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The 2011 Tour de France was the 98th edition of the race. It started on 2 July at the Passage du Gois and ended on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on 24 July. The cyclists competed in 21 stages over 23 days, covering a distance of 3430 km. The route entered Italy for part of two stages, including an overnight stop.

The emphasis was on the Alps in 2011, as it was on the Pyrenees in 2010, commemorating the 100th anniversary of those peaks first being visited in the Tour. The Col du Galibier was visited twice during the race and the 18th stage was the first time the peloton finished on the 2645 m pass. It was the highest summit finish in Tour history, beating the finish of the Col du Granon (2413 m) during the 1986 Tour. For only the second time since 1967, the 2011 Tour started with a mass start stage instead of a prologue, the last occasion being in 2008.

Rule changes
New rules were adopted for the 2011 Tour regarding the points classification and King of the Mountains competitions.

Previously, stages classified flat had three intermediate sprint points worth 6, 4, and 2 points to the first three riders across the line. Starting in 2011, flat stages have just one intermediate sprint, but it is now worth 20 points to the first rider across the line, and the first 15 score points. The intention is to have green jersey favourites needing to sprint twice during the day to score well. Points awarded at the finish of flat stages also increased, from 35 points for the winner in 2010 to 45. Medium mountain stages award 30 points to the winner, high mountain stages and the individual time trial 20 points.

Previously in the mountains classification, any hors catégorie, first-category, or second-category climb awarded double points if it was the last of the day. In 2011, only the summit stage finishes awarded double points, specifically stage 12 ending at Luz Ardiden, stage 14 at the Plateau de Beille, stage 18 at the Col du Galibier, and stage 19 at L'Alpe d'Huez. Previously the first eight riders across a first-category climb scored points, as well as the first six across a second-category and the first four across a third-category. The new points schedule for the mountains classification is:
 * Climbs rated "hors catégorie" (HC): 20, 16, 12, 8, 4 and 2 points awarded for first 6 riders to reach the summit.
 * Category 1: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 points awarded for first 6 riders to reach the summit.
 * Category 2: 5, 3, 2 and 1 points awarded for first 4 riders to reach the summit.
 * Category 3: 2 and 1 points awarded for first 2 riders to reach the summit.
 * Category 4: 1 point awarded for first rider to reach the summit.

Early analysis led to speculation that the mountains classification winner would be more likely, under this system, to be a general classification contender than in years past.

Teams
All 18 teams in the UCI's Proteam category were entitled, and obliged, to enter the race. Four UCI Professional Continental teams, all French-based, were also invited.



†: Invited Pro-continental teams

Pre-race favourites
Among the startlist, three-time Tour de France winner and reigning champion Alberto Contador was the clear favourite to win his fourth Tour de France, having moved to. The Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, Samuel Sánchez, Cadel Evans and Ivan Basso were regarded as his main challengers. Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Robert Gesink, Ryder Hesjedal, Alexandre Vinokourov, Janez Brajkovič, Bradley Wiggins and Damiano Cunego were tipped as outsiders. Third in 2010, Roman Kreuziger was also part of the team alongside Vinokourov, although his level of form was unknown as he rode the 2011 Giro d'Italia, having finished as runner-up.

As usual, the top sprinters of the cycling world were present, with 2009 and 2010 points classification winner Mark Cavendish tipped as the main favourite for the green jersey. His rivals from 2010, Thor Hushovd and Alessandro Petacchi were his suggested main challengers. Other sprinters present were André Greipel, Tyler Farrar, José Joaquin Rojas, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Tom Boonen.

Classification leadership
There were four main classifications contested in the 2011 Tour de France, with the most important being the general classification. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey; the winner of this classification was considered the winner of the Tour.

Additionally, there was a points classification, which awards a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists get points for finishing among the best in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints. The cyclist with the most points led the classification, and is identified with a green jersey.

There was also a mountains classification. The organization categorized some climbs as either hors catégorie, first, second, third, or fourth-category; points for this classification were won by the first cyclists that reach the top of these climbs, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs. The cyclist with the most points led the classification, and was identified with a polka dot jersey.

The fourth individual classification was the young rider classification, marked by the white jersey. This classification was calculated the same way as the general classification, but the classification was restricted to riders who were born on or after 1 January 1986.

For the team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team is the team with the lowest total time. The riders in the team that lead this classification were identified with yellow numbers.

For the combativity award, a jury gives points after each stage to the cyclists they considered most combative. The cyclist with the most votes in all stages leads the classification.


 * Notes: