The timeline of the 1981 edition of the Tour de France, detailing stage-by-stage winners and leaders.
Stage 0 ran from Nice to Nice. The stage was won by Bernard Hinault. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 1.1 ran from Nice to Nice. The stage was won by Freddy Maertens. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 1.2 ran from Nice to Antibes. The stage was won by Ti-Raleigh-Creda. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Gerrie Knetemann. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 2 ran from Nice to Martigues. The stage was won by Johan Van Der Velde. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Gerrie Knetemann. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 3 ran from Martigues to Narbonne. The stage was won by Freddy Maertens. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Gerrie Knetemann. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 4 ran from Narbonne to Carcassonne. The stage was won by Ti-Raleigh-Creda. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Gerrie Knetemann. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 5 ran from Saint Gaudens to Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet. The stage was won by Lucien Van Impe. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Phil Anderson. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 6 ran from Nay to Pau. The stage was won by Bernard Hinault. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 7 ran from Pau to Bordeaux. The stage was won by Urs Freuler. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 8 ran from Rochefort to Nantes. The stage was won by Ad Wijnands. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 9 ran from Nantes to Le Mans. The stage was won by René Martens. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 10 ran from Le Mans to Aulnay-sous-Bois. The stage was won by Ad Wijnands. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 11 ran from Compiègne to Roubaix. The stage was won by Daniel Willems. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 12.2 ran from Bruxelles to Zolder. The stage was won by Eddy Planckaert. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 12.1 ran from Roubaix to Bruxelles. The stage was won by Freddy Maertens. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 13 ran from Beringen to Hasselt. The stage was won by Freddy Maertens. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 14 ran from Hasselt to Mulhouse. The stage was won by Bernard Hinault. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 15 ran from Besançon to Thonon. The stage was won by Sean Kelly. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 16 ran from Thonon to Morzine. The stage was won by Robert Alban. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 17 ran from Morzine to L'Alpe-d'Huez. The stage was won by Peter Winnen. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 18 ran from L'Alpe-d'Huez to Le Pleynet. The stage was won by Bernard Hinault. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 19 ran from Veurey to Saint-Priest. The stage was won by Daniel Willems. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 20 ran from Saint-Priest to Saint-Priest. The stage was won by Bernard Hinault. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 21 ran from Auxerre to Fontenay-sous-Bois. The stage was won by Johan Van Der Velde. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Nan, Mountains: Nan, Youth: Nan.
Stage 22 ran from Fontenay-sous-Bois to Paris. The stage was won by Freddy Maertens. The General Classification leader (Yellow Jersey equivalent) at this point was Bernard Hinault. Categories — Points: Freddy Maertens, Mountains: Lucien Van Impe, Youth: Peter Winnen.