Grand Départ of the 2018 Tour de France. Image: ASO

Dates: July 7-29, 2018
Stages: 21
Grand Départ: Noirmoutier-en-l’Île, Vendée
Finish: Paris, France
TV coverage (UK): Eurosport, ITV4

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) won the 2018 Tour de France, having attacked a group of GC contenders to win stage 11, extending his lead with a win on stage 12.

On stage 17, it became clear that Thomas was Team Sky’s greatest GC hope, over Chris Froome, as the Welshman stormed to third whilst the four time champion lost time.

Before Thomas took over the maillot jaune, it sat on the shoulders of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), following a team time trial win from the squad on stage three.

Olympic champion Van Avermaet joined a successful breakaway on stage ten, to extend his lead to 2 minutes 22 seconds – but Thomas ate that up with ease as the BMC rider dropped back in the mountains on stage 11.

The same stage saw sprinters Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) and Marcel Kittel (Katusha–Alpecin) eliminated for missing the time cut-off.

André Greipel, Fernando Gaviria and Dylan Groenewegen left the race the following day, also missing the cut off on the mountainous stage – leaving few sprinters to take the green jersey from the shoulder of Peter Sagan.

The most notable GC abandonments have come from Richie Porte (BMC Racing) who crashed in the opening 10 kilometres of stage nine, Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First-Drapac) lost time on the same stage following a crash, and Vicenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) who crashed on stage 12’s ascend of the Alpe d’Huez.

Final Tour de France 2018 general classification

1 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky, in 83-17-13
2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb, at 1-51
3 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky, at 2-54
4 Primož Roglič (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 3-22
5 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 6-08
6 Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 6-57
7 Mikel Landa (Esp) Movistar Team, at 7-37
8 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates, at 9-05
9 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin, at 12-37
10 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team, at 14-18

Final points classification

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, 477 pts
2 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates, 246 pts
3 Arnaud Dèmare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, 203 pts

Final climber classification

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, 170 pts
2 Warren Barguil (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic, 91 pts
2 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, 76 pts

Final youth classification

1 Pierre Latour (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, in 83-39-26
2 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky, at 5-39
3 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, at 22-05

Final team classification

1 Movistar Team (Esp), in 250-24-53
2 Bahrain-Merida (Bah), at 12-33
3 Team Sky (GBr), at 31-14

Super combative prize

Dan Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates

Tour de France 2018: as it happened

Tour de France 2018, stage 18: Trie-sur-Baïse and Pau, 171km

France’s Arnaud Demare wins stage 18 of the Tour de France (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP) (Photo credit should read PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) took the spoils on a sprinter’s stage, with Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) and Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) in second and third respectively.

This was effectively a ‘cruise day’ for the GC contenders, and there was no change in the standings.

Read the full report here

Tour de France 2018, stage 17: Bagnères-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet, 65km

Geraint Thomas finishes stage 17 in third place (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The short 65 kilometre stage was won by Nairo Quintana (Movistar), who attacked on the final climb, followed by Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) who came second on the stage.

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) came third, extending his overall lead whilst team mate Chris Froome dropped off the pace to fall behind Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) on the GC.

Read the full report

Tour de France 2018, stage 16: Carcassonne – Bagnères de Luchon (218km)

Julian Alaphilippe wins stage 16 of the 2018 Tour de France (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) took a solo win, after pulling away from his breakaway companions.

Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) had been in the lead, but crashed on the final descent, allowing Alaphilippe to catch and pass him. Yates took third on the stage having rejoined his earlier companions.

Geraint Thomas stays in yellow, with Team Sky driving the pace and closing down attacks from GC rivals like Mikel Landa (Movistar).

Tour de France 2018, stage 15: Millau to Caracassonne, 181.5km

Magnus Cort Nielsen wins stage 15 of the 2018 Tour de France

Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana) took a breakaway win, keeping a lead over the first-category Pic de Nore to sprint ahead of Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo).

The 29-strong breakaway group went clear after about 40 kilometres of attacking, shedding riders before the final climb.

Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) attacked on the Pic de Nore, but was caught by a Team Sky-controlled peloton on th following descent. Geraint Thomas maintained his lead and there were few changes on the GC.

Read the full report here

Tour de France 2018, stage 14: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Mende, 188km

Omar Fraile wins stage 14 of the 2018 Tour de France (EFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images)

Omar Fraile (Astana) won stage stage 14 having reeled in a chase up the final climb of the Côte de la Croix Neuve.

The GC battle ensued behind, though there was little change to the top of the standings – Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) held his lead, crossing with Chris Froome and rival Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb).

Primož Roglič (LottoNL-Jumbo) he took some time from Dumoulin, whilsy Dan Martin (UAE Team-Emirates) lost time after puncturing at the foot of the climb, finishing two minutes down on his GC rivals.

Read the full report here

Tour de France 2018, stage 13: Bourg d’Oisans to Valence, 169.5km

Peter Sagan sprints to victory on stage 13 of the 2018 Tour de France

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) outsprinted Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) and Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) to win the stage.

Few sprinters remained after tough days in the Alps, so the few remaining fast men’s teams kept the bunch under a tight control – with no break allowed more than two minutes.

The GC contenders finished safely in the bunch, though Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) who did not start the stage after crashing on Alpe d’Huez.

Read the full report her

Tour de France 2018, stage 12: Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Alpe d’Huez (175.5km)

Geraint Thomas wins  stage 12 (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) extended his GC lead by winning stage twelve of the Tour de France.

Thomas accelerated from a very select group of climbers. Behind him, Tom Dumoulin (Subweb) crossed  the line second and Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) third, with Chris Froome (Team Sky) fourth.

The mountainous day, which ended atop of the Alpe d’Huez, saw the abandonment of several key sprinters including André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Fernando Gaviria (Quick Step Floors) and Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo).

Read the full report here.

Tour de France 2018, stage 11: Albertville to La Rosière (108.5km)

Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas celebrates as he crosses the finish line (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) won stage 11 of the Tour de France, also moving into the yellow jersey.

Thomas passed solo breakaway rider Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) within the final kilometre, after attacking an elite group of climbers.

Second place went to Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb), who had gone clear earlier in the stage (to be passed by Thomas) with Chris Froome (Team Sky) third.

Tour de France 2018, stage 10: Annecy to Le-Grand-Bornand (158.5km)

Julian Alaphilippe celebrates his spectacular victory on stage 10 of the Tour de France

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) won the stage, whilst Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) extended his GC lead.

Both riders were part of a breakaway that went early, building up a gap of six minutes going into the penultimate climb.

On the final climb, the Frenchman was able to extend a lead over his escapee companions, whilst Van Avermaet finished 1-39 ahead of the group of GC contenders.

Tour de France stage nine: Arras to Roubaix (156km)

John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) wins stage nine of the Tour de France (Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

The crash ridden stage nine was won by John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), ahead of his two breakaway companions – Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) and Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors) in second and third respectively.

Van Avermaet maintained the leader’s jersey, though his team mate and BMC’s GC hopeful Richie Porte crashed and was forced to abandon the race.

Read the full report from stage nine

Tour de France 2018, stage eight: Dreux to Amiens-Métropole, 181km

Dylan Groenewegen wins stage eight (Photo MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)

Read the full report from stage eight

Tour de France 2018, stage seven: Fougères –  Chartres (231km)

Dylan Groenewegen wins stage seven of the 2018 Tour de France (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) won stage seven of the 2018 Tour de France, went against Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step) in a wheel-to-wheel battle to take the win.

The GC contenders stayed safely in the bunch, so there were no major changes in the overall standings.

Read the full report from stage seven

Tour de France 2018, stage six: Brest to Mûr de Bretagne, 181km

Dan Martin takes victory on stage six of the Tour de France (Image: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) took the win on stage six, attacking uphill with a kilometre to go.

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) finished in the group at three seconds to maintain his race lead.

Read the full report from stage six here

Tour de France 2018, stage five: Lorient to Quimper (204.5km)

Peter Sagan wins stage five of the 2018 Tour de France (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) won for the second time in this Tour de France, proving himself the fastest on an uphill finish to Quimper.

Team Sky controlled the front of the bunch on the climb, and Sagan followed moves from Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) and yellow jersey Greg Van Avermaet (BMC).

A reduced group approached the final few hundred metres, and no one was able to follow Sagan.

Van Avermaet retained the yellow jersey after finishing safely in the bunch, while the main GC favourites all finished with the front group. Alejandro

Read the full report here

Tour de France 2018, stage four: La Baule to Sarzeau (195km)

Fernando Gaviria takes victory on stage four of the 2018 Tour de France(Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Stage four of the Tour de France 2018 went to Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) who out-sprinted Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal).

A breakaway made the peloton work hard to catch them, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

The yellow jersey staged on the shoulder of BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet who finished safely in the bunch to maintain his lead.

Read the full report from stage four of the Tour de France here

Tour de France 2018 stage three, Cholet – Cholet (35.5km, TTT)

BMC Racing finish their effort on the team time trial of the third stage of the 2018 Tour de France (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

BMC proved to be the fastest TTT squad on stage three, beating Team Sky by 4 seconds with a time of 38-46 over the 35.5km course.

Quick-Step Floors were third, 7s slower and the result put BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet into the yellow jersey position.

View the full report from stage three of the Tour de France 2018 here

Tour de France 2018 stage two, Mouilleron-Saint Germain – La Roche-Sur-Yon (182.5km)

Peter Sagan in yellow after stage two of the 2018 Tour de France. Image: Sunada

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted to the win at the end of stage two, moving into the yellow jersey.

Sagan managed to avoid a crash in the final 2km, which took down yellow jersey wearer and stage one winner, Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step).

Read the full report from stage two of the Tour de France 2018 here

Tour de France 2018 stage one, Noirmoutier-En-l’Île – Fontenay-Le-Comte, 201km

Fernando Gaviria wins stage one of the 2018 Tour de France. Image: Philippe Lopez/Getty

A sprint finish allowed Fernando Gaviria (Quick Step Floors) to showcase his sprinting legs at the end of the opening stage of the Tour de France.

What should have been a bunch finish yielding few time gaps among the GC contenders became more impactful with crashes and mechanicals in the last 5km.

There were resulting time losses for the likes of Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) who lost 51 seconds and 1-15 respectively.

Read the full report from stage one of the Tour de France 2018 here

Tour de France 2018 route

The Tour de France 2018 route takes place almost entirely in France, with a very brief dip into Spain on stage sixteen.

The route will include an ascent of the Alpe d’Huez plus sections on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles which have not been visited since 2015 – and there will also be a short and sharp 65km stage in the Pyrénées.

The first three stages of the 2018 Tour de France will take place in Vendée. Two road opening stages will be followed by a 35 kilometre time trial.

The race will then head into Brittany, and the first uphill finish will take place on stage six on the Mûr de Bretagne on stage six.

Stage nine is expected to be a pivotal day, with a 154km route including 21.7km of cobbles, with a finish in Roubaix. Next there will be three days in the mountains, including a stage featuring Alpe d’Huez,

Moving to the Pyrénées the race will feature several more summit finishes, as well as a very short stage 17, at 65km finishing atop the Col-de-Portet.

The queen stage will be stage 19 – a 200km route taking in the Col d’Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, and Col d’Aubisque.

The penultimate day will feature a time trial of 31km between Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle and Espelette, before the finale parade to the Champs-Élysées.

Read more about the Tour de France route for 2018 here.

Tour de France 2018 stages

Stage	Date	Start/Finish	Distance
1	Saturday, July 7	Noirmoutier-en-l’Île to Fontenay-le-Comte	189km
2	Sunday, July 8	Mouilleron-Saint-Germain to La Roche-sur-Yon	183km
3	Monday, July 9	Cholet to Cholet	35km (TTT)
4	Tuesday, July 10	La Baule to Sarzeau	192km
5	Wednesday, July 11	Lorient to Quimper	203km
6	Thursday, July 12	Brest to Mûr de Bretagne	181km
7	Friday, July 13	Fougères to Chartres	231km
8	Saturday, July 14	Dreux to Amiens	181km
9	Sunday, July 15	Arras to Roubaix	154km
Rest Day	Monday, July 16	Annecy	–
10	Tuesday, July 17	Annecy to Le Grand-Bornand	159km
11	Wednesday, July 18	Albertville to La Rosière	108km
12	Thursday, July 19	Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Alpe d’Huez	175km
13	Friday, July 20	Bourg d’Oisans to Valence	169km
14	Saturday, July 21	Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteuax to Mende	187km
15	Sunday, July 22	Millau to Carcassonne	181km
Rest Day	Monday, July 23	Carcassonne	–
16	Tuesday, July 24	Carcassonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon	218km
17	Wednesday, July 25	Bagnères-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan/Col-de-Portet	65km
18	Thursday, July 26	Trie-sur-Baïse to Pau	172km
19	Friday, July 27	Lourdes to Laruns	200km
20	Saturday, July 28	Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Espelette	31km (ITT)
21	Sunday, July 29	Houilles to Paris	115km

Tour de France 2018 contenders

Chris Froome on stage 21 of the 2017 Tour de France. Photo by Yuzuru Sunada

Defending champion Chris Froome (Team Sky) will race once again, if he’s successful he’ll claim his fifth victory at the French race.

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) – fresh from his win at the Critérium du Dauphiné – will be Froome’s right hand man, and could take over leadership should Froome falter.

Aiming to stop the Team Sky stars will be the likes of Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) and Richie Porte (BMC Racing).

Adam Yates (Mitchelton Scott) will be targetting the GC, after his twin brother Simon Yates (also Mitchelton Scott) was given the responsibility of the Giro.

Tour de France: 2017 race

Chris Froome (Team Sky) wins his fourth Tour de France title

Chris Froome (Team Sky) won his fourth Tour title at the 2017 race, rolling in to Paris in the yellow jersey – his nearest rival Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) 54 seconds back with Frenchman Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) over two minutes adrift.

The British rider appeared unshaken by attacks on the final day in the mountains, on stage eighteen, and a third place on the penultimate stage – a time trial in Marseille – sealed the detail.

Previous to a GC shake up on stage seventeen, Froome’s nearest rival had been Fabio Aru (Astana) who put in an explosive attack towards the end of stage 12 to take the yellow jersey.

Aru – with no team mates around him – appeared to struggle from stage 14 onwards.

Before the Italian’s stage 12 attack, Froome (Team Sky), had laid claim to the lead on stage five when a group of GC contenders chased Aru’s winning break on the final climb.

Initially, Geraint Thomas wore yellow having won the opening time trial – he held on to it for several days and looked in strong form for his true role as domestique – but a crash on stage nine saw him out of the race, along with GC contender Richie Porte (BMC).

The battle for the green jersey appeared to be well and truly on after serial wearer Peter Sagan and potential contender Mark Cavendish both left the race. Sagan’s protruding elbow caused the Manxman to crash hard into the race barriers.  The elbow owner was subsequently disqualified from the race whilst Cav’s broken shoulder prevented him from continuing.

However,  a clear leader was appointed in the shape of Marcel Kittel. The German sprinter claimed five wins – on the second, sixth, seventh, tenth and eleventh stages, but crashed out on stage seventeen, leaving Michael Matthews of Team Sunweb to take up the mantle.

British rider Simon Yates (Orica Scott) has a firm grasp on the young rider jersey, with a gap of almost three minutes to his nearest rival.

2017 General classification after final stage

1. Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky, 86-20-55
2. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac, at 54 secs
3. Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 2-20
4. Mikel Landa (Esp) Team Sky, at 2-21
5. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana, at 3-05
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors, at 4-42
7. Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott, at 6-14
8. Louis Meintjes (RSA) UAE Team Emirates, at 8-20
9. Alberto Contador (Esp) Trek-Segafredo, at 8-49
10. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Sunweb, at 9-25

Points classification winner: Michael Matthews (Sunweb)

Mountains classification winner: Warren Barguil (Sunweb)

Young rider classification winner: Simon Yates (Orica-Scott)

Team classification: Team Sky

Key info: 2017 Tour route | Start list | TV guide | Past winners | Brief history | Jerseys | Brits in the Tours

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