All you need to know to follow Le Tour

What’s it all about?

It’s the world’s biggest annual sporting event, a three-week, two-wheeled gladiatorial contest which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003.

So, basically, it’s a bike race around France?

This year, it will pass through six nations; it begins in Monaco, spends most of its 3,445kms in the host country, but also takes in Spain, Andorra, Switzerland and Italy.

Sounds pretty big

This year 180 riders compete with 20 teams, each with seven-figure budgets. The media coverage is expected to be even more comprehensive than 2008, when 2,260 journalists represented 76 radio stations, 102 TV channels, 450 newspapers, photo agencies and new media outlets from 180 countries.

Anything else?

Yes, there were 12-15 million roadside spectators, who travelled an average of 130 kms to see the peloton. It’s estimated most of them spent six hours waiting to see the bunch.

That must have been tedious

Not at all. The anticipation is all part of the atmosphere. Besides, many have radio or even mobile satellite TV to track what’s going on. And there’s the caravane publicitaire, a 20km-long, 180 unit flotilla of bizarrely-decorated vehicles that precede the race. 40 companies pay between €200,000 and €500,000 each to be part of it, doling out 16 million trinkets over the three weeks.

Where’s best to watch?

The starts are good as you have a chance to see the riders close up, maybe grab some autographs. And the finishes have giant TV screens so you can watch the action before the riders come in. But the best place is probably by the roadside on the big climbs; this year has seven big mountain stages, including summit finishes in Andorra, Verbier and on the legendary Mont Ventoux. That’s on the penultimate day, so we probably won’t know the likely winner until then.

Who’s expected to win?

Bookies are favouring the 2007 victor Alberto Contador of Spain, but he’s sharing Astana team leadership with Lance Armstrong and many are predicting a big rivalry.

Will there be a doping story?

Probably. It’s estimated there will be 300-400 tests in this year’s race, with samples also being kept for future examination. The UCI says its longitudinal “biological passport” programme means this race should be much cleaner.