Tom Foster
There are 15 things to know about the Tour de France that might tell you more about this famous race and how it works. As one of the world’s most famous cycle races, it has a long history.
The Tour de France spans over thousands of miles
It’s over 2,000 miles to be precise. That’s not just around the corner and up the way.
Thousands of water bottles are used during the race
That’s not too surprising since one has to stay hydrated while riding. They ride while drinking and even grabbing the bottles, which is more impressive than it sounds.
The record for stages is 34
In other words, a man won this honor 34 times. That sounds impossible. Thank goodness for records.
La Grande Boucle is the race’s nickname
In other words, The Big Loop. Hey, it’s not off the mark, now is it?
The number of calories burned per stage is insane
It’s not tough to imagine when you’re riding that far and pushing pedals that hard. What is tough to imagine is how people keep going so long.
The number of revolutions is in the hundreds of thousands during the race
Just think of how many times those wheels spin around. It’s almost mesmerizing to think about.
Racers were allowed to drink alcohol in the past
It was likely an excellent way to take the edge off. But when it was determined to be a stimulant, well, happy hour was over.
Just imagine how much the racers sweat
As gross as it sounds, the amount they sweat is enough to bathe in or flush a toilet a lot of times.
Millions of spectators turn up for this event
This means that millions of individuals from all around the world make their way to watch this. The funny thing is that they have to keep up or just watch a certain portion of the race.
Only ten people finished the race in 1919
This tells you how grueling the race is. Things have changed, and more people finish now than don’t, but still, that’s kind of telling.
A lot of racers don’t rest on the rest day
They keep going at night and use the day after to rest up. There’s a strategy there, that’s certain.
The race is grueling for many people
Just imagine spending this much time on a bicycle. Then, imagine how it must feel when you finally get to step off for the day.
The prize is worth the pain for many people
There is a prize worth millions at the end. But it takes a lot to get that far.
Billions of people watch this event
Yes, that means that it’s watched more than several other sports. It’s kind of hard to imagine, but it happens.
There used to be 14 rest days instead of 2
It’s not likely that people were softer back then. But it does indicate that the race was a lot tougher.