The Tour de France began in 1903. Today, this race is known to be the most important cycling race in the world. Millions of spectators and fans from all over the world follow this race through France every year in July.

In the year 2005, the bike race “Le Tour Direct” – more than 4,000 km and 47,193 m up the mountains as a one-stage race – was organized for the first time. Start and finish were located in Gilze-Rijen in the southern part of the Netherlands.