The Tour de France 2011 runs from Saturday July 2nd to Sunday July 24th, 2011. The 98th Tour de France will yet again hold the world’s attention. The biggest cycling race in the world is a sight to see, with huge international coverage.
Made up of 21 stages, it covers a total distance of 3,430.5 kilometers (2131.6 Miles). The 18th stage takes place over the Col du Galibier, first climbed by the Tour de France’s cyclists in 1911. Marking the 100th anniversary, the Galibier will be climbed twice, after an interval of 24 hours. The finish of this stage is going to be judged at the summit, at an altitude of 2,645 meters, which makes this the highest finish in the Tour de France’s history.
The race starts in the Vendee, Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France on the Atlantic Ocean. Les Herbiers (14,000 inhabitants) and Les Essarts (4,800 inhabitants) are cantonal sub-divisions; the town of Olonne-sur-Mer has a population of 12,500 inhabitants.
Prize Money
In total, 3.2 million euros will be awarded to the teams and the riders, including 450,000 euros for the winner of the general individual classification.Stages
The Tour de France runs over different stages, testing different skills and endurance consisting of:What the Leaders Jerseys signify
The Yellow Jersey = the general individual time classificationThe Green Jersey = the general points classification
The Polka Dot Jersey = the best climber classification
The White Jersey = the best young rider classification (for riders who are no more than 25 years old in the year of the race)
