The Tour de France is the most watched cycling event in the world and the third largest sports event on the planet. First held in 1903, it is the oldest cycling race still run to this day. It takes place across France every year in the first three weeks of July, occasionally also being held in a number of partner countries in Europe.
The Tour is managed by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and brings together 22 teams and 176 cyclists in total.
Every year, the event attracts huge numbers of viewers across the world and is broadcast in 190 countries, on 100 different television channels, including 60 live broadcasts and over 100 hours of live feed. This makes it the only sports event in the world with as many hours of live broadcast and one of the most followed events in the world, amassing some 3.5 billion viewers for the entire race.
The Tour de France relies on meticulous planning to ensure the transport of 4,500 people every day for 21 days. Approximately 10-12 million people gather on the sides of the road to watch the event every year, making it the sports event with the highest overall number of spectators.
The Tour de France generates 150 million euros in economic returns:
- €90M from broadcast rights
- €37.5M in sales, sponsorship and marketing revenue
- €22.5M revenue from towns hosting stages
The Tour de France showcases France’s sports events expertise every year, offering all businesses involved unparalleled visibility.