Tour de France 2018: Where and when does it start, route, jerseys, how can I watch, TV channel, odds and more

The Tour is set to get under way Noirmoutier-en-l’Île in the Vendée department in north-west France at around 10am BST, making a 201km journey to Fontenay-le-Comte

The Tour de France begins on Saturday 7 July and we now know that Chris Froome will be racing, have been absolved of any wrongdoing in his Salbutamol case and given the go-ahead to ride by the race organisers, ASO.

Froome is the favourite to win the Tour but he faces stiff competition from a strong Movistar team featuring the Colombian Nairo Quintana, the experienced Alejandro Valverde and Froome’s former teammate, Mikel Landa, as well as a host of others such as BMC’s Richie Porte and Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali.

This year, the race’s start – the Grand Départ – begins in the north-west of the country. The Tour will then head over the cobbles of northern France, over the Pyrenees and the Alps and back to Paris for the 21st and final stage.

Where is the Grand Départ and when does it start?

The Tour is set to get under way Noirmoutier-en-l’Île in the Vendée department in north-west France at around 10am BST, making a 201km journey to Fontenay-le-Comte.

What does stage 1 look like?

Stage 1 is a relatively flat route along the coastline which could be affected by crosswinds coming from the Atlantic. Take a look at our stage-by-stage guide for more on the route:

How can I watch the Tour de France?

Eurosport and ITV will be broadcasting every stage live while The Independent will provide live blogs to keep you updated.

Where is the race this year?

This year the race is almost exclusively in France, taking in some of the iconic climbs like Alpe d’Huez and the Tourmalet, with a brief dalliance in the Spanish Pyrenees the only period outside

Where does the race end?

The race will end as it traditionally does, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, on Sunday 29 July when the winner will be crowned.

What do the different jerseys mean?

The yellow jersey (maillot jaune) is awarded to the overall winner of the Tour de France, who is the rider to complete all 21 stages in the least amount of time. The green jersey (maillot vert) is awarded to the rider who earns the most sprint points through the Tour, which are on offer at the end of each stage, with the most awarded on the flatter stages which favour sprinters. The polka dot jersey (maillot a pois rouges) is awarded to the rider earning the most mountain points, and the white jersey (maillot blanc) is awarded to the best-placed young rider (aged under 25 at the start of the year).

Who are the favourites and what are the odds?

Chris Froome 13/8

Richie Porte 5/1

Nairo Quintana 10/1

Mikel Landa 12/1

Vincenzo Nibali 15/1