<Dd> (5 wins each) </Dd> <Tr> <Th> Most recent </Th> <Td> Geraint Thomas (GBR) </Td> </Tr> <P> The Tour de France (French pronunciation: ​ (tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s)) is an annual men's multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries . Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists of 21 stages over a little more than three weeks . </P> <P> The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto and is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation . The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1903 except when it was stopped for the two World Wars . As the Tour gained prominence and popularity, the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend around the globe . Participation expanded from a primarily French field, as riders from all over the world began to participate in the race each year . The Tour is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI WorldTeams, with the exception of the teams that the organizers invite . </P>

How many stages are there to the tour de france