Tour De France 2016: Prize Money, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Full Stage Info

The 2016 Tour de France is almost upon us, and the biggest stage race in cycling will wheel its way back on to the European circuit starting on Saturday.

The sport's elite will get their start in Manche this weekend—a first for the competition—before making their way to Paris for the tour's closing stage on July 24.

Teams will compete for their shot at an increased prize fund of €2,295,850 (£1.9 million), per Colin Henrys of Road Cycling UK, with the winning outfit primed to pocket a first-place pot of €500,000 (£415,000), the largest tour prize to date.

Chris Froome is hoping to become the first rider to win successive Tour de France titles since Miguel Indurain clinched five in a row between 1991 and 1995, but Nairo Quintana looks likely to be among his fiercest competitors.

Read on for a breakdown of this year's Tour de France stages and a viewing schedule, complete with a preview of some of the favourites leading into the three-week competition.

Stage	Type	Date	Start / Finish	Distance
1	Flat	Saturday, July 2	Mont-Saint-Michel / Utah Beach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont	188 km
2	Flat	Sunday, July 3	Saint-Lo / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin	183 km
3	Flat	Monday, July 4	Granville / Angers	223.5 km
4	Flat	Tuesday, July 5	Saumur / Limoges	237.5 km
5	Mountain	Wednesday, July 6	Limoges / Le Lioran	216 km
6	Flat	Thursday, July 7	Arpajon-sur-Cere / Montauban	190.5 km
7	Mountain	Friday, July 8	L'Isle-Jourdain / Lac de Payolle	162.5 km
8	Mountain	Saturday, July 9	Pau / Bagneres-de-Luchon	184 km
9	Mountain	Sunday, July 10	Vielha Val d'Aran / Andorre Arcalis	184.5 km
-	Rest day	Monday, July 11	Andorre / Andorre
10	Hilly	Tuesday, July 12	Escaldes-Engordany / Revel	197 km
11	Flat	Wednesday, July 13	Carcassonne / Montpellier	162.5 km
12	Mountain	Thursday, July 14	Montpellier / Mont Ventoux	184 km
13	Individual time trial	Friday, July 15	Bourg-Saint-Andeol / La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc	37.5 km
14	Flat	Saturday, July 16	Montelimar / Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux	208.5 km
15	Mountain	Sunday, July 17	Bourg-en-Bresse / Culoz	160 km
16	Flat	Monday, July 18	Moirans-en-Montagne / Berne	209 km
-	Rest day	Tuesday, July 19	Berne / Berne
17	Mountain	Wednesday, July 20	Berne / Finhaut-Emosson	184.5 km
18	Individual time trial	Thursday, July 21	Sallanches / Megeve	17 km
19	Mountain	Friday, July 22	Albertville / Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc	146 km
20	Mountain	Saturday, July 23	Megeve / Morzine-Avoriaz	146.5 km
21	Flat	Sunday, July 24	Chantilly / Paris Champs-Elysees	113 km

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the 2016 Tour de France on ITV4 and British Eurosport, while NBC will provide a broadcast for viewers in the United States. Alternatively, the event can be streamed using the ITV Hub app or NBC's Live Extra service.

Chris Froome

With two crowns already to his name, Froome can wheel his way further into the British history books next month if he's able to claim a third Tour de France triumph in Paris.

One would imagine that the pressure might be getting to last year's winner with the countdown now in its final stages, but Froome has exuded a calm, relaxed manner in the buildup to Saturday's start:

Recent history also suggests he has the team to bring him victory too, considering Team Sky have won three of the last four Tours de France, and journalist Brendan Gallagher has hyped up this year's roster:

Per the Guardian's Sean Ingle, Froome has spoken positively of the 2016 route as well, calling it "a very well-rounded tour," where the time trials in particular—at Stage 13 and Stage 18—are likely to be where he makes up time.

The 31-year-old has warmed up for this year's Tour in the best possible way after sealing victory at the Criterium du Dauphine in early June, and a bet on back-to-back wins for Froome may be a wise choice.

Nairo Quintana

STR/Getty Images

Team Movistar and Quintana continue their search for a Tour de France triumph in 2016, and of all the potential contenders, the Colombian appears one of the closest rivals to reigning champion Froome.

The promise of nine climbing days is something at which Quintana will assuredly be smacking his lips, and after making the run to second place 12 months ago, the race is on to go one better this time.

However, it's a battle against the odds for anyone going up against the mighty powerhouse that is Team Sky, as cycling reporter John Bradley recently depicted:

Beyond the obvious battle with Quintana, Froome is also likely to come under major fire from Alberto Contador, who waived on participating in the Giro d'Italia in favour of a renewed charge at the Tour de France this year.

Quintana will need to capitalise on the climbing stages if he is to make a better run than either of his two silver-medal years (2013, 2015); do that, and this could be the year he finally finishes with the yellow jersey in tow.