Pozn: Toto jsou jen výtažky v anglickém jazyce z celých pravidel. Celá pravidla si můžete stáhnout v angličtině (formát PDF - 279kb) nebo francouzštině (formát PDF - 246kb).

Article 1 - Participation
The 91 st Tour de France takes place from Saturday the 3 rd of July to Sunday the 25 th of July 2004, with 21 teams of 9 riders each, making a total of 189 competitors. [...]

Article 2 - Riders' identification
Riders must affix the number plates to the front of their bicycle frames and wear two riders' numbers (small format) exactly over their hips, one on the right and one on the left side. [...]

Article 4 - Technical assistance
All riders may render one another such minor services as lending or exchanging food, drinks, spanners or accessories. The lending or exchange of tubular tires, wheels or bicycles is, however, permitted only among riders from the same team. [...]

Article 6 - Feeding
In general, feeding is permitted at any time starting from the 50th km distance marker up to the distance marker indicating "end of feeding" (20 km from the finish). [...]

Article 7 - Infraction en course
Breaches of the regulations during the race
Slipstreaming behind a motor vehicle, pushing, handflinging, pulling and holding on are strictly forbidden. [...]

Article 8 - Riders withdrawing from the race
Any rider withdrawing from the race must hand in his race number to a commissaire riding in the sag wagon. [...]

Article 9 - Obligations of THE teams
Riders and team managers must abide by the discipline and rules dictated by both the principle of equal treatment and the reputation of the Tour de France as a sporting event. [...]

Article 10 - Leaders' jerseys
Leaders in the general time, points, best climber and youth general time classifications must wear:
• in the first case, the "yellow jersey";
• in the second case, the "green jersey";
• in the third case, the "red polka dot jersey";
• in the fourth case, the "white jersey".

Leaders' jerseys will be worn in the following order: first the yellow jersey, then the green jersey, followed by the red polka dot and white jerseys. If a rider is leading in more than one general classification, he will, of course, wear only one jersey in compliance with this order of priority. The riders occupying the 2nd, 3rd or 4th positions in the corresponding classification standings will then wear the other jerseys. [...]

Article 14 - Timing
All riders finishing in the same bunch are awarded the same time. [...]

Article 15 - Medical care
Medical care during the race is provided exclusively by the official medical staff, from the time riders enter the checking area at the start of the race, until they leave it at the finish of the race. [...]

Article 17 - Start of stages
For all road racing stages, riders and their team managers must be present at the signature checkpoint at least ten minutes before it closes.After the riders have been called by the race managers, the actual start may take any one of three forms:
• "Standing": from the signature checkpoint where the route allows it;
• "Diferred standing": if the start point chosen by the organizers is rather far away from the signature checkpoint;
• "Flying": if the place chosen by the race organizers is not very far from the signature checkpoint, at the "0 km point".

Article 18 - Course route
Riders must always follow the official course route. The use by riders of any other route, particularly shortcuts, incurs a penalty.

Article 19 - RAILROAD crossing
It is forbidden for riders to cross railroad crossings when the barrier is down.
Any riders not complying with this requirement are disqualified from the race by the commissaires.

Article 20 - Stage finishes
General provisions The finish of each stage is marked by a "red flag", surmounted by a banner, situated 1 km from the finish line. If the finish banner is missing, an official waves a black and white checkered flag to indicate the finish line.
In case of a duly recognized crash, flat or mechanical problem after the red flag marker the rider(s) are credited with the same time as the riders accompanying them when the incident occurred.
Their placings are determined by the order in which they cross the finish line. If, due to a crash, a rider cannot cross the finish line, he will be classified at the last place of the stage classification.
Exceptional cases are settled by the commissaires' panel and are not open to appeal.
This measure does not apply to all the stages

Article 22 - Finishing deadlines
Depending on the type of stage and the difficulties involved, finishing deadlines are calculated based coefficients….

Article 23 - Individual time trials
In the individual time trial stages, the starting order is as follows:
• in Liege: at 1' intervals; riders start in the order set by race organizers and team managers.
• in Bourg-d'Oisans: at 1 minute intervals, then at 2 minute intervals for the last starters. Riders start in reverse order of the general ranking established following the 15 th stage.
• in Besançon: at 2 minute intervals, then at 3 minute intervals for the last starters. Riders start in reverse order of the general ranking established following the 18 th stage. [...]
A rider caught by another may neither lead nor follow in the latter's slipstream.
A rider must leave a gap of at least 2 meters between himself and any rider he passes. A rider caught by another rider will stay at least 25 meters behind the latter.
Any help between riders is forbidden. [...]
Each rider may be accompanied by a vehicle carrying spares. A following vehicle must remain about 10 m behind its rider; it may never draw level with him and all information must be communicated from behind. A following vehicle may take up position between two riders only if they are at least 50 m apart. If this gap closes, the vehicle accompanying the first rider must immediately drop back behind the second one.

Article 24 - Team time trials
Teams start their team time trial at 5 minute intervals in the reverse order of the team ranking established following the 3rd stage. [...]
The stage ranking is established for each of the teams based on the finishing time of the 5th rider in each team (to the nearest hundredth of a second). An identical time is given to all teammates who arrive within this same time, even if they actually finish
quicker.
The procedure for establishing the general individual time ranking is as follows: Times for all riders are calculated according to the gap between them and the 5th man of the winning team (scratch time).
If this gap is less than that given in the table below, then the actual time recorded by the timekeepers will be taken.
If the gap is more than that given in the table below, then the rider will receive the time of the winning team plus the additional number of seconds indicated in the table below according to the place of their team.[...]
Riders who arrive on their own after the 5th rider in their team will be credited for the general ranking with the actual time they took to complete the stage.
However, riders finishing outside of the permitted finishing times (coefficient 6) will be disqualified.
As far as the general team ranking is concerned, the actual time of the 5th man in each team will be the time recorded for this ranking. [...]

Article 25 - Rankings
a) GENERAL INDIVIDUAL TIME CLASSIFICATION
The general individual time classification is determined by adding the times of each rider in the 21 stages, taking into account time bonuses and penalties.
b)GENERAL INDIVIDUAL POINTS CLASSIFICATION
The general individual points classification will be determined by adding the points obtained in the prologue and the individual stage classification, in accordance with the following scales and taking into account time penalties:
c) BEST CLIMBER CLASSIFICATION
The best climber classification is determined by adding the points won in all mountain and hill climbs, [...]
d) YOUNG RIDERS CLASSIFICATION
The young riders classification is open only to riders born after January 1st 1979.
e) GENERAL TEAM CLASSIFICATION
The general team classification is determined by adding each team's best three individual times for the prologue and every stage.
In the event of a tie in the general classification, the order of teams is determined based on the number of stage wins by team, then their number of second places, and so on until a number of places obtained by one of them enables them to be finally placed.
A team reduced to fewer than 3 riders is eliminated from the general team classification.
f) MOST AGGRESSIVE RIDER CLASSIFICATION
This prize is awarded to the rider who displays the most effort and sportsmanship.The recipient of the most aggressive rider is decided on during the road racing stages by a panel chaired by the race manager.
The general classification is determined by adding the points given by all members of the panel in each one of the road racing stages.
In the event of a tie in the final general classification, the order is determined based on riders' placings in the general individual time classification.
Competitors must finish the Tour de France in order to be placed in the most aggressive rider classification.

Article 26 - Bonuses

Article 28 - Drug testing control

Article 29 - Dismissal
Where it is deemed that the image or reputation of the Tour de France may be blemished, notably with regard to anti-doping laws, to the behavior of any member of a trade team, the organizer, in consultation with the stewards committee, reserves the right at any time during the race to exclude the rider(s) or the team member(s) involved from the race.

Article 31 -
The present regulations were originally written in the French language. In the case of any misinterpretations the French language version will be the reference.