The Tour De France: The Most Famous Bicycle Race In The World
Most Americans have probably heard of The Tour de France, but one might be hard-pressed to find someone who actually sat down and watched any portion of the race. However, this typical American approach to the race is in no way indicative of what happens in Europe, when everyone is literally on the edge of their seat for almost a month, watching their favorite riders barrel down mountain passes or try to get ahead of one another on the flat stretches.
Those in the United States might not understand the appeal of the race, but getting to know The Tour de France means starting to get excited about watching people on bicycles, too. For most amateur athletes, even a vague understanding of how fit one has to be to even consider making it to the end, let alone winning, is enough to give the race a little bit of time in between other television programming.
One of the biggest sporting events not just in France, but all over Europe, is The Tour de France. A race that pits riders from countries all over the world against one another, themselves, and the elements, it is not a race for the faint of heart. Lasting over three weeks, the race is broken down into day-long segments, known as stages, which can involve anything from the final sprint into Paris to climbing some of the most heart-popping sections of the Alps…on nothing but one\’s own leg power.
One of the most exciting parts of The Tour de France is the fact that, every year, the route changes. In actuality, the distance for the race can vary a great deal, with the shortest clocking in around 1,500 miles, and the longest somewhere around 3,570 miles. Riders never know quite what they\’re going to get, and neither do the fans, who line small mountain passes as well as city streets, ecstatic to cheer their favorites on.
Though most of the accidents seem to occur during stretches through crowded mountain areas, as well as on the more hilly terrain, the race isn\’t all climbing and sprinting down mountains. There is a substantial amount of distance endurance riding through moderately hilly countryside, as well as some of the most famous stretches in cities, including that final lap through Paris, where thousands of locals and visitors congregate to see their favorite rider pass through and complete his epic race through France.
The Tour de France is known for the toll it takes on both the body and the mind, to say nothing of the bicycle itself. Add to that the fact that it\’s possible to never win a single portion of the race, but still triumph at the end, and no wonder riders are exhausted and disoriented for much of the experience, unsure of exactly where they stand in the rank. That only makes it more fun for the fans, who crowd the streets to shout encouraging words to the riders at every turn.
And while Americans might not have historically cared very much about bicycle racing, that all changed in recent years.. Not only were all of the Americans hanging on the daily results, but there was a huge rise in the popularity of long distance bicycling. Ever since this historic reign of terror, interest in the race has been the standard.
That one rider, who beat not only The Tour but also managed to triumph over cancer, is none other than Lance Armstrong. At the top of his game, truly, the man managed to win The Tour De France seven times in a row, often far ahead of the other riders. Armstrong is not just a legend to those in his home country, but also to many Europeans, who begrudgingly accepted him as one of the greatest cyclist of our time, and are just as excitedly rooting for him as he takes on the course as they are when their home country favorites whiz by.
But whether it\’s cheering for an obscure 20-something who might just have his lucky day, poring over old film footage of racers making their way up the mountains in grainy black and white, or getting excited for Lance Armstrong and wondering if an American will ever do that well again, there\’s no denying the appeal of The Tour de France.
Damian Papworth, a keen cyclist understands how crucial hydration is in the sport, at all levels. As such, he published the Cycling Water Bottle website, offering free advice on bicycle water bottles
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