When is the 2023 Tour de France? Start time, how to watch, route, and more

By Annie CoryMay 11, 2023, 5:40 PM EDT

The world’s most famed bicycle race is back for its 110th year, as the 2023 Tour de France will get underway Saturday, July 1 through Sunday, July 23, airing on both NBC and Peacock.

Aside from intense racing and historic sites, this year’s race will bring 12 new stage towns to the map, with the Grand Depart taking place in a new location as well.

NBC Sports has you covered with everything you need to know about the 2023 Tour de France. See below to find out more information for the grand race, including start time, schedule, route and more.

2023 Tour de France Key Information

When is the 2023 Tour de France?

The 2023 Tour de France will take place from July 1-23. The riders will embark on the first stage in Bilbao on Saturday, July 1, with coverage on NBC Sports and Peacock from start to finish.

What are the start and end cities for the Tour de France 2023?

The world’s most prestigious race will get underway in Bilbao, Spain, the most populous city in the Basque Country. This will be the first time that Bilbao has hosted a stage of the Tour, and the second consecutive year the race begins outside of France.

As the riders venture along the extremely difficult course, the race will find its finish as it has since 1975, on the street of Champs-Élysées in Paris.

How many teams are in the Tour?

22 teams will make up the peloton of the Tour de France. Of these teams are the 18 UCI WorldTeams that received an automatic invite and four UCI ProTeams.

UCI WorldTeams

AG2R Citroën Team (Fra)
Alpecin Deceuninck (Bel)
Astana Qazaqstan Team (Kaz)
Bora-Hansgrohe (Ger)
EF Education-Easypost (Usa)
Groupama-FDJ (Fra)
Ineos Grenadiers (Gbr)
Intermarché-Circus-Wanty (Bel)
Jumbo-Visma (Ned)
Movistar Team (Esp)
Soudal Quick-Step (Bel)
Team Arkea-Samsic (Fra)
Team Bahrain Victorious (Brn)
Team Cofidis (Fra)
Team DSM (Ned)
Team Jayco AlUla (Aus)
Trek-Segafredo (Usa)
UAE Team Emirates (Uae)

UCI ProTeams

Lotto Dstny (Bel)
TotalEnergies (Fra)
Israel-Premier Tech (Isr)
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (Nor)

How long is this year’s route?

This year’s Tour route is a total of 3,404 km (2,115 miles) that is spread out over a span of three weeks. The riders will complete one stage per day, with two rest days on July 10 (between stages 9 and 10) and July 17 (between stages 15 and 16).

How many stages is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France 2023 is comprised of 21 stages: 6 flat, 6 hilly, 8 mountain and 1 individual time trial.

This will be the first year since 2015 that the Tour has only one individual time trial rather than two, with just 14 miles of time trial racing on the route.

What is the Tour de France schedule and route?

Stage	Terrain	Date	Start and Finish
1	HILLY	Saturday, July 1	BILBAO > BILBAO
2	HILLY	Sunday, July 2	VICTORIA-GASTEIZ > SAINT-SEBASTIEN
3	FLAT	Monday, July 3	AMOREBIETA-ETXANO > BAYONNE
4	FLAT	Tuesday, July 4	DAX > NOGARO
5	MOUNTAIN	Wednesday, July 5	PAU > LARUNS
6	MOUNTAIN	Thursday, July 6	TARBES > CAUTERETS-CAMBASQUE
7	FLAT	Friday, July 7	MONT-DE-MARSAN > BORDEAUX
8	HILLY	Saturday, July 8	LIBOURNE > LIMOGES
9	MOUNTAIN	Sunday, July 9	SAINT-LÉONARD-DE-NOBLAT > PUY DE DÔME
–	REST DAY	Monday, July 10	CLERMONT-FERRAND
10	HILLY	Tuesday, July 11	VULCANIA > ISSOIRE
11	FLAT	Wednesday, July 12	CLERMONT-FERRAND > MOULINS
12	HILLY	Thursday, July 13	ROANNE > BELLEVILLE-EN-BEAUJOLAIS
13	MOUNTAIN	Friday, July 14	CHÂTILLON-SUR-CHALARONNE > GRAND COLOMBIER
14	MOUNTAIN	Saturday, July 15	ANNEMASSE > MORZINE LES PORTES DU SOLEIL
15	MOUNTAIN	Sunday, July 16	LES GETS LES PORTES DU SOLEIL > SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC
–	REST DAY	Monday, July 17	SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC
16	INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL	Tuesday, July 18	PASSY > COMBLOUX
17	MOUNTAIN	Wednesday, July 19	SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC > COURCHEVEL
18	HILLY	Thursday, July 20	MOÛTIERS > BOURG-EN-BRESSE
19	FLAT	Friday, July 21	MOIRANS-EN-MONTAGNE > POLIGNY
20	MOUNTAIN	Saturday, July 22	BELFORT > LE MARKSTEIN FELLERING
21	FLAT	Sunday, July 23	SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES > PARIS CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES

Who won the last Tour de France?

Last year’s Tour de France crown was won by Team Jumbo-Visma member Jonas Vingegaard. The Danish rider overcame the strenuous course and extreme heat wave to secure his first Tour triumph, becoming just the second Dane to ever do so.

Be sure to follow OlympicTalk for the latest news, storylines, and updates on the 2023 Tour de France!

Thomas sees Giro d’Italia lead cut slightly by Roglič; Buitrago wins Stage 19

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:13 PM EDT

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TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO, Italy — Geraint Thomas maintained his bid to become the oldest Giro d’Italia champion although his lead was cut slightly by Primož Roglič during the toughest stage of the race.

Roglič crossed the summit finish of the so-called “Queen Stage” three seconds ahead of Thomas at the end of the race’s final mountain road leg.

There were no flat sections and five tough, classified climbs on the 114-mile route from Longarone to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which had gradients of up to 18%.

Stage 19 was won by Santiago Buitrago, who finished 51 seconds ahead of Derek Gee and 1 minute, 46 seconds ahead of Magnus Cort and Roglič, who just missed out on bonus seconds.

“I’m really happy with this victory. It was the most difficult moment of a difficult Giro for me personally,” said Buitrago, who rides for Bahrain Victorious. “I wanted to try and raise my arms before the end and coming here at Tre Cime di Lavaredo is amazing.

“This is the recompense for all the work that I’ve done. … There’s a lot of motivation for me and the whole team having seen the fruits of our labors.”

The 37-year-old Thomas, who rides for Ineos Grenadiers, is 26 seconds ahead of Roglič going into what will be a decisive penultimate stage

Third-placed João Almeida lost more time and was 59 seconds behind Thomas.

Roglič changed his bicycle shortly before the start of the penultimate climb and he made his move inside the final kilometer. However, Thomas was able to stick to his wheel and the British cyclist made his own attack in the final 500 meters and looked to have slightly distanced his rival.

But Roglič came back and gained what could be a vital few seconds.

The winner will likely be decided in the mountain time trial that ends in a demanding climb up Monte Lussari, with an elevation of over 3,000 feet and gradients of up to 22%.

“Tomorrow we go full again,” Roglič said. “It’s good. We got a bit of legs back, so tomorrow we go full, eh?

“If I wouldn’t be confident then I don’t start. The best one at the end wins.”

The race ends in a mostly ceremonial finish in Rome, where Thomas could beat the age record held by Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 when he won in 1955.

Thomas celebrates 37th birthday by retaining Giro d’Italia lead; Roglic into 2nd

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 12:28 PM EDT

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VAL DI ZOLDO, Italy — Geraint Thomas celebrated his 37th birthday with another strong ride in the mountains to retain the pink jersey during Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia.

Thomas crossed immediately behind Primoz Roglic, who moved up from third place to second.

“The legs have been good,” Thomas said. “Need to enjoy these moments.”

Joao Almeida dropped from second to third overall after losing 21 seconds over the 100-mile route from Oderzo to Val di Zoldo, which included two first-category climbs followed by two second-category climbs in the finale – including an uphill finish.

Thomas – the 2018 Tour de France champion – leads Roglic by 29 seconds and Almeida by 39 seconds.

“It’s a pleasant day. I take time on Almeida and didn’t get dropped by Primoz,” Thomas said. “I felt pretty good, always under control but Primoz obviously went hard. It wasn’t easy. … I just want to be consistent until the end.”

Italian champion Filippo Zanna won the stage ahead of fellow breakaway rider Thibaut Pinot in a two-man sprint.

With only two more climbing stages remaining before the mostly ceremonial finish in Rome, Thomas is poised to become the oldest Giro winner in history – beating the record of Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 when he won in 1955.

Chris Horner holds the record for oldest Grand Tour champion, set when he won the Spanish Vuelta in 2013 at 41.

However, Thomas will still be tested over the next two days.

Stage 19 is considered perhaps the race’s toughest, a 114-mile leg from Longarone to Tre Cime Di Lavaredo featuring five major climbs. Then there’s a mountain time trial.