Since 1903, the Tour de France has been a major sporting event that cycling enthusiasts can follow in July. The route of the Tour de France changes every year.
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Athletes or not, many people like to watch the Tour de France and sometimes this renowned race passes close to home, but how is its route defined?
The route of the Tour de France: the candidate cities
Each year, some 250 cities apply to host a stage of the Tour de France. In France, the competition is very strong. It happens that mayors apply for several years in a row before their city is selected. Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France, has general commissioners who will visit the cities in order to judge the quality of the file.
The constraints of the Tour
The Amaury Sport Organization company has to face various constraints when choosing the route of the Tour de France cyclist. Thus, the circuit must not exceed 3,500 kilometers. In addition, the Grande Boucle must not offer more than two stages of 225 kilometers in the same edition.
Did you know ?
Regularly, the Tour de France leaves from a foreign city. The first to have hosted the start of the Tour de France was Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, in 1954.
The route of the Tour de France: the decision
It is the company Amaury Sport Organization which chooses the route according to the candidate files of the cities. This choice generally occurs two to three years before departure. Once the circuit has been defined, the cities are involved. They must actually pay Amaury Sport Organization between 50,000 and 130,000 euros, depending on whether they have been designated city of departure, arrival or both. They must then guarantee a certain number of adjustments, in particular with regard to the roads.
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