How Many Riders at the 2023 Tour de France?

EF Education-EasyPost Tour de France 2023

In 2023, there will be 22 teams in the Tour de France, consisting of 18 UCI World Tour and four invited teams. Each team has eight riders, with a total of 176 riders.

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Key takeaways

Individual participants took part from 1904 to 1929.
National teams and mostly French individuals (called touriste-routiers) took part from 1930 to 1937. The national teams were made up of Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.
Commercially sponsored teams replaced national teams in 1962. The 1968 edition was an exception where the commercial sponsors pulled out and thus was competed by national teams.
Maximum number of riders per team ranged between 10 and 11 up to 1986. From 1987, it was reduced to 9 and to 8 in 2018. As the average speed increases, the large number of riders increases the dangers and risks.
Most number of teams was in 2021 with 23 teams. In the last 30 years, the number ranged from 20 to 23.
ASO started an invitation system in 1989. UCI World Tour (formerly UCI ProTour) teams automatically qualify for the Tour de France and the balance (3 to 6 teams) are made up of teams invited by the ASO (owner of Tour de France). The invited teams are usually French Pro Continental teams.
13 riders, including favorites such as Ivan Basso and Jan Ulrich, were expelled on the eve of the 2006 edition due to the Spanish doping scandal.
In 2008, Astana who was the team of 2007 winner, Alberto Contador was not invited due to its ongoing doping scandals.

Key statistics

Most number of starters was in 1986 with 210 riders.
Least number of starters was in 1905 and 1934 with only 60 riders.
Highest completion rate was 88.1% in 2019, followed by 87.9% (2016) and 86.7% (2009).
Highest abandonment rate was 85.5% in 1919, followed by 82.9% (1906) and 82.1% (1913).
Advancement in training, recovery, and nutrition has seen 14 out of the last 20 editions (except 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012, and 2021) have a completion rate of above 80%.

The table below shows the number of starters and finishers for each Tour de France edition.

Detailed rider statistics and breakdown

Year	Starters	Finishers	% Finished	Rides per team	Teams	Team type
2022	176	134	76.1%	8	22	Commercial sponsors
2021	184	141	76.6%	8	23	Commercial sponsors
2020	176	146	83.0%	8	22	Commercial sponsors
2019	176	155	88.1%	8	22	Commercial sponsors
2018	176	145	82.4%	8	22	Commercial sponsors
2017	198	167	84.3%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2016	198	174	87.9%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2015	198	160	80.8%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2014	198	164	82.8%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2013	198	169	85.4%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2012	198	153	77.3%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2011	198	167	84.3%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2010	197	170	86.3%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
2009	180	156	86.7%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
2008	180	145	80.6%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
2007	189	141	74.6%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
2006	176	139	79.0%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
2005	189	155	82.0%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
2004	188	147	78.2%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
2003	198	147	74.2%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
2002	189	153	81.0%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
2001	189	144	76.2%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
2000	197	127	64.5%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
1999	180	141	78.3%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
1998	189	96	50.8%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
1997	198	139	70.2%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1996	197	129	65.5%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1995	189	115	60.8%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
1994	189	117	61.9%	9	21	Commercial sponsors
1993	180	136	75.6%	9	20	Commercial sponsors
1992	198	130	65.7%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1991	198	158	79.8%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1990	198	156	78.8%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1989	198	138	69.7%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1988	198	151	76.3%	9	22	Commercial sponsors
1987	207	135	65.2%	9	23	Commercial sponsors
1986	210	132	62.9%	10	21	Commercial sponsors
1985	180	144	80.0%	10	18	Commercial sponsors
1984	170	124	72.9%	10	17	Commercial sponsors
1983	140	88	62.9%	10	14	Commercial sponsors
1982	169	125	74.0%	10	17	Commercial sponsors
1981	150	121	80.7%	10	15	Commercial sponsors
1980	130	85	65.4%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1979	150	90	60.0%	10	15	Commercial sponsors
1978	110	78	70.9%	10	11	Commercial sponsors
1977	100	53	53.0%	10	10	Commercial sponsors
1976	130	87	66.9%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1975	140	86	61.4%	10	14	Commercial sponsors
1974	130	105	80.8%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1973	132	87	65.9%	11	12	Commercial sponsors
1972	132	88	66.7%	11	12	Commercial sponsors
1971	130	94	72.3%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1970	150	100	66.7%	10	15	Commercial sponsors
1969	130	86	66.2%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1968	110	63	57.3%	10	11	National
1967	130	88	67.7%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1966	130	82	63.1%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1965	130	96	73.8%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1964	132	81	61.4%	11	12	Commercial sponsors
1963	130	76	58.5%	10	13	Commercial sponsors
1962	149	94	63.1%	10	15	Commercial sponsors
1961	132	72	54.5%		11	National, Regional
1960	128	81	63.3%		13	National, Regional
1959	120	65	54.2%		10	National, Regional
1958	120	78	65.0%		10	National, Regional
1957	120	56	46.7%		12	National, Regional
1956	120	88	73.3%		12	National, Regional
1955	130	69	53.1%		13	National, Regional
1954	110	69	62.7%		11	National, Regional
1953	119	76	63.9%		12	National, Regional
1952	122	78	63.9%		12	National, Regional
1951	123	66	53.7%		12	National, Regional
1950	116	51	44.0%		14	National, Regional
1949	120	55	45.8%		13	National, Regional
1948	120	44	36.7%		12	National, Regional
1947	99	53	53.5%		10	National, Regional
1939	79	49	62.0%		10	National, Regional
1938	96	55	57.3%		9	National
1937	98	46	46.9%		9	National, Individual
1936	90	43	47.8%		9	National, Individual
1935	93	46	49.5%		5	National, Individual
1934	60	39	65.0%		5	National, Individual
1933	80	40	50.0%		5	National, Individual
1932	80	57	71.3%		5	National, Individual
1931	81	35	43.2%		6	National, Individual
1930	100	59	59.0%		5	National, Individual
1929	155	60	38.7%			Individuals
1928	162	41	25.3%			Individuals
1927	142	39	27.5%			Individuals
1926	126	41	32.5%			Individuals
1925	130	49	37.7%			Individuals
1924	157	60	38.2%			Individuals
1923	139	48	34.5%			Individuals
1922	121	38	31.4%			Individuals
1921	123	38	30.9%			Individuals
1920	113	22	19.5%			Individuals
1919	69	10	14.5%			Individuals
1914	145	54	37.2%			Individuals
1913	140	25	17.9%			Individuals
1912	131	41	31.3%			Individuals
1911	84	28	33.3%			Individuals
1910	110	41	37.3%			Individuals
1909	150	55	36.7%			Individuals
1908	112	36	32.1%			Individuals
1907	93	33	35.5%			Individuals
1906	82	14	17.1%			Individuals
1905	60	24	40.0%			Individuals
1904	88	27	30.7%			Individuals

Number of starters vs finishers at the Tour de France