How to Watch & Understand the Tour De France

The Tour de France is the world's largest free sporting event. Spectators can watch every stage in person and along the entire route, this year from London (July 7) to Paris (July 29) without admission.

Where To Watch: Like golf tournaments or motor sports, the best vantage points to witness the race is subjective. Many fans camp for days in the Pyrenees or the Alps to watch the strenuous climbs to L'Alpe d'Huez or Les Deux Alpes or any of the race's famous peaks.

Others bring a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine and pick a less crowded stop in the countryside or in a cafe in a small village and watch the entourage progress. Keep in mind, race roads always close several hours before the riders and other pre-race vehicles arrive. In short, get there early and prepare to stay for many hours.

History of the Tour: The race debuted in 1903 when it was won by Frenchman Maurice Garin. Since then, the host nation has had 36 winners, but none since 1985 when Bernard Hinault claimed his fifth title. Belgium has had 18 winners, followed by Italy with nine titlists.

Floyd Landis' victory in 2006 was the 11th by an America, all in the past 21 years. Lance Armstrong won seven consecutive times (1999-2005) and Greg LeMond won the race three times (1988, 1989-90.)

The Tour By Numbers: As per tradition, each year's course is announced in the previous October. The exact mileage of the Tour changes each year, but usually it's around 2,200 miles and includes 20 stages and one or two rest days. The field is usually comprised of 20 teams, 16 automatic selections based on world rankings and four at-large teams selected by the race organization.

Riders compete on international trade teams, not for their countries. Teams usually riders from several countries, and usually cyclists from an estimated two-dozen countries participate in the race. The cyclists can encounter rain to snow and temperatures near freezing to more than 90 degrees.

On harrowing, narrow descents, speeds can approach 60 mph, and while climbing, the field can encounter more than 10-mile ascents with average grades of more than eight percent. The most severe climbs are called hors categorie or beyond category.

What To Expect: The French and other European countries are passionate about the sport. They line the course, write the names of their favorite riders in chalk or paint on the asphalt along the course. Families treat the race as celebration. About 90 minutes before each stage, a caravan of publicity vehicles distributes sponsors' trinkets to the spectators, who scramble for the stuff while waiting for the cyclists to arrive.

Different Jerseys: The leader of Tour de France and the race's overall winner in the final day wear a yellow jersey. The best climber in the race wears a red polka jersey; the leader of the points competition, determined by mid-race and finishing sprints, win the green in jersey. The best rider in race age 25 and under wears the white jersey