Tour de France 2026

The Tour de France was conceived in 1902 by journalist Géo Lefèvre and his editor Henri Desgrange at the struggling sports newspaper L'Auto. The idea was simple: a multi-stage bicycle race around the entire perimeter of France, long enough to capture public imagination for weeks and boost circulation against their rival Le Vélo. On 1 July 1903, 60 riders set off from Montgeron near Paris. Maurice Garin won the first edition, cycling roughly 2,500 km across six stages in 94 hours and 33 minutes.

The Tour was an instant sensation. L'Auto's circulation tripled almost overnight; the newspaper printed special editions on the rest days. The race has been held every year since, except during the two World Wars (cancelled 1915–18 and 1940–46).

The modern Tour was shaped by Eddy Merckx ('The Cannibal' — five wins), the legendary 1989 duel decided by 8 seconds between Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon, Miguel Induráin's five consecutive wins (1991–95), and the Lance Armstrong controversy that drove anti-doping reform across cycling. Today, Tadej Pogačar's dominance and his rivalry with Jonas Vingegaard define an era. In 2026, the Tour makes history: for the first time in 113 editions, it begins with its Grand Départ in Barcelona, Spain.