Chris Froome Crashes Down Koppenberg 2014

The Tour de France (French pronunciation: ​[tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s]) is an annual multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France,[1] while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. The race was first organized in 1903 to increase paper sales for the magazine L'Auto;[2] it is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation.[3] The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1903 except for when it was stopped for the two World Wars.[4] As the Tour gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend around the globe. Participation expanded from a primarily French field, as riders from all over the world began to participate in the race each year. The Tour is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI ProTeams, with the exception of the teams that the organizers invite.