDF15_Reglement-BD.pdf|archive-date=7 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Time bonuses of 10, 6, and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three finishers, though this was not done from 2008 to 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Voeckler: Tour de France time bonuses could spell the end for breakaways|url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-de-france/voeckler-tour-de-france-time-bonuses-could-spell-the-end-for-breakaways-180284|magazine=Cycling Weekly|access-date=30 July 2015}}</ref> Bonuses were previously also awarded to winners of intermediate sprints.

===Time trials===
[[File:Bradley Wiggins Tour 2012 EZF.jpg|thumb|right|[[Bradley Wiggins]] riding the [[2012 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 10#Stage 9|stage 9]] [[individual time trial]] of the [[2012 Tour de France]]]]
The first time trial in the Tour was between La Roche-sur-Yon and Nantes (80&nbsp;km) in 1934.{{sfn|Augendre|1996|p=34}} The first stage in modern Tours is often a short trial, a ''prologue'', to decide who wears yellow on the opening day. The first prologue was in 1967.{{sfn|Augendre|1996|p=60}} The 1988 event, at La Baule, was called "la préface".{{sfn|Augendre|1996|p=81}} There are usually two or three time trials. The final time trial has sometimes been the final stage, more recently often the penultimate stage.

===Notable stages===
[[File:Etape 20 du Tour de France 2012, Paris 08.jpg|thumb|left|In [[2012 Tour de France|2012]] [[Mark Cavendish]] won the final stage of the Tour on the [[Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France|Champs-Élysées]], for a record fourth successive year.]]
Since 1975 the race has finished with [[Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France|laps of the Champs-Élysées]]. As the peloton arrives in downtown Paris the [[French Air Force]] does a three-jet flyover with the three colors of the French flag in smoke behind them. This stage rarely challenges the leader because it is flat and the leader usually has too much time in hand to be denied. In modern times, there tends to be a gentlemen's agreement: while the points classification is still contended if possible, the overall classification is not fought over; because of this, it is not uncommon for the ''de facto'' winner of the overall classification to ride into Paris holding a glass of champagne. The only time the [[maillot jaune]] was attacked in a manner that lasted all the way through the end of this stage was during the [[1979 Tour de France]]. In 1987, [[Pedro Delgado]] vowed to attack during the stage to challenge the 40-second lead held by [[Stephen Roche]]. He was unsuccessful and he and Roche finished in the peloton.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Abt |first1=Samuel |title=Tour de France; Roche Victory Caps Strong Comeback |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/27/sports/tour-de-france-roche-victory-caps-strong-comeback.html |access-date=26 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=27 July 1987}}</ref> In 2005, controversy arose when [[Alexander Vinokourov (sportsman)|Alexander Vinokourov]] attacked and won the stage, in the process taking fifth place overall from [[Levi Leipheimer]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pickering |first1=Edward |title=The Yellow Jersey Club |date=2015 |publisher=Transworld Publishers |location=London |isbn=9-780-5930-7396-4 |page=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MROCBgAAQBAJ |access-date=26 November 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref> This attack was not a threat to the overall lead, but was a long-shot at the Podium standings, as Vinokourov was about five minutes behind third place.

In 1989, the last stage was a time trial. [[Greg LeMond]] overtook [[Laurent Fignon]] to win by eight seconds, the closest margin in the Tour's history.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brunner |first1=Steve |title=The Outer Line: Remembering Greg LeMond's thrilling victory 30 years later |url=https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/tour-de-france/the-outer-line-remembering-greg-lemonds-thrilling-victory-30-years-later_497894 |publisher=VeloNews |access-date=26 November 2019 |date=23 July 2019}}</ref> The final stage has since only been held as a time trial once, in 2024.
[[File:Lacets AlpedHuez.jpg|thumb|Panorama of the famous 21 bends towards [[Alpe d'Huez]] with outline]]
The climb of [[Alpe d'Huez]] has become one of the more noted mountain stages. During the [[2004 Tour de France]] it was the scene of a {{convert|15.5|km}} mountain time trial on the 16th stage. Riders complained of abusive spectators who threatened their progress up the climb.<ref>{{cite news
|title =Tour de France Letters Special&nbsp;– 23 July 2004
|publisher = CyclingNews
|date =23 July 2004
|url =http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tour04.php?id=letters/2004/jul23tourletters#Fan
|access-date =27 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|last =Maloney
|first =Tim
|title =Stage 16&nbsp;– 21 July: Bourg d'Oisans&nbsp;– Alpe d'Huez ITT, 15.5&nbsp;km; Sign of the times: Armstrong dominates on l'Alpe d'Huez
|work = CyclingNews
|date = 21 July 2004
| url =http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/tour04/?id=results/stage16
|access-date =27 May 2007}}</ref> On this stage it is not uncommon for a low end estimate of the spectators in attendance to number 300,000. During a famous head-to-head battle between Anquetil and [[Raymond Poulidor]] on [[Puy de Dôme]] it was estimated that at least a half a million people were on hand.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.francebleu.fr/emissions/le-zoom-de-la-redaction/pays-d-auvergne/raymond-poulidor-et-jacques-anquetil-le-duel-legendaire-au-puy-de-dome-en-1964|language=fr|title=Raymond Poulidor et Jacques Anquetil: le duel légendaire au Puy de Dôme en 1964|date=14 November 2019|trans-title=Raymond Poulidor and Jacques Anquetil: the legendary duel at Puy de Dôme in 1964|work=France Bleu|access-date=18 September 2020|publisher=Médiatrice}}</ref> [[Mont Ventoux#Tour de France|Mont Ventoux]] is often claimed to be the hardest in the Tour because of the harsh conditions. Another notable mountain stage frequently featured climbs the [[Col du Tourmalet#Tour de France|Col du Tourmalet]], the most visited mountain in the history of the Tour. [[Col du Galibier]] is the most visited mountain in the Alps. The [[2011 Tour de France]] stage to Galibier marked the 100th anniversary of the mountain in the Tour and also boasted the highest finish altitude ever: {{convert|2,645|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/COURSE/us/le_galibier.html |title=Tour de France 2011&nbsp;– The Galibier 1911–2011 |publisher=Letour.fr |date=10 July 1911 |access-date=23 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720075914/http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/COURSE/us/le_galibier.html |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Some mountain stages have become memorable because of the weather. An example is a stage in [[1996 Tour de France]] from [[Val-d'Isère]] to [[Sestriere]]. A snowstorm at the start area led to a shortening of the stage from {{convert|190|km}} to just {{convert|46|km}}. During the [[2019 Tour de France]] multiple landslides and hail storms forced two critical mountain stages to be considerably shortened. Authorities made every effort to plow the road and make the course safe, but the volume of hail, mud and debris proved too much.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/tour-de-france-stage-19-stopped-due-to-hailstorm-and-landslide-could-have-lasting-race-implications/amp/ |title=Tour de France Stage 19 stopped due to hailstorm and landslide, could have lasting race implications |publisher=cbssports.com |date=26 July 2019}}</ref>

=== Deciding the route ===
To host a stage start or finish brings prestige and business to a town. The prologue and first stage ([[List of Tour de France Grands Départs|Grand Départ]]) are particularly prestigious. The race may start with a prologue (too short to go between towns) in which case the start of the next day's racing, which would be considered stage 1, usually in the same town. In 2007 director [[Christian Prudhomme]] said that "in general, for a period of five years we have the Tour start outside France three times and within France twice."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://provenceblog.typepad.com/provence_blog_by_provence/2007/06/tour-de-france-.html |title=Provence Blog by ProvenceBeyond: Tour de France starting in Monaco |publisher=Provenceblog.typepad.com |access-date=4 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212200635/http://provenceblog.typepad.com/provence_blog_by_provence/2007/06/tour-de-france-.html |archive-date=12 February 2009}}</ref>

In the local towns and cities that the Tour visits for stage starts and finishes, it is a spectacle that usually shuts these towns down for the day, resulting in a very festive atmosphere, and these events usually require months of planning and preparation. ASO employs around 70 people full-time, in an office facing—but not connected to—''L'Équipe'' in the [[Issy-les-Moulineaux]] area of outer western Paris. That number expands to about 220 during the race itself, not including the 500-odd contractors employed to move barriers, erect stages, signpost the route, and other work.{{sfn|Dauncey|Hare|2013|p=37}} ASO now also operates several other major bike races throughout the year.