Stage 21th was the flat race traditionally ending in the Champs Elysées avenue in Paris. Exception made of an accident, everything was already decided upon, and there was no need for anyone to try and make a last-ditch struggle. The only honor to be grabbed was the winning of the stage.
The winner Cavendish achieved 38.77 km/h, and the rest of the riders had an average of 38.74 km/h. This brings the combined average speed of the 2011 Tour de France stage winners to a comparatively modest 39.98 km/h, below the 41.65 km/h historical fastest Tour in 2005, but marginally faster than 2010 Tour, which was won by Contador at the average of 39.594 km/h. The overall speed for all riders has been 38.78 km/h.
Average Speed | |||||
Stage | Distance | Stage Winner | Average | ||
Time | Speed | Time | Speed | ||
| 1 | 191.5 | 04:41:31 | 40.81 | 04:43:24 | 40.54 |
| 2 | 23 | 00:24:48 | 55.65 | 00:25:29 | 54.15 |
| 3 | 198 | 04:40:21 | 42.38 | 04:40:44 | 42.32 |
| 4 | 172.5 | 04:11:39 | 41.13 | 04:14:22 | 40.69 |
| 5 | 164.5 | 03:38:32 | 45.16 | 03:39:54 | 44.88 |
| 6 | 226.5 | 05:13:37 | 43.33 | 05:16:07 | 42.99 |
| 7 | 218 | 05:38:53 | 38.60 | 05:40:53 | 38.37 |
| 8 | 189 | 04:36:46 | 40.97 | 04:46:27 | 39.59 |
| 9 | 208 | 05:27:09 | 38.15 | 05:38:27 | 36.87 |
| 10 | 158 | 03:31:21 | 44.85 | 03:34:34 | 44.18 |
| 11 | 167.5 | 03:46:07 | 44.45 | 03:47:21 | 44.20 |
| 12 | 211 | 06:01:15 | 35.04 | 06:21:55 | 33.15 |
| 13 | 152.5 | 03:47:36 | 40.20 | 04:00:13 | 38.09 |
| 14 | 168.5 | 05:13:25 | 32.26 | 05:31:13 | 30.52 |
| 15 | 192.5 | 04:20:24 | 44.35 | 04:21:19 | 44.20 |
| 16 | 162.5 | 03:31:38 | 46.07 | 03:42:04 | 43.91 |
| 17 | 179 | 04:18:00 | 41.63 | 04:28:56 | 39.94 |
| 18 | 200.5 | 06:07:56 | 32.70 | 06:34:56 | 30.46 |
| 19 | 109.5 | 03:13:25 | 33.97 | 03:30:44 | 31.18 |
| 20 | 42.5 | 00:55:33 | 45.90 | 01:01:09 | 41.70 |
| 21 | 95 | 02:27:02 | 38.77 | 02:27:07 | 38.74 |
| Overall | 3,430.0 | 85:46:58 | 39.98 | 88:27:18 | 38.78 |
| The fastest Tour de France was completed by Lance Armstrong in 2005, at the oversall speed of 41.65 km/h. | |||||
Sources: see Cycling
