How do you win the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is won by the rider who completes the 21-stage race in the fastest total time.

Each stage is timed from start to finish and the times are added together for each rider as the tour progresses. The rider with the lowest cumulative time across all stages is declared the winner.

The tour consists of flat, hilly and mountain stages, covering a distance of 3,320km (2,063 miles).

The winner earns €500,000 (£433,665) in prize money.

Meanwhile, the Tour de France Femmes for female riders is a nine-stage event starting a day before the end of the Tour de France.

It is raced over 1,168km (725.8 miles) and has a winning prize pool of 50,000 euros (£43,366).

A total of 23 teams enter, each with eight riders and two team directors.

A rider cannot win the tour alone, they need the support of their team as well as and a clear strategy.

Each team typically has one leader, who is usually the strongest rider - although some teams have multiple standout riders pushing for the overall tour lead.

The remaining riders are known as 'domestiques'—they work to support the leader. This includes fetching water, setting the pace, and riding ahead to block wind.

At the end of each stage, the fastest rider in the overall classification wears the yellow jersey, symbolizing the Tour leader.

The rider who holds the lowest overall time at the end of the 21 stages wins the final yellow jersey.

Beyond the yellow jersey, riders compete for other prestigious awards:

- Green jersey: Awarded to the sprinter with the highest number of points, earned across various sprint sections.

- Polka-dot jersey: Given to the rider who gains the most points in the mountain classification.

- White jersey: Reserved for the fastest young rider (under 25) in the general classification.

- Yellow helmets: Worn by the team with the fastest collective time.

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