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What Is It?
Tour de France is also known as ‘Le Grande Boucle’ or ‘Le Tour,’ the world’s largest sports festival. It is a cycling competition held every year in France (sometimes in neighboring countries), taking place in 21 phases, covering a path of approximately 3,500 km.
This is the World Cup, Super Bowl and Stanley Cup. Cyclists from all over the world come together to win the coveted Tour de France trophy in France and a cash reward of €450,000 (only more than $500,000).
This is a sport which attracts 3.5 billion TV viewers and more than 12 million spectators every year. It’s a exciting sport and free to join.
Is the Tour De France hard?
As far as endurance events are concerned, the Tour de France is in its own league. The most prestigious cycling competition has been held annually (except during the World Wars) since 1903 and it hasn’t been easier with the improvement in bike technology and health.
It remains one of the most challenging events in the world for any endurance discipline. How demanding? How demanding? Enter your everyday cycling journey below and see how long the Tour de France will take.
Hard, Hot, Long
The actual route varies year by year, but consists of 21 stages for a total of around 2,200 miles over 23 days. Each race often involves stages of the Alps and the Pyrenees as well as flatter, quicker stages, which are called time trials. Except for the shorter time trials, the majority of stages take from 2.5 to 6 hours.
While overseas marathoners can go non-stop for longer periods of time, most ultras don’t see the difference in cumulative time or elevation that the Tour has. And while it’s been finished, at least a few weeks before most ultra runners even think of another race.
Ironman’s Triathlons in King of Medley are naturally challenging (2.4 km swimming, 112 km running, and 26.2 km racing), but are cut off for 17 hours. Meanwhile, Tour riders are only in stage 4 at 17 hours of operation.
How Is It Working?
Tour de France is a team sport with a total of 8 riders in 22 teams of 9. Over 21 days, typically in July, cyclists traverse 3,500 kilometers of race track.
Tour de France is divided into 21 stages: nine flat stages, three hilly stages, seven mountain stages, two individual time trials and two days of rest.
Every day, one stage covers about 225 kilometers and takes five and a half hours to complete. Each stage will have a winner, and the rider who finishes the most stages in the shortest time will win the overall title.
What Do I Look For Strategies?
Breakaways: Riders are extremely strategic and do not bike as quickly as possible around the course. They appear to cycle in a main group called a peloton and almost every stage has smaller groups breaking away to the front. The peloton encourages riders to remain a few minutes ahead before joining them once they are gone. Breakaways are a perfect way to use if a rider isn’t an excellent climber or sprinter, as it gives them a chance to win.
Attacks: Attacks are always made on the ascent, involving a rider who splits suddenly at an exceptionally high pace from the peloton hoping that the other drivers can not keep up with them.
Sprinters: A sprinter is a cyclist who finishes a race by speeding unexpectedly to high speed and often uses a cyclist or a group of cyclists to conserve energy.
Lead-Out Trains: This is a technique used to set up a rider to complete a sprint. One rider drives at a very high pace, and the sprinter of the team follows closely to take advantage of their slipstream. This decreases wind resistance and makes it possible for the sprinter to reach higher speeds without using as much energy as usual.
What Are Jersey Colors?
Cyclists from the same squad are wearing the same colored maillot, but a few have separate maillots.
The leader of the race is wearing a yellow jersey. The top sprinter is worn with a green jersey. The most impressive rider, 25 and under, wears a white jersey. The best climber wears a red and white polka-dot jersey.
A team champion is wearing a jersey, which also features the colors of his country, and the reigning world champion is wearing his team colors on a horizontal jersey during the race.
What Are The Words And Conditions Used?
Grand Départ: Tour de France’s first stage.
Peloton: “gang” French. Peloton is the most significant group of bikers who ride together for consistency.
Breakaway: A rider or group of riders who split up to take the lead.
Slipstreaming : Close behind a rider to take advantage of almost no air resistance.
Bonking : Also known as “hit the wall,” when a driver is totally powerless.
And team has a leader and the other drivers (domestics) support the leader in every way they can to win stages, earn points and eventually win the tour.
Sporting Director: Each team has a sport manager who accompanies the riders during the course and gives them guidance, water, technical problems and repairs damaged motorcycles.
Flamme Rouge: The French “red flag” used to mark the last kilometer of the race.
Lanterne Rouge: French is the final rider in the general classification / tour for “red light.” This is not a deceptive word.
Musket Bag: A shoulder bag with food and water distributed to riders at feeding stations.
SAG Wagon: A car that tracks and gathers cyclists when they can’t drive because of injury, exhaustion, bike loss and equipment.
Where Will I Watch The French Tour?
More than 188 countries in the world broadcast and over 3,5 billion people watch the Tour de France worldwide, so the channel is not difficult to find. You’ll actually be able to see it on your cable sports channels. If not, Tour de France would be the most secure choice on NBC Sports.
