The 2015 Tour de France was the 102nd edition of the race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Tour started in Utrecht, Netherlands on 4 July and finished on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on 26 July. On 21 July, between stages 16 and 17 there was a rest day in Gap.
Classification standings
Stage 12
16 July 2015 — Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille,
This mountainous stage began in Lannemezan, and headed south-east to an early intermediate sprint at Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges. The race then continued east through Payssous and Aspet, where it turned south. After the peloton passed through Sengouagnet, the peloton turned east again and the climb of the category 2 Col de Portet d'Aspet at began, with an average gradient of 9.7%. The race then descended to Castillon-en-Couserans, which was immediately followed to the south-east by the climb of the category 1 Col de la Core at , with a gradient of 5.7%. The riders then descended east towards Seix, following the valley through to Massat and, turning south, where the climb of the category 1 Port de Lers at began, with an average gradient of 6%. The race then descended to the valley floor at Tarascon-sur-Ariège to the east, which continued to Les Cabannes. The final climb was of the Hors catégorie Plateau de Beille at . This was a winding climb south from Les Cabannes, with a gradient of 7.9%.
Stage 13
17 July 2015 — Muret to Rodez,
This hilly intermediate stage began in Muret heading east through the southern outskirts of Toulouse, with racing officially starting after passing through Venerque. Continuing through Fourquevaux and Caraman, the riders turned north to go through Lavaur and then east to travel through Graulhet, to an intermediate sprint at Laboutarie. After turning north-east and travelling through Villefranche-d'Albigeois, the hills began. First was the category 3 climb of the Côte de Saint-Cirgue to . The riders then went through Valence-d'Albigeois and eventually turned north. Only apart, the next two climbs came in relatively quick succession, with the category 4 Côte de Pomparie to followed quickly by the category 4 Côte de la Selve at . From here, the route into Rodez was not flat, although the climb to La Primaube was not categorised. The descent into Rodez allowed for a fast finish.
Stage 14
18 July 2015 — Rodez to Mende,
This intermediate mountain stage departed from Rodez heading south to Flavin. The race then turned east to Pont-de-Salars, before quickly reaching the category 4 climb of the Côte de Pont-de-Salars, at a gradient of 5.8%. The race continued south-east through Salles-Curan, descending from the plateau at the Col de la Vernhette, before eventually heading east. There was an intermediate sprint on the way into Millau, where the riders then turned north-east. The race then continued through the Gorges du Tarn passing Rivière-sur-Tarn, Les Vignes and La Malène. On reaching Sainte-Enimie, the climb of the category 2 Côte de Sauveterre, at and with an average gradient of 6%, began. The riders then continued along a plateau, before a descent to Balsièges and a turn west. At Barjac, the riders began the climb of the category 4 at , turning east along the way. The race travelled through Mende itself; the finish line was further on, at the opposite side of the city. The riders then faced the climb of the category 2 to with an average gradient of 10.1%. The finish line was another on the plateau, adjacent to the .
Stage 15
19 July 2015 — Mende to Valence,
This hilly stage departed from Mende heading east, and immediately began the category 3 climb of the Côte de Badaroux to . The race wound in a generally eastern direction through Chasseradès and Luc and continued east over the category 4 and the category 4 reaching an altitude of . The race then descended through Jaujac to an intermediate sprint at Aubenas, before turning north-east. This was followed by the climb of the category 2 to , before a descent east through Privas to Le Pouzin, where the riders began to follow the western bank of the Rhône. The race turned north-east again, heading through La Voulte-sur-Rhône and Charmes-sur-Rhône to Guilherand-Granges. Crossing the Rhône, the race then headed through the centre of Valence to the finish line.
Stage 16
20 July 2015 — Bourg-de-Péage to Gap,