The 96th Running of the Tour de France

Tour de France bike race

The 96th running of the Tour de France began on July 4. Even though cycling legend Lance Armstrong is competing this year, he’s not the favorite according to most oddsmakers.

This Tour de France race will be the first for Lance Armstrong in four years. Armstrong retired from competitive cycling, but made a return to professional racing last year.

Nobody has more Tour de France victories than Lance Armstrong, who has seven. All of those amazing victories came in succession, winning all seven between 1999 and 2005. At age 37, and a cancer survivor, he might not be considered the favorite to win this year’s Tour.

This year’s Tour de France race features 180 riders from 30 different countries. The racers are competing in the premier, three-week cycling showcase.

Cycling News lists all Tour de France race stages – Click here.

By the time the 96th edition of the Tour de France wraps up, it will have taken riders over 2,150 miles, finally ending July 26 in Paris.