The Tour de France (For the Couch Potato)

Unless you consider a two-mile bike ride along the Erie Canal grueling, you can rest assured that this information is not coming from a position of experience. That said, I do watch a lot of TV, meaning what follows could be considered expert opinion. Anyway, here’s a primer on the Tour de France, Q&A style.

 

What is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is widely regarded as the most prestigious race in professional cycling. Taking place every July, it is one of three so-called Grand Tours, races that last approximately three weeks each. (The others are the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.)

 

Three weeks?!

Yes, the race involves 21 stages over 23 days (with two rest days sprinkled in). The winner is the rider with the lowest aggregate time—well over 80 hours—at the end.

 

When was the first Tour de France?

1903.

 

Who runs this thing?

It was initially created by a newspaper called L’Auto in order to raise the newspaper’s profile. In modern times, the race is run by the Amaury Sport Organisation (located in France), which generates revenue largely by selling ad space (like literally everywhere) and broadcast rights.

 

Does any of the race take place in other countries?

Believe it or not, that is an excellent question. It’s common for the route of the race to spill into nearby countries. In fact, European cities often covet the opportunity to host the first stage, or Grand Départ, as a way to promote tourism. For example, the Grand Départ in 2022 was in Copenhagen, Denmark.

 

In total, how long is the race?

The exact route changes every year, but the overall distance ends up being around 2,200 miles (or 3,500 kilometers).

 

How many riders participate?

There are usually about 20 – 22 teams of eight riders each, amounting to 160 – 176 total riders.

 

Teams?!

Yes, professional cycling is very much a team sport. One or two riders on a team might be the chosen ones, i.e. the ones who the other riders on the team will try to help win the race (or stage). These other riders, known as domestiques (literally servants), may use tactics such as riding in front to break the wind, thus limiting the energy used by the top riders. Teams also consist of a large number of non-riding personnel who take care of all sorts of logistical concerns.

 

Where do these teams come from?

Most of the teams are from the highest category of professional road cycling as defined by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). With that success comes sponsorship money, the major source of revenue for such teams.

 

So what exactly is the deal with the stages?

As above, there are 21, averaging over 100 miles each. These can be flat stages, hilly stages, mountain stages (in the Alps or Pyrenees), or time trials. The last stage always ends on the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris. Winning a stage can provide great visibility for a team (and its sponsors) and is often the goal for teams without a rider who can win the overall race (called the general classification).

 

Aside from the general classification, what other classifications give riders something to aim for?

Prominent ones include the mountains classification (earning points for being the first to reach the top of certain climbs), the points classification (accruing points for finishing among the leaders of a stage or a designated part of a stage, thus favoring sprinters), and the young rider classification (like the general classification but for riders under age 26). There is also a team classification that takes into account the performance of a team as a whole.

 

What’s the deal with the jerseys?

Members of a team wear the same jersey, often plastered with the logos of sponsors. There are, however, a few special jerseys. The rider leading the general classification wears the yellow jersey (maillot jaune)—obviously the goal is to be wearing that jersey at the end of the last stage. The leader of the mountains classification wears a polka dot jersey, and the leader of the points classification wears a green jersey. Finally, a white jersey is reserved for the leader of the young rider classification.

 

What is the average speed of riders over the course of the entire race?

Around 25 miles per hour. That number takes into account the slower pace on climbs and the absolutely insane pace (over 60 miles per hour) on some descents.

 

How many calories do these guys burn?

A lot. Maybe like 6,000 calories per stage. Over three weeks, that’s something like 220 Big Macs.

 

How much does the winner get?

The total pot of money available for distribution is over $2 million, with the winner receiving a little over $500,000 (which he usually shares with his team). The rest goes to all the runners-up (in diminishing amounts based on order of finish), the winners of individual stages, the winners of the other classifications, etc.

 

Are women involved?

Many attempts have been made at having a similar race for women. The Tour de France Femmes, an eight-day race taking place just after the men’s event, is set to fill that void as of 2022.

 

Has anyone died during the Tour de France?

Sadly, yes. Given the demanding and at times treacherous nature of the race, a handful of riders have died from heart conditions or high-speed falls in the mountain stages.

 

What other terms are worth knowing?

One is peloton, referring to the main group of cyclists in a race. Another is doping, as in using banned substances to optimize performance—something that has plagued the Tour de France since its inception.

 

How much would it cost to buy the same type of bike that Tour de France riders use?

Probably somewhere between $13,000 and $16,000 dollars.

 

How many people watch this race?

Live spectators number around 12 million, and television spectators may approach 3.5 billion.

 

Speaking of spectators—go ahead, grab a spot on your couch, and enjoy watching some of the world’s most inspiring athletes. Just don’t forget the chips.