Editing Tour de France (section)

===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>