MUMBAI: Indian sports lovers will be treated to the biggest and the grandest of cycling spectacles, this July. The ‘Tour De France 2018’, one of the most awaited events on the annual cycling circuit will be broadcast live on DSPORT, a premium sports TV channel by Discovery Communications. The three-week long, intense 21 stage race will kick start on 7th July from Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, a small island off the Atlantic coast of France. DSPORT will broadcast live all 21 stages of the 105th edition of the race for the cycling enthusiasts between 7th - 29th July 2018.
The legacy of this extravaganza dates back to 1903, when it was first inaugurated and since then this tournament has been a part of the French culture taking place annually. The 105th edition of Tour De France will have a total of 176 riders across 22 teams competing in the 21-stage race covering 3351 km to emerge victorious. The Tour will be the shortest of the century and this will be the fifth time a tour has set out from the Vendée department. The race will pan across 8 Flat Stages, 5 Hilly Stages, 6 Mountain Stages and 3 Altitude Finishes.The 2018 Tour de France will include a total of 26 mountain climbs or hills and altitude finishes. The participants will also get a 2-day rest in between the tour. The tour moves across various geographical locations; across 12 in the Alps, 4 in the Massif Central and 10 in the Pyrenees. This year, the tour will be even more competitive with climbs from the Alpe d‘Hues and Col de Tourmalet which have never been featured in any of the previous editions.
A total prize money of around 2.3 million Euros will be awarded to the teams and riders, including 500,000 euros to the winner of the final individual general classification. With big names like Chris Froome, Nario Quintaa, Romain Bardet and Richi porte, DSPORT is delighted to brings all the action to fans in India, giving an opportunity to the Indian viewers and cycling enthusiasts to witness the grandeur of this tournament rated consistently amongst the top 10 spectacles in Sports in the World.
