Published: Thu 22 Nov 2012 at 17:33
Updated: Fri 30 Nov 2012 at 11:44
2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the famous Tour de France, but while fans booking cheap flights to Paris next July may still see British cycling ace Bradley Wiggins cross the finishing line, he is not aiming to repeat his 2012 success by winning the race – though he is still hoping for a second British triumph for his team.
The oldest and most famous of the three ‘Grand Tours’, the modern rules for the Tour de France were laid down in 1913, although its history dates back to 1903. The event always finishes in Paris (in its early days, the capital was the start point too) and the Champs-Élysées has been the official end point since 1975, making the Tour de France a great way to combine some nail-biting sporting action with plenty of sightseeing!
Considered the most important cycling event in the world, the Tour de France is a team event lasting three weeks, held as a series of timed stages, which are aggregated to decide the overall winner. In 2012, it was Wiggins who wore the iconic yellow winner’s jersey – the first British cyclist ever to do so, and the first cyclist in the world to win both an Olympic gold and a Grand Tour in the same year. However, he has no plans for a second victory in Paris, concentrating instead on winning the Giro d'Italia pink shirt in May.
Wiggins will still be part of the Tour de France team next July, this time supporting team-mate Chris Frome who took second place this year. The chances of another British victory look promising, so we at Jet2.com suggest that now is the time to book cheap flights to Paris for next July if you’d like to be there to witness it in person.
