The pinnacle of road cycling, the Grand Tours are three multi-stage races taking place every summer: the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. The most important events on the cycling calendar, racing at – and winning – a Grand Tour is the ultimate goal for every professional road cyclist. Characterized by brutal … Read more
A certain few athletes dominate their sport so fully that they stand apart from their competitors, and serve as a benchmark for future generations of athletes. Football has Pele, boxing has Muhammad Ali, and cycling has Eddy Merckx; considered by many to be the greatest cyclist of all time. In the 10 years between 1965 … Read more
The most prestigious and iconic race in the cycling calendar, the Tour de France has changed immeasurably from its formative years. The Tour de France is an annual multi-stage cycling race held (mostly) in France. Beginning well over a century ago, the Tour de France history is one of the longest and most fascinating of … Read more
From country lanes outside Cardiff to Olympic Gold medalist and Tour de France champion, Geraint Thomas is cemented as a Welsh sporting legend on both road and track. So who is Geraint Thomas? What cycling achievements and sporting accolades does this high-flying Welshman hold? And what do you need to know? In this article, we’ll … Read more
Each Tour de France team has 8 riders, plus 4–6 staff (sport directors, mechanics, soigneurs, doctors). Of the 22 teams in the 2025 Tour, 18 are UCI WorldTour teams (automatic invitations) and 4 are wildcards (ProTeams selected by ASO). Teams aim to win the GC, stages, KOM, points jersey, or team classification — strategy varies … Read more
Conquering Alpe d’Huez is often top on the bucket list of anyone who has fallen in love with cycling. After Fausto Coppi won the first Tour de France stage to summit the fearsome climb in 1952, the snaking mountain road immediately established its legendary status. Alpe d’Huez is infamous for its 21 brutal but beautiful hairpins, each equipped with … Read more
On a multi-day, mountainous, and 200+ kilometer-per-day race such as Tour de France, riders push their bodies to the absolute limit. Even years of experience and a lifetime of training may not be enough to stop riders from falling behind. You’d imagine that being in the group of riders right at the back of such … Read more
With an impressive number of victories already, Tom Pidcock is taking the world of bike racing by storm. Latest: Pidcock’s 2026 season hit another bump in June — he withdrew from the Tour de Suisse after a viral infection disrupted his Tour de France altitude camp. It’s hard to watch almost any men’s cycling event … Read more
Tadej Pogačar is one of the most successful road racers of the modern era. At just 23 years old, the young cyclist has already notched two Tour de France wins, as well as breaking numerous other records. He became the youngest cyclist to win a UCI World Tour race with the Tour of California win … Read more
Marco Pantani (1970–2004) was the last cyclist to win both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia in the same year (1998). Nicknamed “Il Pirata” for his bandana and earrings, he was one of the greatest pure climbers in cycling history — his 1997 Alpe d’Huez ascent in 37’35” stood as the record until 2024. … Read more
After a 33-year absence, the Women’s Tour de France – officially Le Tour de France Femmes – finally returns on Sunday 24 July 2022. The greatest female road cyclists in the world will be battling for the iconic yellow jersey through eight stages across France in what looks set to rival the Giro d’Italia Donne … Read more
Imagine training your whole life to enter the Tour de France, then come race day, the position you’re competing for is… last place? Well, such is the nature of the Lanterne Rouge. In the professional road cycling world of Grand Tours, last place has often come to symbolize a badge of guts and perseverance, having … Read more
The Tour de France is 21 stages over 23 days (one rest day per week, sometimes two), covering roughly 3,400 km / 2,100 miles total. Daily stages range from short individual time trials (~20 km) to flat sprint stages (~200 km) and brutal mountain days (~150 km, 4,000+ m of climbing). Riders cover the equivalent … Read more
The 2022 Tour de France is fast approaching. One of the oldest and most iconic multi-stage bike races in the world, the Tour de France has a history stretching back almost 120 years, with the first edition taking place in 1903. However, it’s changed dramatically since then. This year’s edition covers a total distance of … Read more
The Tour de France has been raced annually since 1903 (skipping the world wars). Through 2025, the most-decorated winners are Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, and Jacques Anquetil with 5 wins each; Tadej Pogačar (4 wins through 2024); Chris Froome (4); and Greg LeMond, Alberto Contador, and Lance Armstrong (3 each — Armstrong’s were … Read more
The Col du Tourmalet is the single most iconic climb in the history of bicycle racing. Nestled high in the thinning air of the French Pyrenees lies a thin ribbon of tarmac straddling two of its greatest peaks, a jagged grey scar carved into a sea of green. Countless champions have been made on the … Read more
The Tour de France has four classification jerseys: the yellow jersey (maillot jaune) for the overall leader on time; the green jersey (maillot vert) for the points/sprint leader; the polka-dot jersey (maillot à pois) for the King of the Mountains; and the white jersey (maillot blanc) for the best young rider under 26. Stage winners … Read more
The Tour de France peloton has 176 riders (22 teams of 8) at the start, riding in a tight pack that shaves 30-40% off the energy needed compared to riding solo at the same speed. Drafting, echelons, and breakaways form the strategic backbone of every stage. Below, we explain peloton dynamics, drafting science, and key … Read more
A domestique is a cycling team rider whose primary job is to support the team’s leader — fetching water bottles, sheltering them from wind, pacing them up climbs, and giving up their bike or wheel if needed. The term is French for “servant.” Despite the role’s humble name, modern WorldTour domestiques are some of the … Read more
After 21 days of racing, Tour de France riders show extreme leg vascularity, visible muscle striation, and significant atrophy in non-cycling muscles — the result of 80,000+ calories burned and 95+ hours of pedaling at threshold. Below, we explain what causes this look and how it affects rider health. The Tour de France is regarded … Read more