Which rider has started the most Tour de France races (18 appearances)?

The rider who has started the most Tour de France races, with 18 appearances, is Sylvain Chavanel.

The Frenchman made his Tour debut in 2001 and started his 18th and final edition in 2018. His appearances span 18 years, although he did not compete in every intervening Tour. Chavanel completed 16 of those races, a figure that places him alongside Joop Zoetemelk for the record number of Tour finishes.

Chavanel was valued as a versatile road captain and breakaway specialist. He won three Tour stages: one in 2008 and two in 2012. He also wore the yellow jersey briefly in 2010 after a successful early breakaway, adding a memorable Tour distinction to his longevity record.

The terms “appearances,” “starts,” and “finishes” are easy to confuse. Chavanel holds the participation record with 18 starts, but he does not hold the record for completing every Tour he entered. Zoetemelk finished all 16 Tours he started, while Chavanel’s 16 finishes came from 18 starts.