Départ

Départ is the French term for “start.” It is used in racing as well as in other races of long distance, primarily in areas where French is spoken. Départ is when the event starts, and competitors prepare for the start. During races such as the Tour de France, the départ is when the competitors prepare for the difficult segments of the race. There is sometimes an initial départ before the event officially starts in some races. This can take the form of a neutral section or lead-out period prior to actually racing.