The 2021 Tour de France was the 108th edition of Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Tour began in Brest, France on 26 June, and Stage 11 from Sorgues to Malaucène occurred on 7 July. The race finished on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on 18 July.
Classification standings
Legend Denotes the leader of the general classification Denotes the leader of the mountains classification Denotes the leader of the points classification Denotes the leader of the young rider classification Denotes the leader of the team classification Denotes the winner of the combativity award
Stage 1 26 June 2021 – Brest to Landerneau,
The first stage of the Tour featured a hilly course from Brest to Landerneau. Brest hosted the Grand Départ for the fourth time in the Tour's history, with the last time being in 2008. The course featured six categorised climbs, giving the riders plenty of opportunities to take points for the mountains classification. There was also an intermediate sprint in Brasparts with to go. The finale featured an uphill finish, with the riders finishing atop the Côte de la Fosse aux Loups, at long with an average gradient of 5.7 percent. The first 500 metres of the climb averaged 9.4 percent before gradually easing towards the top.
Several attacks marked the start of the stage before a group of five broke away from the peloton. The break included Franck Bonnamour (), Ide Schelling (), Anthony Perez (), Danny van Poppel (), and Cristián Rodríguez (). Connor Swift () eventually made it across to create a six-man group up front. The peloton let the break gain a maximum advantage of almost four minutes before the chase began. The break worked together before Schelling attacked on the fourth climb of the day, the Côte de Stang ar Garront. He quickly began to build his advantage over the rest of the break, which was eventually caught with around to go, just ahead of the intermediate sprint. Schelling took maximum points at the intermediate sprint while Caleb Ewan () outsprinted Peter Sagan () for second.
With to go, Tony Martin () was brought down by a spectator who was holding a sign, causing a crash which brought down most of the peloton. The crash caused the abandonment of Jasha Sütterlin () due to injuryFan who caused Tour de France crash tells court it was a mistake, prosecutors seek suspended sentence Australian Broadcasting Corporation while the peloton briefly neutralised the race to allow the riders who were held back to latch back on. Following a regrouping in the peloton, Schelling was swept up with around to go, but not before taking enough points to take the lead in the mountains classification. With to go, a touch of wheels caused another crash which brought down several riders, with Cyril Lemoine () and Ignatas Konovalovas () also crashing out of the race. Four-time Tour winner Chris Froome was also among the riders to crash heavily but he managed to get up and slowly make his way across the finish line, eventually finishing over 13 minutes in arrears. The riders soon battled for position at the front of the peloton as they reached the foot of the final climb of the day. With to go, Dries Devenyns took to the front to lead out an attack for team leader Julian Alaphilippe (), who immediately created a gap over the rest of the reduced peloton while Pierre Latour () unsuccessfully tried to bridge over to Alaphilippe. The top two riders from the previous year's Tour, Tadej Pogačar () and Primož Roglič (), also tried to bridge over but they were swept up. Alaphilippe maintained his advantage all the way to the line to take the first maillot jaune of this year's Tour. Eight seconds behind, Michael Matthews () won the sprint for second while Roglič finished third to take four crucial bonus seconds in the fight for the GC.
Race organisers stated they were happy to have fans beside the road, but rider safety is paramount, adding that they planned to sue the spectator who caused the crash. The next day, French police said they were initiating a manhunt. News outlets reported on 30 June that the person concerned, a 30-year old French woman, had turned herself in and was arrested, and that a charge of "involuntarily causing injury" was being considered, an offence that carries a fine of €1,500. Due to significant interest in the incident, organisers withdrew their suit against the person on 1 July with general director Christian Prudhomme saying that the incident "has been blown out of proportion."Tour de France drops lawsuit after crash, probe still ongoing ReutersTour de France drops lawsuit against fan who caused peloton crash ESPN The Cyclistes Professionnels Associés ended up filling a suit against the fan.Spectator who caused Tour de France pile-up goes on trial The Guardian[https://au.sports.yahoo.com/tour-de-france-2021-crash-spectator-on-trial-facing-jail-time-over-accident-004551074.html Brutal new fallout after 'worst crash in Tour de France history' Yahoo! Sports Australia
The woman, who was not identified, went on trial in Brest in October 2021. In December, she was ordered to pay a combined fine of €1,201.Tour De France 2021 - Woman who caused huge Tour crash with sign-waving Fined 1200 euros by French court Eurosport
Stage 2 27 June 2021 – Perros-Guirec to Mûr-de-Bretagne (Guerlédan),
For the second day in a row, the riders faced a hilly course with another uphill finish. This time, the riders finished atop the climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne, which featured on the route for the fourth time in the last ten years. There were six categorised climbs on the route and the intermediate sprint took place in Plouha after . The climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne is long with an average gradient of 6.9 percent. The first kilometre averages at 9.8 percent before easing towards the top. The climb is featured twice on the route, with the riders cresting the top of the climb for the first time with left and then at the finish. The first ascent also offered eight, five, and two bonus seconds to the first three riders to crest the top.
As a result of injuries inflicted from the crashes in the previous day, Marc Soler () became the fourth rider to abandon the Tour. After several attacks marked the start of the stage, six riders eventually broke away from the peloton, including the king of the mountains leader, Ide Schelling (). The sextet was allowed to build a gap of around four minutes before began to chase the break. Schelling and his closest rival in the mountains classification, Anthony Perez (), each took a point at the first two climbs of the day. After the six breakaway riders took the maximum points at the intermediate sprint, Caleb Ewan () outsprinted Mark Cavendish () to take more points in the battle for the green jersey. On the third climb of the day, Edward Theuns () attacked from the break, with Jérémy Cabot () the only other rider to respond to his attack. However, the duo's advantage gradually decreased as the riders reached the foot of the climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne for the first time.
As soon as the duo was caught at the foot of Mûr-de-Bretagne, Mathieu van der Poel () attacked from the peloton. He would build an advantage of around 13 seconds before gradually decreased his advantage. He would pick up the eight bonus seconds at the top while Tadej Pogačar () outsprinted Primož Roglič () to take back three seconds from his fellow Slovenian. van der Poel was caught at the top before took over at the front of the peloton. As the riders reached the bottom of Mûr-de-Bretagne for the second time, Davide Formolo () accelerated, building a small gap before Nairo Quintana () produced a counterattack of his own. Sonny Colbrelli () also attacked just under the flamme rouge before van der Poel made his decisive move with 800 metres to go. He continued to build his lead before soloing across the finish line. Pogačar, Roglič, and Wilco Kelderman () crossed the line six seconds in arrears, with Pogačar outsprinting Roglič for second to take back two more seconds from his compatriot. The remnants of the reduced peloton crossed the line a further two seconds in arrears. One notable absence in this group was Geraint Thomas (), who came home at 23 seconds behind van der Poel and 17 seconds behind the two Slovenians. In the GC, van der Poel took enough time to take the maillot jaune, with Julian Alaphilippe () dropping to second at eight seconds back. Pogačar moved up to third at 13 seconds behind and one second ahead of Roglič, who dropped to fourth. van der Poel also took the lead in the mountains classification after he took maximum points on both ascents of Mûr-de-Bretagne.
Stage 3 28 June 2021 – Lorient to Pontivy,
The third stage of the Tour offered the first chance for the pure sprinters to battle it out for the win. This time, the riders traveled from Lorient to Pontivy. The opening third of the stage was mostly flat before the riders traveled on rolling roads for the rest of the stage. There were two fourth-category climbs on the route, the Côte de Cadoudal and the Côte de Pluméliau, along with an intermediate sprint at La Fourchette in Pleugriffet after .
As soon as the flag dropped, a group of five riders broke away from the peloton, including Ide Schelling (), who had featured in the break during the previous two days and was deputizing in the polka-dot jersey for classification and race leader Mathieu van der Poel (). The break's advantage reached a maximum of around three minutes before the sprinters' teams started to chase them. After of racing, a crash in the peloton brought down Geraint Thomas () and Robert Gesink (), with the latter eventually having to abandon the race. It was soon reported that Thomas suffered from a dislocated shoulder, but he continued in the race and eventually made it back to the peloton with the help of his team. At the first climb of the day, Schelling attacked to gain the solitary mountain point at the top. This allowed him to take the lead once again in the king of the mountains competition. Shortly afterwards, he dropped back to the peloton to make it a quartet up front. At the intermediate sprint, after the four breakaway riders took the maximum points, Caleb Ewan () once again outsprinted Mark Cavendish () in the battle for the points jersey. Afterwards, the peloton gradually reduced the break's advantage as they prepared themselves for the bunch sprint.