l The race lasts roughly three weeks and covers around 2200 miles.

l The overall leader wears the famous yellow jersey on each day's race with the cyclist who finishes the course with the lowest accumulated time crowned the winner.

l The UK's Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish will compete again this year as part of Team Sky.

l The winner's prize this year is €475,000 (£380,000).

l In 1903, the first Tour de France left Paris with Maurice Garin crowned the first winner of the race 18 days later.

l The number of calories burned per day by a Tour de France cyclist is around 5900.

l There are 42,000 bottles of water consumed by cyclists over the three weeks.