Domestique Cycling: Bike Racing’s Ultimate Team Players

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

Cyclist’s Legs After Tour De France Stages, and Why They Look Like That

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