The longest total distance of a Tour de France, set in 1926, was 5,745 km.
The 1926 race was the 20th edition of the Tour and ran from 20 June to 18 July. Its 17 stages followed a huge route that traced much of France’s border, creating the longest overall course in the event’s history. The race averaged 338 km per stage, an extraordinary figure compared with modern Tours.
Belgian rider Lucien Buysse won the general classification after completing the demanding course in 238 hours, 44 minutes and 25 seconds. He finished ahead of Nicolas Frantz and Bartolomeo Aymo. The race also began outside Paris for the first time, starting in Évian-les-Bains.
A common mix-up is confusing the Tour’s total distance with its longest individual stage. The 1926 total was 5,745 km, while the race’s stages were separately measured; the total distance refers to the complete route ridden by the peloton.