The Tour de France is an annual multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France,while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Participation expanded from a primarily French field, as riders from all over the world began to participate in the race each year.The Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España make up cycling's prestigious, three-week-long Grand Tours; the Tour is the oldest and generally considered the most prestigious of the three.[7] Traditionally, the race is held primarily in the month of July. The modern editions of the Tour de France consist of 21 day-long segments (stages) over a 23-day period and cover around 3,500 kilometres