The Tour De France is a wonderful event. However, how much do you know about this event? If you want to know more about this legendary French bike race then read on!
Cycling’s most important race in the world was created out of financial necessity. With about 200 professional cyclists in the Tour de France. Expect a lot of impact physically for the riders and the environment. The bike route is sprawling and up to 3,000 kilometers or almost 1900 miles. This is an amazing race!
Many may wonder what this race is about? Well, the Tour de France is the world’s most honorable or respected and most challenging bike race. It means instant prestige if you are lucky enough to participate.
Have you ever wondered how many calories riders burn during the Tour de France, or how many tires they go through? Check out these 23 fun facts to learn more about the largest sporting event in the world—one for each day of the race.
1. Where, when, and how long is the Tour de France
The Tour de France does not follow a typical path of any kind. There are some regularities and expectations. For example, usually in some part of the 20 daylong stages of the race, the Tour usually is made up of 20 professional teams. This means about 9 cyclists or bike riders on each team.
Moreover, the track for Tour de France would usually cover some 3,600 km or 2,235 miles in total. The Tour de France happens mainly in France, but there are times when it may start in other nearby countries such as Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Spain. This past year it started in Florence, Italy in the heart of Tuscany.
2. The Tour De France Is Bigger Than The Super Bowl And The Summer Olympics
Every year, many people, especially Americans of course Americans support and see the Super Bowl. Moreover, it is true non fans of football watch the commercials and the half-time show. But, many would be shocked that the Tour de France is one of the biggest sporting events in the United States. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest American television events ever for a very reason! But, not the biggest.
The popularity and fanfare for the Tour de France makes American Football look small in comparison. It is a simple reason because many around the world don't share America’s love and fanfare for American football.
Considering the universality of the sport of cycling, there are not many sports that can compete outside of soccer or football as it is known around the world.
3. The Tour de France is the most special bike race in the world for a reason …
Of all the bike races in the world, the Tour de France is the most special. For example, the Tour de France is quite a harsh test and challenging trek. Every team of riders arrives with its equipment for a difficult and hard three weeks.
Of course there are other types of bike races but the Tour de France is different and singular and special overall. For example, compared to the most important races, the Tour de France attracts the world's top riders. Also, it is the most heavily promoted and loved.
Some of the other races like the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España are popular but nothing in terms of investment, advertising, prestige, and fame like the Tour de France. This race attracts the world’s best riders every summer.
4. The 1st Tour De France started as a sales marketing idea
The grand race of cycling was not always meant to be a big spectacle of racing but instead marking. Historically, it had started in November of 1902 when a journalist named Geo Lefevre had a marketing idea or plan. The idea was to boost newspaper readership and sales so the Tour de France seemed like a good marketing tool.
The first event ever for the Tour de France was on July 1, 1903. The event had around 60 men on their bicycles. They met outside the Café au Reveil Matin near Paris to compete in this race overall. The initial riders were mostly French along with Belgians, Swiss, Germans and Italians.
The Tour de France began as an idea to boost newspaper circulation and it worked very well.
Overall, this newspaper event and promotion became the greatest sporting event in the world for biking. The initial success of this event surpassed the promoter’s expectations and became a real race for competition later.
5. Tour De France uses a lot of products especially water bottles
There is a lot of effort, resources, and waste produced in the Tour de France. For example, there are more than 42,000 water bottles that will be used by teams at this year’s Tour. This breaks down to be about two bottles per rider per hour of racing.
There has been anger from environmental groups who have condemned the immense waste and usage of plastic Tour de France uses. One year it has been estimated that about 42,000 water bottles were used through one event overall. Clearly, the amount of water and resources used is concerning.
As well as plastic bottles, expect key rings, cycling hats and accessories, plastic rain ponchos, wristbands, badges, toys, biscuits, sweets, and even more things wrapped in plastic.The amount of waste from this race will shock many people!
6. When you ride in Tour de France you may need to consumer and millions of calories
It is a long race so energy and calories are more than needed. The Tour de France is about three weeks and in total about 21 stages. The energy and calories needed is estimated at 25 million calories.
For the whole race that consists of 3,351 km or over 1800 miles, staying hydrated and getting nourishment is crucial. The Tour de France is described as an endurance event, perhaps one of the most challenging in the world. Some of the foods to expect include carbohydrate rich foods like the following: bread,cereal, pancakes, rice pudding, smoothies, orange juice and as well of course noodles! This type of food helps build up glycogen stores in your body.
Clearly, the Tour de France is a nutritionally challenging feat with such a long race. The normal is about consuming around 4,000 calories a day on a flat or non-hilly portion of the race. If you are riding through a more varied grade it would be around 9,000 calories for this hilly stage. In the end, consuming large quantities of food keeps the rider fed in such extreme conditions.
7. The Tour de France has strange penalties and violations with drinking water
It is incredible to think you would be kicked out of the race for drinking water at the wrong time but this could happen at the Tour de France. There are Unique or odd Penalties like perhaps even a sip of water at the time not deemed correct by the race! Why? You have to wait until the right hydration or water points. If you don’t, then you may be eliminated or disqualified in the Tour de France.
So, all in all cyclists must be cautious and sure when and where they hydrate to get water. This is the oddest rule. Therefore, picking up water in unauthorized zones is not permitted. and doing so could see riders fined or slapped with a time penalty. As well this goes for unauthorized and non sanctioned repairs. Moreover, this goes for even if you have mechanical issues while riding and of course includes getting aid from spectators. Strange penalties include Improper attire and any and all shortcuts veering from the path.
8. War Interruptions meant the Tour de France did not many times
A sad but unfortunate issue is current events, especially war and civil strife. The Tour de France had to be prepared for the worst situation in terms of developing issues of instability and strife.
In general, the Tour de France was not going on in general because of World War II, but other reasons. There was non cooperation because the Tour De France organizers refused German requests.
For example, it was war that actually stopped the Tour de France not once, but twice in its history. The first situation this happened was during world war I between 1914 and 1918. Moreover, for certain years there was even no cycling between 1915 – 1918.
Lastly, the great war of Europe or World War two between 1939-1945 was detrimental to the Tour de France. Therefore, there was technically no pedaling between 1940 – 1946, so the race was not functional. Fortunately, there has not been a disturbance in the races for the Tour de France in a long time.
9. There is a Tour De France for Women only
Men and women compete for the Tour de France at different times of the year. For example, there is a separate and exclusive Tour de France for women that has 8 stages. This track for the Tour de France runs from July 23-30 most years.
The women’s race is called the Tour de France Femmes. This is an annual women's cycle stage race around France usually instead of outside the country like the men's race.
Historically, the first women’s Tour de France was in 1955. The race began for women when a journalist and sometime-team manager Jean Leulliot, initiated and organized races in the past. However, the first official race was not until the first organized and official launch of the women's Tour de France in 1984. This ended and another all female race began that was called, “Tour Cycliste Féminin.”
10. Tour De France makes is big business and winners win a lot of money
This may not be well known but winners of the Tour de France make a lot of money. The Tour Winners Receive overall a net worth or purse of €550,000 (about 700,000 USD). This is a lot of money considering we are mainly discussing a bike race and just merely riding a bike in general. The earnings may be high, but the earnings will usually be split with teammates.
In terms of the net profit and revenue of the Tour de France in general, it is in the millions. For example, the total prize money awarded for the complete race includes every aspect of it. For example, you have stages, sprints, and what would be the overall classification of the race. The earnings and revenue is about 5.3 million US dollars.
The future of cycling is growing as many cities around the world, especially Europe and the USA, integrate more biking into the city. The future investment potential for Tour de France is growing quite significantly.
