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French pin-up boy Richard Virenque won a record seventh mountain jersey in 2004, bettering Federico Bahamontes (Spain) and Lucien van Impe (Belgium)
The last Frenchman to claim the overall classification victory was five-time winner Bernard Hinault in 1985
Italian Gino Bartoli's 10-year gap between wins (1938, 1948) is still the biggest on record
Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk made 16 appearances between 1970 and 1986, more than any other rider. He was runner-up six times, but won the Tour only once, in 1980
Five-time winner Miguel Indurain returned to his home village in Navarre halfway through his second Tour in 1986 to help his father with the harvest
No Spaniard has ever won the points classification for the best sprinter (green jersey), yet Spanish riders have won the overall classification eight times and the polka dot jersey 15 times. By custom, a Spanish winner of the Tour gives the yellow jersey to the King of Spain.
The Voiture Balai or 'Broom wagon' is used to sweep up riders who quit the race. The Balai drives behind everyone except the last police car. Only minnows actually climb inside, the others call for their team car or wait at feeding stations. Until 1992, a broom was placed over the front or rear window, or was hung off the front bumper bar.
The 'lanterne rouge' is the nominal award for the 'winner' of the battle to be the last rider to finish. Named after the red lantern that hangs off the end of French trains, there was a time when earning the 'lantern rouge' was a much-publicised distinction. Riders would actually slow down to lose time, knowing they would be in high demand for interviews and receive invitations for many of the criteriums that follow the Tour. Only one Australian has achieved the honour of earning the 'lanterne rouge', Richard 'Fatty' Lamb, who was the last of 35 finishers in 1931.
The Tour has spawned a number of motion pictures including the silent film Le Roi de la Pedale in 1925, Pour Le Maillot Jeune in 1939 and The Yellow Jersey starring Dustin Hoffman which has never been screened. The documentary 23 Days in July follows Australian Phil Anderson's progress throughout the 1981 Tour when he finished 10th. In 2003, an IMAX film crew followed the CSC Team and its leader, American Tyler Hamilton, provided the drama by breaking his collarbone in a crash on the first stage, but continuing to finish fourth overall to help CSC win the teams classification.