The city of William the Conqueror was a mainstay of the Tour in the first half of the 20th century, with the majority of the 32 finishes that have taken place in the city occurring in the years immediately after 1905. During the course of this series, Calvados’s prefecture often hosted the first stage from Paris but also featured as the start point for the final stage that concluded at the Parc des Princes in Paris. In 1947, it was during such a stage that Jean Robic upended the overall classification, stripping the Yellow Jersey from the shoulders of Italian Pierre Brambilla (who became naturalized French in 1949).
With regard to time trials, Caen hosted the finish of the team test in 1978, when Ti-Raleigh’s riders triumphed after a 153-kilometre haul from Évreux. The race’s last visit was back in 2006 and ended with victory for Oscar Freire, one of the few Spanish riders to have won a bunch sprint at the Tour.
- Stage town for the 36th time
- Prefecture of the department of Calvados (14)
- Population: 108,500 (Caennais and Caennaises)
