It may be the dead of summer, but cycling's crown jewel has arrived with the 106th edition of the Tour de France. Founded in 1903, it is one of cycling's three grand tours (Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España being the others).
The 23-day, 21-stage race, spanning 3,480 kilometers (2,162 miles) begins in Brussels, Belgium and finishes in Paris. The schedule consists of standard road races, individual time trials and team time trials.
Four-time champion Chris Froome will not be riding in this year's event, leaving just two former winners in the race — his Ineos teammate Geraint Thomas, last year’s victor, and Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali.
MORE: Watch the Tour de France live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
The Tour de France features four iconic jerseys, with the most famous being the yellow jersey awarded to the cyclist after each stage with the fastest overall time dating back to the July 6 start. A polka-dot jersey is given to the fastest climber, a white jersey to the fastest cyclist under the age of 26 and a green jersey to the best time trialist.
Below is everything you need to know about the 2019 Tour de France including schedule, stage breakdown and how to watch the event. You can also keek track of the race with our standings, updated daily.
Tour de France 2019 schedule
The 21-stage race begins on July 6, and wraps up 23 days later on July 28. Riders are given just two rest days during the grueling 2,162-mile competition.
| Stage | Date | Distance | Depart | Arrive | Coverage start |
| Stage 1 | Sat., July 6 | 192km (119 mi.) | Brussels | Brussels | 5:30 a.m. |
| Stage 2 | Sun., July 7 | 27km (16.7 mi.) | Brussels-Palais Royal | Brussels-Atomium | 8:00 a.m. |
| Stage 3 | Mon., July 8 | 214km (133 mi.) | Binche | Epernay | 6:00 a.m. |
| Stage 4 | Tue., July 9 | 215km (133 mi.) | Reims | Nancy | 6:00 a.m. |
| Stage 5 | Wed., July 10 | 169km (105 mi.) | Saint-Die-des-Vosges | Colmar | 6:00 a.m. |
| Stage 6 | Thu., July 11 | 157km (97.5 mi.) | Mulhouse | La Planche des Belles Filles | 7:00 a.m. |
| Stage 7 | Fri., July 12 | 230km (142 mi.) | Belfort | Chalon-sur-Saone | 6:30 a.m. |
| Stage 8 | Sat., July 13 | 199km (123 mi.) | Macon | Saint-Etienne | 5:00 a.m. |
| Stage 9 | Sun., July 14 | 170km (105 mi.) | Saint-Etienne | Brioude | 6:30 a.m. |
| Stage 10 | Mon., July 15 | 218km (135 mi.) | Saint-Flour | Albi | 6:00 a.m. |
| Rest Day | Tue., July 16 | ||||
| Stage 11 | Wed., July 17 | 167km (104 mi.) | Albi | Toulouse | 7:00 a.m. |
| Stage 12 | Thu., July 18 | 202km (125.5 mi.) | Toulouse | Bagneres-de-Bigorre | 5:00 a.m. |
| Stage 13 | Fri., July 19 | 27km (16.7 mi.) | Pau | Pau | 7:30 a.m. |
| Stage 14 | Sat., July 20 | 117km (72.5 mi.) | Tarbes | Col du Tourmalet | 7:00 a.m. |
| Stage 15 | Sun., July 21 | 185km (115 mi.) | Limoux | Foix | 5:30 a.m. |
| Rest Day | Mon., July 22 | ||||
| Stage 16 | Tue., July 23 | 177km (110 mi.) | Nimes | Nimes | 7:00 a.m. |
| Stage 17 | Wed., July 24 | 206km (128 mi.) | Pont du Gard | Gap | 6:00 a.m. |
| Stage 18 | Thu., July 25 | 207km (128.5 mi.) | Embrun | Valloire | 5:00 a.m. |
| Stage 19 | Fri., July 26 | 123km (76 mi.) | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne | Tignes | 7:30 a.m. |
| Stage 20 | Sat., July 27 | 131km (81 mi.) | Albertville | Val Thorens | 7:00 a.m. |
| Stage 21 | Sun., July 28 | 127km (79 mi.) | Rambouillet | Paris | 7:30 a.m. |
*All times Eastern
Tour de France TV channel, how to live stream
- TV channel: NBCSN
- Live stream: NBCSports App, NBC Sports Gold Cycling Pass, fuboTV
The first two stages of the race will be broadcast live on NBCSN, with the station showing delayed coverage and replays for the rest of the race until the final stage. The premium NBC Sports Gold Cycling Pass offers live, commercial-free coverage and replays of every stage for a $54.99 price. The Tour de France can also be streamed with fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
LIVE: Track the 2019 Tour de France race standings
Tour de France route map
What are the Tour de France stages?
Over the course of a little more than three weeks, riders will endure a grueling 2,162-mile course that includes seven mountain stages with five summit finishes, five hilly stages, seven flat stages and an individual and team time trial. 2019 marks the fifth time that Belgium has hosted the Grand Depart.
| # | Date | Length | Stage | Winner |
| 1 | July 6 | 192km (119 mi.) | Brussels to Brussels (flat) | Mike Teunissen |
| 2 | July 7 | 27km (16.7 mi.) | Brussels-Palais Royal to Brussels-Atomium (team time trial) | Jumbo-Visma |
| 3 | July 8 | 214km (133 mi.) | Binche to Epernay (hilly) | Julian Alaphilippe |
| 4 | July 9 | 215km (133 mi.) | Reims to Nancy (flat) | Elia Viviani |
| 5 | July 10 | 169km (105 mi.) | Saint-Die-des-Vosges to Colmar (hilly) | Peter Sagan |
| 6 | July 11 | 157km (97.5 mi.) | Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (mountain) | Dylan Teuns |
| 7 | July 12 | 230km (142 mi.) | Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (flat) | Dylan Groenewegen |
| 8 | July 13 | 199km (123 mi.) | Macon to Saint-Etienne (hilly) | Thomas De Gendt |
| 9 | July 14 | 170km (105 mi.) | Saint-Etienne to Brioude (hilly) | Daryl Impey |
| 10 | July 15 | 218km (135 mi.) | Saint-Flour to Albi (flat) | Wout van Aert |
| Rest Day | July 16 | |||
| 11 | July 17 | 167km (104 mi.) | Albi to Toulouse (flat) | Caleb Ewan |
| 12 | July 18 | 202km (125.5 mi.) | Toulouse to Bagneres-de-Bigorre (mountain) | Simon Yates |
| 13 | July 19 | 27km (16.7 mi.) | Pau to Pau (individual time trial) | Julian Alaphilippe |
| 14 | July 20 | 117km (72.5 mi.) | Tarbes to Col du Tourmalet (mountain) | Thibaut Pinot |
| 15 | July 21 | 185km (115 mi.) | Limoux to Foix (mountain) | Simon Yates |
| Rest Day | July 22 | |||
| 16 | July 23 | 177km (110 mi.) | Nimes to Nimes (flat) | Caleb Ewan |
| 17 | July 24 | 206km (128 mi.) | Pont du Gard to Gap (hilly) | Matteo Trentin |
| 18 | July 25 | 207km (128.5 mi.) | Embrun to Valloire (mountain) | Nairo Quintana |
| 19 | July 26 | 123km (76 mi.) | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes (mountain) | Egan Bernal |
| 20 | July 27 | 131km (81 mi.) | Albertville to Val Thorens (mountain) | Vincenzo Nibali |
| 21 | July 28 | 127km (79 mi.) | Rambouillet to Paris (flat) | Caleb Ewan |
How many miles is the Tour de France?
The Tour de France stretches 2,162 miles. This is almost the exact distance between New York City and Salt Lake City, Utah. The longest stage of the race is the seventh, which is over 142 miles long. That would be similar to driving from Philadelphia to Washington D.C.
2019 Tour de France teams
Twenty-two teams will compete in this year's Tour de France. Team Sky, who had last year's winner Geraint Thomas, ended its sponsorship of a professional cycling team and was replaced by Team Ineos.
| Team Ineos (Great Britain) |
| EF Education First (USA) |
| Ag2r La Mondiale (France) |
| Team Sunweb (Germany) |
| Bahrain-Merida (Bahrain) |
| Mitchelton-Scott (Australia) |
| Movistar (Spain) |
| CCC Team (Poland) |
| UAE Team Emirates (United Arab Emirates) |
| Deceuninck – Quick-Step (Belgium) |
| Bora-Hansgrohe (Germany) |
| Astana (Kazakstan) |
| Dimension Data (Russia) |
| Katusha-Alpecin (Switzerland) |
| Groupama-FDJ (France) |
| Jumbo-Visma (Netherlands) |
| Lotto-Soudal (Belgium) |
| Trek-Segafredo (USA) |
| Total-Direct Energie (France) |
| Cofidis, Solutions Crédits (France) |
| Wanty-Groupe Gobert (Belgium) |
| Arkéa-Samsic (France) |
Tour de France past winners
Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain are all tied as the winningest Tour de France riders, with five titles each. Maurice Garin won the first Tour de France in 1903. Geraint Thomas is the defending champion and won three stages during last year's race.
| Year | Winner | Nationality |
| 2019 | TBD | |
| 2018 | Geraint Thomas | Wales |
| 2017 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2016 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2015 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2014 | Vincenzo Nibali | Italy |
| 2013 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2012 | Bradley Wiggins | England |
| 2011 | Cadel Evans | Australia |
| 2010 | Andy Schleck* | Luxembourg |
| 2009 | Alberto Contador | Spain |
| 2008 | Carlos Sastre | Spain |
| 2007 | Alberto Contador | Spain |
| 2006 | Oscar Pereiro** | Spain |
| 2005 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2004 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2003 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2002 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2001 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2000 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 1999 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 1998 | Marco Pantani | Italy |
*Aberto Contador was the original winner, but later failed a drug test
**Floyd Landis was the original winner, but later failed a drug test
***All of Lance Armstrong's titles have been vacated due to doping