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Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France

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Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France

Summary

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FieldValue
title
imageLe Tour de France 2015 Stage 21 (19992590510).jpg
image_upright1.4
captionFinal stage on the Champs-Élysées in 2015
duration
date
venueChamps-Élysées
locationParis, France
coordinates
also_known_asFinal stage of the Tour de France
typeCycling stage race
patron
organisersAmaury Sport Organisation
blank_labelInaugural winner
blank_dataWalter Godefroot (1975)
blank1_labelWon most times
blank1_dataMark Cavendish (4)
blank2_labelRoute
blank2_dataEnter Paris then, six-to-eight times:
website
notesThe Champs-Élysées lap is 6.8km (4.1mi) in length

Every year since 1975, with the exception of 2024, the final stage of the Tour de France has concluded on the Champs-Élysées, an emblematic street of the city of Paris. As the final stage of the most recognised bike race in the world, winning it is considered very prestigious.

The stage typically starts on the outskirts of Paris, and teams agree on a truce for the opening portion of the race, with cyclists taking the opportunity to have a moment of tranquility, laughing, and celebrating the achievement of finishing the Tour de France. The rider leading the general classification – whose lead is by custom not contested on the final stage, though usually it is by that point unassailable – poses for photographs, often taking a glass of champagne on the way.

The second part of the race is more hotly contested. This consists of between six and ten laps of a circuit of the Champs-Élysées, a wide partly-cobblestoned road. Riders try to break away from the peloton to secure victory, though as of 2025 such attempts have only resulted in a victory on seven occasions (and on only four since 1979). On the other occasions (except 1989, when the final stage was a time-trial), the winner has come from a mass sprint and has therefore typically been a specialist sprinter. At times this means that the final stage has settled the points classification, which is usually won by a sprinter.

Between 2014 and 2016, the course was also used for La Course by Le Tour de France, a women's one-day race. The first edition of Tour de France Femmes in 2022 also used the course, as the first stage of the race.

History

In the first Tour of 1903, the finish was at Ville-d'Avray. From 1904 to 1967 it was at the Parc des Princes track and from 1968 to 1974, during the heyday of Eddy Merckx, at the Vélodrome de Vincennes.

In 1974, Félix Lévitan, co-director of the Tour, and reporter Yves Mourousi suggested a finish on the Champs-Élysées. Mourousi directly contacted French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing to obtain permission. The first stage took place in 1975: this was a Paris-Paris stage of 25 laps (163.5 km). The Belgian Walter Godefroot won the sprint and Bernard Thévenet received the yellow jersey from the hands of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. In 1977, French Alain Meslet became the first rider to win alone.

Since 1978, the final stage has generally started from outside the city, with only the final part of the stage following the core route. The number of laps has varied between six and ten. Major innovations have generally been avoided, with the notable exception of the 1989 stage which operated as a time-trial.[[File:Mark_Cavendish_20e_étape_du_Tour_de_France_2012_Paris_Rambouillet_et_Paris_les_Champs-Élysées_(cropped).jpg|thumb|Mark Cavendish on the [[2012 Tour de France, Stage 11 to Stage 20#Stage 20|final stage]] of the [[2012 Tour de France|2012 Tour]], the only time a reigning road world champion won on Champs-Élysées]]In 2013, in celebration of the 100th Tour de France the stage was shifted to a late afternoon start, finishing in the evening. The course also entered the Champs Elysées via the courtyards of the Louvre Palace, passing directly by the Louvre Pyramid, and utilising the traffic circle around the Arc de Triomphe rather than making a u-turn short of it; these changes have been retained in subsequent years. In 2015, bad weather caused the Tour organisers to declare the overall classification neutralised upon entry to the Champs-Élysées, 70 km before the stage finished.

The course was also used for the first three editions of La Course by Le Tour de France, a women's one-day race held between 2014 and 2021. In these years the race was held in a kermesse-style circuit racing format. The first edition of Tour de France Femmes in 2022 used the course as the first stage of an 8-day race.

Montmartre

Due to Paris hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the 2024 Tour de France finished in Nice instead of in Paris, making it the first time since 1974 that the race hasn't finished on the Champs-Élysées. In 2025, the race returned to finish on the Champs-Élysées for the 50th time, but with an unusual route involving three climbs of Montmartre. The climbs on this route, intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the use of the Champs-Élysées in the Tour and capitalize on the popularity of the use of Montmartre in the 2024 Olympics cycling road race, made the stage less suitable for sprinters. Some riders criticised the change: Remco Evenepoel stated that he didn't like the idea; Wout van Aert, who would go on to win the stage, called it "dangerous"; and Jasper Philipsen said it was "a shame to see this stage change". Amaury Sport Organization, the organizers of the Tour, stated that the final stage in Montmartre "exceeded our expectations" and that the stage would likely return in future editions of the Tour. A peak of 8.7 million viewers watched the final stage in 2025, the highest French viewing figures for the Tour in 20 years.

In October 2025, it was announced that the Montmartre stage would return for the 2026 edition – albeit with a larger distance between the finish of the final climb of the Sacré-Cœur and the finish line on the Champs-Élysées.

Arrivals

2015 Tour
website=www.memoire-du-cyclisme.eu}}</ref>

Due to the high profile of the last day as well as its setting, the stage is prestigious. The overall Tour placings are typically settled before the final stage, so the racing is often for the glory of finishing the Tour and, at times, to settle the points classification. The leader of the Tour de France is, by convention, not challenged for their lead on this final day. Traditionally, the stage starts with champagne served by the race leader's team, on-the-road photo opportunities and joking around.

As the riders approach Paris, the racing heats up as the sprinters and their teams begin the real racing of the day. When the riders reach central Paris, they enter the Champs-Élysées riding up the Rue de Rivoli, on to the Place de la Concorde and then swing right on to the Champs-Élysées itself. The riders ride now a total of eight laps (including around the Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs-Élysées, round les Tuileries and the Louvre and across the Place de la Concorde back to the Champs-Élysées). In past Tours, the riders would complete ten laps before the Tour was over.

When a rider has reached a significant milestone over the course of the concluding Tour, it is customary for the peloton to let him enter the Champs-Elysées section of the stage in first place. Such an honor was bestowed upon American George Hincapie in 2012, in recognition of his final and record setting 17th Tour de France.

While a number of riders will try to pull away from the peloton on the Champs-Elysées, chances of success are slim and these attempts are often seen as one last opportunity for teams to showcase their colors. It is extremely hard for a small group to resist the push of chasing sprinter's teams on the stage's flat circuit, even more so than in a linear race, and the overwhelming majority have ended in a mass sprint.

In early years, breakaway wins did not appear uncommon. A surprising three straight occurred between 1977 and 1979. However, with the advent of modern racing tactics, the feat has become very rare, lending an increasingly valued place in Tour lore to the few who have achieved it. Those are Frenchmen Alain Meslet (1977), Bernard Hinault (1979) and Eddy Seigneur (1994), Dutchman Gerrie Knetemann (1978), American Jeff Pierce (1987), and Kazakhstani Alexander Vinokourov (2005). Belgian Wout van Aert won from a breakaway on the Champs-Élysées in 2025, in which the stage had a hillier parcours than usual.

General classification

Although generally uncontested, there have been two occasions on which the last stage saw attacks on the leading position in the general classification. In 1979, Joop Zoetemelk was 3:07 behind Bernard Hinault before the final stage. Zoetemelk attacked on the last stage, hoping to win enough time to claim the victory. Hinault chased Zoetemelk, and beat him for the stage victory.

Bernard Hinault in 1979 and in 1982 was the only rider winning on Champs-Élysées in yellow jersey (LeMond in 1989 won the jersey after the stage but didn't wear it during the stage).

In 1989, Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon by 58 seconds over a 24 km time trial from Versailles. In doing so, he closed a 50-second gap to win the 1989 Tour de France by eight seconds. It was the first (and only) time trial final stage on the Champs-Élysées and the only time that the yellow jersey change in the Champs-Élysées stage. The 1964, 1965 and 1967 Tours finished with time trials to the Parc des Princes, and the 1968 to 1971 stages had time trials to the Vélodrome de Vincennes (Cipale).

In 2005, Lance Armstrong had a comfortable lead in the general classification, but behind him Alexander Vinokourov and Levi Leipheimer were only two seconds apart, on fifth and sixth place. Vinokourov succeeded in a breakaway during the last kilometre and, because of his stage win and bonus seconds, overtook Leipheimer for fifth position overall.

Points classification

While points classification is mainly associated to a top sprinter competition, the jersey wearer is generally unlucky on Champs-Élysées. The three riders with most green jerseys, Peter Sagan, Erik Zabel and Sean Kelly, never won on Champs-Élysées. Only six times the green jersey wearer won: Freddy Maertens in 1976 first semi-stage and in 1981, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov in 1993, Robbie McEwen in 2002, Mark Cavendish in 2011 and Sam Bennett in 2020. In 1979, Bernard Hinault led the points classification when he won on Champs-Élysées but he did it wearing the yellow jersey. In some years, the points classification was decided on that last stage.

In 1984, Frank Hoste had been leading the points classification for most of the race, but Sean Kelly had taken over the lead on the penultimate stage, with a difference of 4 points. Hoste ended third in the last stage against Kelly fifth, which made Hoste the winner by 4 points.

In the final stages of the 1987 Tour de France, the lead in the points classification switched between Jean-Paul van Poppel and Stephen Roche. Before the final stage, Roche was leading by 17 points, but during the last stage Van Poppel won back 16 points by intermediate sprints. Van Poppel's ninth place in the stage was then enough to win the points classification by 16 points.

In 1991, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov clipped his wheels on barriers. With less than 100m left he tumbled head-over-heels in a spectacular crash. After he regained consciousness, he was helped across the line to clinch the sprinters' competition.

In 2001, Stuart O'Grady had been leading the points classification for most of the race, but Erik Zabel overtook him at the final moment.

In 2003, the green jersey was settled by a close finish between Baden Cooke and Robbie McEwen finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively, that resulted in Cooke finished with 216 points to McEwen's 214.

Winners

YearDateStageStarting placeDistanceStage winnerRefkmmi
197520 JulyStage 22Paris163.4 kmWalter Godefroot
197618 JulyStage 22a (ITT)Paris6 kmFreddy Maertens [[File:Jersey_green.svglink=Points classification in the Tour de Francealt=A green jersey.20x20px]]
Stage 22b90.7 kmGerben Karstens
197724 JulyStage 22a (ITT)Paris6 kmDietrich Thurau [[File:Jersey_white.svglink=Young rider classification in the Tour de Francealt=20x20px]]
Stage 22b90.7 kmAlain Meslet
197823 JulyStage 22Saint-Germain-en-Laye161.5 kmGerrie Knetemann
197922 JulyStage 24Le Perreux-sur-Marne180.3 kmBernard Hinault [[File:Jersey_yellow.svglink=General classification in the Tour de Francealt=A yellow jersey.20x20px]]
198020 JulyStage 22Fontenay-sous-Bois186.1 kmPol Verschuere
198119 JulyStage 22Fontenay-sous-Bois186.6 kmFreddy Maertens [[File:Jersey_green.svglink=Points classification in the Tour de Francealt=A green jersey.20x20px]]
198225 JulyStage 21Fontenay-sous-Bois186.8 kmBernard Hinault [[File:Jersey_yellow.svglink=General classification in the Tour de Francealt=A yellow jersey.20x20px]]
198324 JulyStage 22Alfortville195 kmGilbert Glaus
198422 JulyStage 23Pantin196.5 kmEric Vanderaerden
198521 JulyStage 22Orléans196 kmRudy Matthijs
198627 JulyStage 23Cosne-sur-Loire255 kmGuido Bontempi
198726 JulyStage 25Créteil192 kmJeff Pierce
198824 JulyStage 22Nemours172.5 kmJean-Paul van Poppel
198923 JulyStage 21 (ITT)Versailles24.5 kmGreg LeMond
199022 JulyStage 21Brétigny-sur-Orge182 kmJohan Museeuw
199128 JulyStage 22Melun178 kmDimitri Konyshev
199226 JulyStage 21La Défense141 kmOlaf Ludwig
199325 JulyStage 20Viry-Châtillon196.5 kmDjamolidine Abdoujaparov [[File:Jersey_green.svglink=Points classification in the Tour de Francealt=A green jersey.20x20px]]
199424 JulyStage 21Disneyland175 kmEddy Seigneur
199523 JulyStage 20Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois155 kmDjamolidine Abdoujaparov
199621 JulyStage 21Palaiseau147.5 kmFabio Baldato
199727 JulyStage 21Disneyland149.5 kmNicola Minali
19982 AugustStage 21Melun147.5 kmTom Steels
199925 JulyStage 20Arpajon143.5 kmRobbie McEwen
200023 JulyStage 21Paris138 kmStefano Zanini
200129 JulyStage 20Corbeil-Essonnes160.5 kmJán Svorada
200228 JulyStage 20Melun144 kmRobbie McEwen [[File:Jersey_green.svglink=Points classification in the Tour de Francealt=A green jersey.20x20px]]
200327 JulyStage 20Ville-d'Avray160 kmJean-Patrick Nazon
200425 JulyStage 20Montereau163 kmTom Boonen
200524 JulyStage 21Corbeil-Essonnes144.5 kmAlexander Vinokourov
200623 JulyStage 20Antony–Parc de Sceaux152 kmThor Hushovd
200729 JulyStage 20Marcoussis130 kmDaniele Bennati
200827 JulyStage 21Étampes143 kmGert Steegmans
200926 JulyStage 21Montereau-Fault-Yonne160 kmMark Cavendish
201025 JulyStage 20Longjumeau102.5 kmMark Cavendish
201124 JulyStage 21Créteil95 kmMark Cavendish [[File:Jersey_green.svglink=Points classification in the Tour de Francealt=A green jersey.20x20px]]
201222 JulyStage 20Rambouillet120 kmMark Cavendish [[File:Jersey_rainbow.svglink=UCI Road World Championships – Men's road racealt=A rainbow jersey.20x20px]]
201321 JulyStage 21Versailles133.5 kmMarcel Kittel
201427 JulyStage 21Évry136 kmMarcel Kittel
201526 JulyStage 21Sèvres109.5 kmAndré Greipel
201624 JulyStage 21Chantilly113 kmAndré Greipel
201723 JulyStage 21Montgeron103 kmDylan Groenewegen
201829 JulyStage 21Houilles116 kmAlexander Kristoff [[File:European champion jersey 2016.svglink=European Road Cycling Championships20x20px]]
201928 JulyStage 21Rambouillet128 kmCaleb Ewan{{cite newsurl=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-29/tour-de-france-caleb-ewan-wins-final-stage/11355044title=Caleb Ewan wins Tour de France final stage, Egan Bernal takes overall honoursABC News]]location=Australiaagency=Associated Pressdate=29 July 2019access-date=20 September 2020 }}
202020 Sept.Stage 21Mantes-la-Jolie122 kmSam Bennett [[File:Jersey_green.svglink=Points classification in the Tour de Francealt=A green jersey.20x20px]]
202118 JulyStage 21Chatou108.4 kmWout van Aert
202224 JulyStage 21Paris La Défense Arena116 kmJasper Philipsen
202323 JulyStage 21Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines115.1 kmJordi Meeus
202527 JulyStage 21Mantes-la-Ville120 kmWout van Aert

Multiple winners

The following riders have won the Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France on more than one occasion.

CyclistTotalYears{{sortnameMarkCavendish}}{{sortnameFreddyMaertens}}{{sortnameBernardHinault}}{{sortnameDjamolidineAbdoujaparov}}{{sortnameRobbieMcEwen}}{{sortnameMarcelKittel}}{{sortnameAndréGreipel}}{{sortnameWoutvan Aert}}
42009, 2010, 2011, 2012
21976 (ITT), 1981
21979, 1982
21993, 1995
21999, 2002
22013, 2014
22015, 2016
22021, 2025

By nationality

CountryNo. of winsNo. of winning cyclists
1412
64
54
55
41
44
32
22
21
22
11
11
11
11
11

Footnotes

References

References

  1. "Sam Bennett: I'd Never Thought I'd Win Here with the Green Jersey". LeTour.
  2. Quiceno, Juan Diego. (July 28, 2019). "¿Por qué la última etapa del Tour es la más "tranquila"?". [[El Colombiano]].
  3. "Today's back pages: Egan Bernal's 'champagne moment' at the Tour de France". The Week.
  4. (2021-10-14). "The women's peloton reacts to the Tour de France Femmes route".
  5. Augendre, Jacques. (2009). "Guide Historique". [[Amaury Sport Organisation]].
  6. (2008). "The Story of the Tour de France: 1965-2007, Volume 2". Dog Ear Publishing.
  7. Bonniel, Marie-Aude. (July 24, 2015). "Le 20 juillet 1975: première arrivée du Tour de France sur les Champs-Élysées". [[Le Figaro]].
  8. Loncin, Pol. (July 19, 2017). "Le 20 juillet 1975: la première arrivée sur les Champs-Elysées". [[RTBF]].
  9. (22 July 2013). "Tour de France 2013: Mark Cavendish's reign on Champs Elysées curtailed by Marcel Kittel".
  10. "Rain forces neutralization of Tour de France finale". VeloNews.com.
  11. Bonville-Ginn, Tim. (28 August 2020). "La Course 2020: All you need to know about the one-day race".
  12. (2 December 2022). "The 2024 Men's Tour de France Will Finish in Nice".
  13. Moultrie, James. (22 May 2025). "'Dangerous... a shame' – Tour de France Champs-Elysées sprint winners criticise redesigned Paris stage finale".
  14. Roos, Alexandre. (21 May 2025). "« Cela ne veut pas dire qu'un sprinteur ne peut plus gagner » : Jasper Philipsen ne craint pas le nouveau tracé de la dernière étape du Tour de France".
  15. Hood, Andrew. (2025-07-23). "Sprinters Fuming Over Montmartre Paris Finale at Tour de France: 'It's Terrible What They've Done'".
  16. Moultrie, James. (July 27, 2025). "Tour de France stage 21: Tadej Pogačar claims fourth overall victory as Wout van Aert solos to victory over new Montmartre climb in Paris finale".
  17. (2025-07-29). "Tour de France Montmartre circuit set to stay after big-name attacks and huge crowds shake up final stage in Paris".
  18. (2025-07-28). "« Nous voulons continuer de passer par Montmartre » : l'organisation du Tour souhaite pérenniser la rue Lepic".
  19. (2025-07-29). "TDF. Tour de France - 45 millions de Français sur France TV... une édition historique".
  20. Whittle, Jeremy. (2025-10-23). "Tour de France unveils 2026 route with double Alpe d’Huez for men and Ventoux debut for women". The Guardian.
  21. (23 October 2025). "Tour de France 2026 Press kit". ASO.
  22. "Map of the circuit between 1975 and 2012".
  23. (23 July 2017). "Champs Élysées - The most iconic street in cycling".
  24. McGann, Bill. (2008). "The Story of the Tour De France: 1965–2007". Dog Ear Publishing.
  25. "www.cyclingnews.com presents the 92nd Tour de France".
  26. McGann, Bill. (2008). "The Story of the Tour De France: 1965–2007". Dog Ear Publishing.
  27. [http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/tour01/results/results_stage_20.shtml Zabel bags the green in exciting finale]
  28. "Memoire du cyclisme".
  29. (22 July 2012). "Bradley Wiggins wins Tour de France title". [[BBC]].
  30. Gallagher, Brendan. (22 July 2012). "Tour de France 2012: Mark Cavendish sets stage perfectly for Olympic road race glory". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
  31. Fotheringham, Alasdair. (23 July 2012). "Tour de France: Mark Cavendish enters history as best-ever Tour sprinter". Independent Print.
  32. (12 July 2013). "Mark Cavendish outsprinted by Marcel Kittel in Tour de France stage 12". The Guardian.
  33. Hurcomb, Sophie. (27 July 2014). "Vincenzo Nibali wins 2014 Tour de France; Marcel Kittel takes final stage". [[Cycling Weekly]].
  34. (26 July 2015). "Tour de France: Chris Froome wins Tour de France 2015". [[Cyclingnews.com]].
  35. Wynn, Nigal. (24 July 2016). "Chris Froome wins 2016 Tour de France as André Greipel takes final stage". [[Cycling Weekly]].
  36. Fotheringham, William. (23 July 2017). "Chris Froome wins fourth Tour de France after Champs Elysées procession". The Guardian.
  37. Windsor, Richard. (29 July 2018). "Geraint Thomas wins the 2018 Tour de France as Alexander Kristoff takes final stage victory". [[Cycling Weekly]].
  38. Ostanek, Daniel. (18 July 2021). "Tadej Pogacar wins 2021 Tour de France as Van Aert takes final stage". CyclingNews.
  39. Fotheringham, Alasdair. (24 July 2022). "Vingegaard crowned Tour de France champion while Philipsen wins stage 21". CyclingNews.
  40. (23 July 2023). "Jonas Vingegaard crowned Tour de France champion in Paris".
  41. Moultrie, James. (27 July 2025). "Tour de France stage 21: Tadej Pogačar claims fourth overall victory as Wout van Aert solos to victory over new Montmartre climb in Paris finale".
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