Tour de France 2017: How the race unfolded stage-by-stage

After 3,540km and all kinds of terrain Froome and his Sky team ended the race victorious

Britain's Chris Froome sealed his fourth Tour de France victory when the 104th edition of the race ended in Paris - but how did the 21 stages unfold?

The three-week 3,540km (2,200-mile) race started in Germany with a 14km individual time trial. It ventured through Belgium and Luxembourg before heading into France.

The route took the 198 riders down the eastern side of France to the Jura mountains in the opening week before a rest-day transfer across to the Dordogne in the west.

Two days in the Pyrenees mountains dominated the second week, while the third week was all about the Alps before a time trial in Marseille and the final processional daunt into Paris.

Find out who won every stage - and how the race to claim the various jerseys unfolded over three dramatic weeks.

Saturday, 1 July - Stage 1: Dusseldorf, 14km (8.7 miles) individual time trial

Geraint Thomas is the first Welshman to win a stage at the Tour de France

Winner: Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky)

Report: Thomas wins to claim first yellow jersey

Thomas produced a stunning time trial to win the opening stage. The Team Sky rider was not considered among the pre-stage favourites but covered the course in 16 minutes four seconds to claim his first Grand Tour stage and pull on the yellow jersey for the first time. Thomas' team-mate and defending champion Chris Froome finished sixth and gained an early advantage on his general classification rivals. Overall contender Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was forced to abandon after crashing heavily into a barrier in wet conditions.

Sunday, 2 July - Stage 2: Dusseldorf - Liege, 203.5km (126.5 miles)

One of Marcel Kittel's team-mates was celebrating long before his team leader crossed the finish line in Liege

Winner: Marcel Kittel (Ger/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Kittel wins sprint finish, Froome crashes

Kittel powered home in a star-studded sprint finish to take the stage in Liege. Geraint Thomas held on to yellow by coming home safely in the peloton but there was a scare for Team Sky team-mate Chris Froome, who crashed in the wet 30km from the finish. He resumed and finished the stage in 37th.

Monday, 3 July - Stage 3: Verviers - Longwy, 212.5km (132 miles)

Peter Sagan moved fourth overall with his victory

Winner: Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe)

Report: Sagan wins sprint, Thomas stays in yellow

World champion Sagan showed remarkable composure to win stage three, triumphing in an uphill sprint after his foot had briefly come loose. Britain's Geraint Thomas continues to lead the race after finishing two seconds adrift, alongside defending champion Chris Froome and the other race favourites.

Tuesday, 4 July - Stage 4: Mondorf-les-Bains - Vittel, 207.5km (129 miles)

Cavendish (left) was left with nowhere to go as he collided with the barriers in Vittel

Winner: Arnaud Demare (Fra/FDJ)

Report: Cavendish crashes heavily as Demare wins

Britain's Mark Cavendish accused world champion Peter Sagan of elbowing him as he crashed heavily in a sprint finish on stage four of the Tour de France. The two collided on the sprint finish into Vittel as they competed for the stage win. Arnaud Demare went on to win the stage, becoming the first Frenchman to win a bunch sprint at the Tour since 2006.

Wednesday, 5 July - Stage 5: Vittel - La Planche des Belles Filles, 160.5km (100 miles)

Froome said it was "amazing" to be back in the race leader's yellow jersey

Winner: Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana)

Report: Froome takes race lead from Thomas

Italian Fabio Aru made the decisive break a couple of kilometres from the summit La Planche des Belles Filles to move up to third overall. But Chris Froome put more time into his other rivals by finishing third to swap places with Team Sky team-mate Geraint Thomas at the top of the standings.

Thursday, 6 July - Stage 6: Vesoul - Troyes, 216km (134.2 miles)

Kittel (in blue) draws level with fellow German Andre Greipel (next to him in red) on 11 Tour stage wins

Winner: Marcel Kittel (Ger/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Kittel dominates sprint as Froome retains yellow

On a blisteringly hot day, with temperatures on the road reaching 37C, Marcel Kittel sprinted to his second stage win of this year's Tour as the general classification contenders took it easy in the peloton. Kittel edged out Arnaud Demare to win an 11th Tour stage.

Friday, 7 July - Stage 7: Troyes - Nuits-Saint-Georges, 213.5km (132.7 miles)

Marcel Kittel (in blue) was declared the winner of stage seven after much deliberation

Winner: Marcel Kittel (Ger/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Kittel denies Boason Hagen by 6mm

Marcel Kittel equalled Erik Zabel's German record of most Tour stage wins with his third on this year's race and 12th in total. It took several minutes for the Quick-Step Floors rider to get the nod but he was judged to have beaten Edvald Boasson Hagen by just 6mm. It was a quiet day for the general classification riders with no changes in the standings.

Saturday, 8 July - Stage 8: Dole - Station des rousses, 187.5km (116.5 miles)

Calmejane battled cramp in the final 5km of the stage

Winner: Lilian Calmejane (Fra/Direct Energie)

Report: Calmejane solos to victory as Froome retains yellow

Lilian Calmejane delighted the home fans with a second French victory on this year's Tour after attacking on the final ascent and soloing to victory across the 12km plateau to the finish. His win followed a brutal opening two hours of racing with repeated attacks as riders tried to get in the break. Chris Froome said it was "an intense" day as he retained his race lead.

Sunday, 9 July - Stage 9: Nantua - Chambery, 181.5km (112.8 miles)

Uran (green) won by a slightly bigger margin than Kittel on stage six as Froome came home third

Winner: Rigoberto Uran (Col/Cannondale-Drapac)

Report: Uran wins brutal stage as Porte & Thomas crash out

Rigoberto Uran outsprinted a select group of general classification riders, including Chris Froome and Romain Bardet, to win a tortuous day in the Alps that featured seven climbs. The Colombian pipped Warren Barguil on the line, with Froome finishing third to pick up four bonus seconds and extend his overall lead. However, the Team Sky leader lost super-domestique Geraint Thomas, who broke his collarbone in a crash. Australia's Richie Porte, one of the pre-race favourites, also crashed out in a 72km/h accident on the descent of Mont du Chat.

Monday, 10 July - Rest day, Dordogne

Tuesday, 11 July - Stage 10: Perigueux - Bergerac, 178km (110.6 miles)

Kittel's win in Bergerac was his 13th stage win at the Tour de France

Winner: Marcel Kittel (Ger/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Kittel sprints to fourth stage win

The race resumed after the first rest day and once the lengthy breakaway by Elie Gesbert and Yoann Offredo was reeled in on the outskirts of Bergerac, the stage was always going to end in a sprint finish. German Marcel Kittel powered past his rivals to claim his fourth stage win of this year's race, his 13th in total. It took him one beyond Erik Zabel as the German with the most Tour de France wins.

Wednesday, 12 July - Stage 11: Eymet - Pau, 203.5km (126.4 miles)

Kittel made it back-to-back victories and five stage wins in this year's race in Pau

Winner: Marcel Kittel (Ger/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Kittel claims fifth stage win of 2017

A three-man breakaway of Frederik Backaert, Maciej Bodnar and Marco Marcato attacked early on, with the peloton content to let them go before reeling them in later. However, just as the bunch were about to catch the leading group, Bodnar attacked and stayed out in front until the final 250 metres when he was finally swept up. At that point, German Marcel Kittel underlined his dominance in sprint finishes by easily claiming his fifth stage win of this year's race.

Thursday, 13 July - Stage 12: Pau - Peyragudes, 214.5km (133.3 miles)

Aru took the yellow jersey for the first time in his career after Froome faltered on the final climb

Winner: Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale)

Report: Froome loses yellow to Aru as Bardet wins

On a thrilling first day in the Pyrenees, a group of 12 riders broke away before Britain's Steve Cummings left the rest behind with around 30km to go. Team Sky controlled the tempo on the front of the peloton, catching Cummings in the final 10km and looking to set up leader Chris Froome. However, a brutal summit finish in Peyragudes saw Froome crack inside the final 500m, with Romain Bardet winning the stage and Fabio Aru gaining enough time to take the yellow jersey.

Friday, 14 July - Stage 13: Saint-Girons - Foix, 101km (62.8 miles)

Barguil became the first Frenchman in 12 years to win on Bastille Day

Winner: Warren Barguil (Fra/Team Sunweb)

Report: France's Barguil wins on Bastille Day as Froome stays second

The shortest road stage of this year's Tour saw plenty of attacking early on before Alberto Contador and Mikel Landa broke clear with 60km remaining. The Spanish pair were joined by Nairo Quintana and Warren Barguil on the final climb before a rapid descent into Foix. Barguil proved strongest in the sprint finish, becoming the first Frenchman to win on Bastille Day since 2005. Behind, Chris Froome marked all the attacks by the other overall contenders but did not gain any time on Fabio Aru, who retained the leader's yellow jersey.

Saturday, 15 July - Stage 14: Blagnac - Rodez, 181.5km (112.8 miles)

It was all smiles for Froome and his team after he reclaimed the yellow jersey at the end of stage 14

Winner: Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Sunweb)

Report: Matthews wins stage as Froome reclaims yellow

A stage that in one sense ended as many predicted - with a sprint finish contested between eventual winner Michael Matthews and Belgium's Greg van Avermaet. But in another, it had a very unexpected conclusion, with Chris Froome taking the yellow jersey off Italian Fabio Aru after a dramatic charge up the short but punchy finish in Rodez. Froome, who lost yellow at the end of stage 12, turned a six-second deficit into an 18-second lead.

Sunday, 16 July - Stage 15: Laissac-Severac l'Eglise - Le Puy-en-Velay, 189.5km (117.7 miles)

Mollema broke clear to claim his first Tour stage win as Froome recovered from a mechanical issue to stay in yellow

Winner: Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek-Segafredo)

Report: Froome recovers to retain yellow jersey as Mollema wins

A hilly stage saw a large breakaway group go up the road, from which Dutch rider Bauke Mollema attacked with over 30km to go, staying clear to claim his first Tour stage win. Behind, Romain Bardet and his AG2R La Mondiale team-mates put Chris Froome under pressure on the lower slopes of the Col de Peyra Taillade, distancing the race leader. Around this point the Team Sky rider also had a mechanical problem that forced him to swap his rear wheel with team-mate Michal Kwiatkowski, falling almost a minute behind his rivals. However, with the help of his team, Froome chased back and caught the group of favourites before the summit to ensure he retained the yellow jersey at the end of the stage.

Monday, 17 July - Rest day, Le Puy-en-Velay

Tuesday, 18 July - Stage 16: Le Puy-en-Velay - Romans-sur-Isere, 165km (102.5 miles)

Matthews won his second stage of this year's race to cut the gap to Kittel in the green jersey battle

Winner: Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Sunweb)

Report: Matthews takes second win as Froome retains lead

Michael Matthews and his Sunweb team-mates drove the pace on the first climb and quickly dropped struggling green jersey leader Marcel Kittel, who never caught back on. Australian Matthews took 20 points at the intermediate sprint and 30 points at the finish as he claimed his second win of the Tour and closed the gap to Kittel in the points classification to 29 points. Crosswinds in the final 20km fractured the leading group, with Ireland's Dan Martin caught behind and losing time, but Chris Froome safely held on to the yellow jersey.

Wednesday, 19 July - Stage 17: La Mure - Serre-Chevalier, 183km (112.8 miles)

Roglic - a former ski jumper - was strong and skilful as he broke clear to win stage 17

Winner: Primoz Roglic (Slo/LottoNL-Jumbo)

Report: Froome extends lead as Roglic wins stage

It was a fascinating stage that took us up to the highest point in the Tour this year - the Galibier at 2,642m. By that stage green jersey wearer Marcel Kittel had abandoned after crashing 20km into the 183km from La Mure to Serre-Chevalier. Slovenian Primoz Roglic won his maiden Tour de France stage after powering away towards the top of the Galibier and holding his nerve - and the advantage he had built - during a thrilling descent to the line. It was happy days for Chris Froome too, who finished third and added nine seconds to his lead.

Thursday, 20 July - Stage 18: Briancon - Izoard, 179.5km (111.5 miles)

Barguil produced another classy ride to win his second stage of this year's Tour

Winner: Warren Barguil (Fra/Team Sunweb)

Report: Froome in control as Barguil wins second stage

The first summit finish on the Col d'Izoard in Tour history arrived on the final day in the mountains. A breakaway group of 54 riders steadily splintered over the category one Col de Vars and on the run in to the Izoard, while the yellow jersey group remained together behind. Darwin Atapuma struck out alone in search of the stage win, only to be caught and passed by Warren Barguil as the Frenchman claimed his second and Team Sunweb's fourth stage of the Tour. Behind, Romain Bardet tried to attack Chris Froome but could not drop the Briton, having to settle for four bonus seconds by finishing third. With a lead of 23 seconds over Bardet and two flat stages and a time trial to come, this stage saw Froome take a big step towards a fourth title.

Friday, 21 July - Stage 19: Embrun - Salon-de-Provence, 222.5km (138.3 miles)

Boasson Hagen attacked from the breakaway to win his third Tour stage, but first since 2011

Winner: Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Dimension Data)

Report: Boasson Hagen wins stage as Froome keeps yellow

A break of 20 riders went away 35km into the longest stage of this year's Tour, with the peloton content to let them build an unassailable advantage. A group of nine riders broke clear late on, before Nikias Arndt and Edvald Boasson Hagen left their rivals behind by taking the shorter right side of a roundabout in the final 3km. Boasson Hagen kicked again to win his third Tour stage and first since 2011. Chris Froome enjoyed a stress-free day in the yellow jersey to retain his 23-second lead over Romain Bardet.

Saturday, 22 July - Stage 20: Marseille, 22.5km (14 miles) individual time trial

Froome could not get the stage win that had eluded him this Tour but produced a fine ride to effectively seal his fourth title

Winner: Maciej Bodnar (Pol/Bora-Hansgrohe)

Report: Froome set to win fourth Tour de France title

A 22.5km time trial, starting and ending in Marseille's Stade Velodrome, provided the final realistic opportunity for any shake-up of the general classification. Chris Froome produced an imperious ride to finish third on the stage and effectively seal his fourth Tour de France title before the processional final stage into Paris. Rigoberto Uran, who started the day third overall, lost time to Froome but moved up into second place over Romain Bardet, who desperately held on to a podium place by just one second over Froome's team-mate Mikel Landa. The stage went to Poland's Maciej Bodnar, who set a blistering time of 28 minutes 15 seconds early on that was never bettered as Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowksi finished one second down, with Froome six seconds adrift.

Sunday, 23 July - Stage 21: Montgeron - Paris Champs-Elysees, 103km (64 miles)

Dutch rider Groenewegen saw off Greipel and Boasson Hagen to win in Paris

Winner: Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo)

Report: Froome clinches Tour as Groenewegen wins sprint

The 103km from Montgeron to Paris was the traditional largely processional stage with the riders drinking champagne and trotting along at a sedate pace - until they reached the Champs Elysees and the racing started for real. A few spots of rain threatened to make it a torrid finish on the cobblestones but that just about held off and Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen beat off the challenge of Andre Greipel and Edvald Boasson Hagen to win the stage that sprinters want more than any other.

The jerseys

Yellow - Chris Froome (Team Sky)

The coveted maillot jaune is worn throughout the race by the rider who has taken the least cumulative time to complete the race after each stage and thus the overall Tour winner. The winner receives 500,000 euros (£440,000).

Green - Michael Matthews (Sunweb)

Worn by the leader of the points classification. The maillot vert rewards consistently high finishes with points being awarded for intermediate sprint and end-of-stage placings. The winner receives 25,000 euros (£22,000).

Polka dot - Warren Barguil (Sunweb)

The maillot a pois is worn by the 'King of the Mountains'. Points are awarded on categorised climbs with the harder ascents offering more points. The winner receives 25,000 euros (£22,000).

White - Simon Yates (Orica-Scott)

The maillot blanc has been awarded every year since 1975 and is open to riders aged 25 and under. If a rider is leading any other classification, that jersey takes precedence. The winner receives 20,000 euros (£17,600).

Other prizes

Most combative rider - Warren Barguil (Sunweb)

There is a 'most combative rider' prize, selected each day by a jury of four cycling experts. The rider is denoted by a red number on the following stage and the race's most combative rider - super-combatif - is decided after the final stage and awarded 20,000 euros.

Best team - Team Sky

There is also a 50,000 euro (£44,000) prize for the best team performance, which is calculated by adding up the times of the first three riders on each team.