The Grand Départ: Tour de France begins Jul 7, 2018

The Grand Départ: Tour de France begins

All eyes are on France today as 22 teams begin the 105th Tour de France, the prestigious cycling race that takes competitors more than 2,000 miles through the countryside. Our image show the peloton (the main pack of riders) racing down a tree-lined road from Montélimar to the Parc des Oiseaux in Villars-les-Dombes during Stage 14 of the Tour de France in 2016. If you’re new to the competition, here’s what you need to know: The race includes 21 stages that span 22 days. Competitors will climb at grades of up to 11 percent through the Alps and Pyrenees, and pedal over miles of cobblestone and dirt roads, country lanes and highways, at last coming to a finish at the Champs-Élysées in Paris. When you see the peloton, keep an eye out for the yellow jersey–at each stage it’s worn by the cyclist with the overall leading time and is ultimately awarded to the winner. Bonne chance, riders!

© Michael Steele/Getty Images Sport

palette

Today in History

Jul 7, 2019Traffic jam on the caribou highway
Jul 7, 2020Mercury in retrograde
Jul 7, 2021Back on the rise
Jul 7, 2022Heceta Head Light, Florence, Oregon
Jul 7, 2023World Chocolate Day
Jul 7, 2024Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam
Jul 7, 2025Northern gannets, Shetland Islands, Scotland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jul 26, 2021The dancing trees of Sumba Island
Sep 6, 2022National Mushroom Month
May 4, 2024Star Wars Day
Feb 26, 2022Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Nov 2, 2018Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
Oct 14, 2019Canadian Thanksgiving
Aug 30, 2022Regional Park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli, Italy
Oct 8, 2019Let s celebrate cephalopods
Oct 6, 2018A bite of ancient history
Feb 17, 2020Happy Presidents Day
Mar 9, 2022Flower of Life symbol drawn in snow
Jan 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument anniversary
Sep 27, 2022Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
Jan 20, 2018Yellow-eyed penguins, Moeraki, New Zealand
Jan 16, 2022Hot and Spicy Food Day
Jul 6, 2021The most Instagrammable bird?
May 24, 2022European Day of Parks
Jun 26, 2021Spectacular views below!
Nov 27, 2020Green is the new black
Apr 12, 2022International Day of Human Space Flight
Nov 5, 2022Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
Jun 30, 2024Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Jun 13, 2020A gorge-ous mill in the Causses
Jun 21, 2023Summer solstice
Sep 28, 2024National Public Lands Day
Aug 29, 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
Nov 24, 2025Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh, India
Feb 24, 2018A red fox on the Swiss side of the Jura Mountain range
Dec 1, 2023Antarctica Day
May 7, 2023World Laughter Day