Please read the following table in HTML format from a webpage and then answer the question in detail according to the table. Each table cell is defined by a <td> and a </td> tag. Each table row starts with a <tr> and ends with a </tr> tag. 'rowspan=m' and 'colspan=n' represents a cell spaning over 'm' rows and 'n' columns.

Webpage title:
2012 Tour de France
Table title:
Route and stages
Table:
<table id='hittask' contenteditable='False'>
<tr> <th colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Stage </th><th colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Date </th><th colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Course </th><th colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Distance </th><th colspan=2 rowspan=1 > Type </th><th colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Winner </th></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > P </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 30 June </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Liège (Belgium) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 6.4 km (4 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Individual time trial </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Fabian Cancellara (SUI) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 1 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 1 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Liège (Belgium) to Seraing (Belgium) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 198 km (123 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Peter Sagan (SVK) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 2 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 2 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Visé (Belgium) to Tournai (Belgium) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 207.5 km (129 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Mark Cavendish (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 3 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 3 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Orchies to Boulogne-sur-Mer </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 197 km (122 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Medium mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Peter Sagan (SVK) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 4 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 4 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Abbeville to Rouen </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 214.5 km (133 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > André Greipel (GER) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 5 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 5 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Rouen to Saint-Quentin </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 196.5 km (122 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > André Greipel (GER) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 6 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 6 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Épernay to Metz </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 207.5 km (129 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Peter Sagan (SVK) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 7 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 7 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 199 km (124 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Medium mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Chris Froome (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 8 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 8 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Belfort to Porrentruy </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 157.5 km (98 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Medium mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Thibaut Pinot (FRA) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 9 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 9 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Arc-et-Senans to Besançon </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 41.5 km (26 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Individual time trial </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Bradley Wiggins (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 10 July </td><td colspan=2 rowspan=1 > Mâcon </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=2 rowspan=1 > Rest day </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 10 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 11 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Mâcon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 194.5 km (121 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > High mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Thomas Voeckler (FRA) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 11 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 12 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Albertville to La Toussuire-Les Sybelles </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 148 km (92 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > High mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Pierre Rolland (FRA) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 12 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 13 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay-Davézieux </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 226 km (140 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Medium mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > David Millar (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 13 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 14 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Cap d'Agde </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 217 km (135 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > André Greipel (GER) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 14 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 15 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Limoux to Foix </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 191 km (119 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > High mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Luis León Sánchez (ESP) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 15 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 16 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Samatan to Pau </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 158.5 km (98 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Pierrick Fédrigo (FRA) </td></tr>
<tr> <th colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 17 July </td><td colspan=2 rowspan=1 > Pau </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=2 rowspan=1 > Rest day </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 16 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 18 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 197 km (122 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > High mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Thomas Voeckler (FRA) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 17 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 19 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Bagnères-de-Luchon to Peyragudes </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 143.5 km (89 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > High mountain stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Alejandro Valverde (ESP) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 18 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 20 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 222.5 km (138 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Mark Cavendish (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 19 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 21 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Bonneval to Chartres </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 53.5 km (33 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Individual time trial </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Bradley Wiggins (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th class="highlighted"  colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 20 </th><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 22 July </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Rambouillet to Paris (Champs-Élysées) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > 120 km (75 mi) </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Flat stage </td><td colspan=1 rowspan=1 > Mark Cavendish (GBR) </td></tr>
<tr> <th colspan=1 rowspan=1 >  </th><td colspan=2 rowspan=1 > Total </td><td class="highlighted"  colspan=5 rowspan=1 > 3,496.9 km (2,173 mi) </td></tr>
</table>
Question:
how many stages did the 2012 tour de France consisted?
Answer:
The 2012 Tour de France consisted of 21 stages, including an opening prologue, and covered a total distance of 3,496.9 km (2,173 mi).