Originally Posted by
bbattle
There are 21 stages; if the TdF had a Prologue, by UCI definition it would have 22 stages. UCI has said the limit for these grand tours is to be 21 stages.
Not Quite but it's still money driven.
Britany paid for the right to hold the Prologue. Since it is a region rather than a town, the powers that be ditched the prologue and held the first 3 or 4 stages in Britany instead.