A counterclockwise trek through France’s most grueling roads and hairpin climbs and—worst of all—traversing this land on two wheels powered by their own grit and determination, the Tour is the ultimate test of endurance and lunacy.
Cycling fans have been chomping at the bit since the conclusion of last year’s historic edition to see the peloton take off through the beautiful yet treacherous French countryside.
Scroll through the gallery below for a stage-by-stage recap—from the glory of the frontrunners to the struggles of the caboose, we’ll keep you updated on all the drama across the Atlantic.
Stage 1
Mont Saint-Michel / Utah Beach 1 of 22
Stage Winner: Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data)
Overall Leader: Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data)
Summary: Dimension Data, the African team that captured the hearts of the cycling world when Daniel Teklehaimanot became the first African to don the polka dot jersey in last year's tour, have their sights set on more glory at the 2016 edition.
Mark Cavendish, who joined Dimension Data this year, brushed off a less-than-stellar 2015 showing and defeated a stacked field of sprinters to claim the first stage at the Tour de France and the Manx Missile's first ever maillot jaune. Expect the jersey to change hands though, as Stage 2 includes an uphill finish in Cherbourg-Octeville.
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Cycling EventsStage 2
Saint Lo / Cherbourg-Octeville 2 of 22
Stage Winner: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
Overall Leader: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
Summary: The first hilly stage of the long, arduous Tour turned out to be everything we'd hoped. The finish was perfect for Peter Sagan's (Tinkoff-Saxo) versatility, as he masterfully dismantled fellow green jersey hopefuls and ultimately won his first stage at the Tour in three years. Better yet, this will be the first time Sagan will wear yellow at the Tour de France.
And with Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) crashing and Richie Porte (BMC) dealing with an ill-timed flat, both yellow jersey hopefuls lost time, causing a minor shakeup amongst the GC contenders.
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Cycling EventsStage 3
Granville / Angers 3 of 22
Stage Winner: Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data)
Overall Leader: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
Summary: A long, slow day for the peloton finished in an exciting fashion as Stage 3 saw an epic battle between two sprint titans—with Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) stealing the victory from Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) from behind with an expertly-timed bike throw. This marks the 28th stage win for the Brit, who has now moved into second place on the list of the most Tour de France stage wins. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) will hold onto the yellow jersey for the second day in a row heading into Stage 4.
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Cycling EventsStage 4
Saumur / Limoges 4 of 22
Stage Winner: Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step)
Overall Leader: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
Summary: After another sprint photo finish, Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step) narrowly edged out Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) for his first Tour de France stage win since 2014. Stage 4 marked the longest stage of the Tour, with the peloton traversing 237.5 km from Saumur to Limoges. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) retained his yellow jersey after crossing the line in third, but expect the standings to be shaken up as the peloton faces its first mountain stage tomorrow.
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Cycling EventsStage 5
Limoges / Le Lioran 5 of 22
Stage Winner: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team)
Overall Leader: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team)
Summary: A bold solo attack paid dividends for Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) on a hilly Stage 5 from Limoges to Le Lioran. Van Avermaet's gutsy performance earned him his first maillot jaune and second Tour de France victory--he out-sprinted Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) on Stage 13 in 2015.
Van Avermaet shed his breakaway companions in the hills, dropping Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal) on a category 2 climb with 17 km to go. He now sits 5:11 ahead of Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick Step), with Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Movistar) sitting in third at 5:13.
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Cycling EventsStage 6
Arpajon-sur-Cere / Montauban 6 of 22
Stage Winner: Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data)
Overall Leader: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team)
Summary: With the sprinter's final opportunity at early glory before the race changes terrain—and a close race for the green jersey hanging in the balance—Stage 6's finish was sure to be a classic.
Mark Cavendish had little room to spare as he emerged from the back of the bunch sprint to overtake Marcel Kittel (Ettix-Quick Step) and fellow countryman Daniel McLay (Fortuneo – Vital Concept) for his third stage victory at this year's tour. The win, Cavendish's 29th, vaults the Manx Missile to second in overall stage wins, officially surpassing Bernard Hinault and five wins behind record-holder Eddy Merckx.
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Cycling EventsStage 7
L'Isle-Jourdain / Lac de Payolle 7 of 22
Stage Winner: Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data)
Overall Leader: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team)
Summary: With four stage victories in seven days, Dimension Data is leaving its mark on the 2016 Tour de France. Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) detached from the breakaway with 27 km to go, ultimately securing his second Tour de France stage win in as many years. The 35-year-old has had a successful 2016 race season, with previous stage wins at Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Criterium de Dauphine. Meanwhile, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) extended his overall lead to 6:36 but will face an onslaught of attacks as the race heads into the Pyrenees.
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Cycling EventsStage 8
Pau / Bagneres-de-Luchon 8 of 22
Stage Winner: Chris Froome (Sky)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Deviating from his usual uphill onslaught, reigning Tour de France champion Chris Froome (Sky) crested the final climb of Stage 8 and attacked on the descent. As unlikely as it seemed, Froome held off the other top GC contenders with a risky descent as he soloed to victory to secure the stage win and the yellow jersey. He will enter the queen stage of the Pyrenees a marked man--expect other GC hopefuls to be on the offensive.
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Cycling EventsStage 9
Vielha Val d'Aran / Andorre Arcalis 9 of 22
Stage Winner: Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Stage 9 was marked by huge successes and even bigger disappointments. After being dropped on an early climb, Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) soloed to his first Tour de France victory--an important monument for the team marked by tragedy last season. With hail and pouring rain battering the peloton as the elevation increased, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) abandoned the race due to a fever and injuries sustained on the opening stages. The GC standings remained relatively unchanged, with Chris Froome (Sky) holding on to the yellow jersey as the peloton enters the first rest day.
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Cycling EventsStage 10
Escaldes-Engordany / Revel 10 of 22
Stage Winner: Michael Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Despite being a relatively uneventful day for the yellow jersey, the real action took place in the 15-rider breakaway. After splitting on the climb to Port d'Envalira, Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) initiated an additional split at 25 km to go--resulting in an eight-man final breakaway that included previous stage winner Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpechin) and former race leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team). But with two teammates at his side, it was Michael Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange) who landed his first Tour de France stage win--a well-deserved monument given his previous Tour mishaps. Sagan won the intermediate sprint and finished the stage in second, once again putting him in the green jersey as the peloton enters Stage 11.
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Cycling EventsStage 11
Carcasssonne / Montpellier 11 of 22
Stage Winner: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: In what many assumed would be a stage for the sprinters, the green and yellow jersey holders had other plans. With 12 km to go to the finish, Sagan (Tinkoff) and his teammate attacked--only to be joined by Chris Froome (Sky) and super domestique Geraint Thomas (Sky). The explosive quartet held the peloton off by six seconds, as Sagan easily out-sprinted Froome at the line--extending his lead in the green jersey points competition and securing his second Tour de France stage win of the year. Froome buffered his overall lead to 28 seconds over Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange). Expect the GC standings to shake up as the peloton heads up Mont Ventoux for Stage 12.
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Cycling EventsStage 12
Montpellier / Mont Ventoux 12 of 22
Stage Winner: Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: In one of the most unusual finishes in Tour de France history, Chris Froome (Sky) retains the yellow jersey after a post-race jury decision on the slopes of a shortened Mont Ventoux stage. A crash involving a television motorbike and Froome, Richie Porte (BMC Racing Team) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) left the yellow jersey wearer stranded amongst spectators. In an attempt to minimize his losses, Froome began running towards the finish as his team car delivered a new, functional bicycle. Overshadowed by the calamity below, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) earned himself an impressive Stage 12 victory on the legendary climb.
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Cycling EventsStage 13
Bourg-Saint-Andeol / La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc 13 of 22
Stage Winner: Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: On a 37.5 km time trial stage overshadowed by the tragedy in Nice, organizers and cyclists had a moment of silence to pay respect to those who lost their lives. Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) averaged a blistering 44.7 km/h for his second stage win of the year--dominating the competition in a commanding fashion. Conditions worsened throughout the day, and Chris Froome (Sky) was the only top GC contender to break into the top 10. His second place finish has extended his lead in the overall standings.
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Cycling EventsStage 14
Montelimar / Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux 14 of 22
Stage Winner: Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: As if he wasn't having a successful enough season, Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) emerged victorious from the bunch sprint on Stage 14 to secure his fourth stage win of the year. An aggravated Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step) claimed Cavendish deviated from his line and forced the German out of contention, but race officials ultimately deemed the controversial move clean. This is Cavendish's 30th Tour de France stage win since his first back in 2008. Chris Froome (Sky) retains the yellow jersey.
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Cycling EventsStage 15
Bourge-en-Bresse / Culoz 15 of 22
Stage winner: Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling)
Overall leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Over two weeks in and the Tour continues to challenge the fortitude of the greatest cyclists in the world. With six category climbs through the Jura mountains, Chris Froome's (Sky) rivals had plenty of opportunities to attack and eat away at the man in yellow. But, alas, there were few attacks up the steep mountains, and Froome maintains his comfortable lead.
The peloton finished three minutes behind stage winner Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling), who captured Columbia's sixteenth Tour de France stage win.
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Cycling EventsStage 16
Moirans-en-Montagne / Berne 16 of 22
Stage winner: Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
Overall leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: With a final climb up a cobbled hill, one would expect current green jersey holder Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) to be in the mix at the finish. And, for the third time this Tour, Sagan claimed a victory at the line, inching out Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) with an expertly timed bike throw.
After securing the green jersey three straight years without a stage win, Sagan sits only one win behind Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) for the most at this year's Tour. He now holds a nearly insurmountable lead over his fellow riders in the green jersey points classification.
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Cycling EventsStage 17
Berne / Finhaut-Emosson 17 of 22
Stage Winner: Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Russia's Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) had a breakthrough performance as he dropped Stage 15 winner Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling) inside the last 7 km of the final climb. With relentless attacks on the steep slopes, Zakarin became the second Russian on Katusha to win a Tour de France stage since 2009. Chris Froome (Sky) continues to dominate the GC race after gaining more time on his nearest podium contenders. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) withdrew from the Tour after four stage wins to focus on the Olympic Games.
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Cycling EventsStage 18
Sallanches / Megeve 18 of 22
Stage Winner: Chris Froome (Sky)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Chris Froome (Sky) not only won his second stage of this year's Tour, but he virtually secured the yellow jersey during the Stage 18 uphill time trial. Froome bested TT specialist Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) by more than 20 seconds--an impressive showing for the yellow jersey. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) now sits 3:52 behind Froome, with Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) 4:16 back.
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Cycling EventsStage 19
Albertville / Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc 19 of 22
Stage Winner: Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: Plagued by crashes due to fresh tarmac and wet conditions, Stage 19 rewarded the most daring and fearless cyclists. Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale) detached from the yellow jersey group on the treacherous descent, ultimately catching Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and securing France's first stage win of the year after an aggressive final ascent to Le Bettex. Chris Froome (Sky) was one of several riders who crashed on the descent, but his fellow teammates mitigated the damage as Froome crossed the line on a borrowed bike. Bardet moves into second overall.
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Cycling EventsStage 20
Megeve / Morzine-Avoriaz 20 of 22
Stage Winner: Ion Izagirre (Movistar)
Overall Leader: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: With four category climbs and a rain-soaked descent, this year's penultimate stage was a brutal test of strength, endurance and bike handling. Just one day after race leader Chris Froome (Sky) crashed on a damp descent, he was able to hang onto his teammates' wheels and complete the stage with zero drama--ensuring he'll ride into Paris donned in yellow.
While Nario Quintana (Movistar) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r) played it safe, securing their podium positions, Quintana's teammate, Ion Izagirre (Movistar), claimed his first Tour de France stage victory after breaking away from previous Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Stage 15 winner Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling).
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Cycling EventsStage 21
Chantilly / Paris Champs-Elysees 21 of 22
Stage Winner: Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol)
Overall Winner: Chris Froome (Sky)
Summary: With Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) out of the sprinting field and Marcel Kittel (Ettix-QuickStep) dealing with mechanical issues, the Tour's final sprint came down to Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol), Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) and Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha).
Andre Greipel claimed his first stage win at this year's tour (11th overall), after beating points champion Sagan to the line.
As always, the ride to Champs-Elysees was a victory lap for those leading their respective classifications. Chris Froome (Sky) claimed his third Tour de France general classification victory, Sagan his fifth consecutive points classification, Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) took home the polka dot jersey and Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) the young rider's jersey.
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