The Tour de France is the highlight of the year for any cycling fan.
Like any truly massive event, though, its popularity and status is most accurately reflected in the number of part-time cycling fans and non-cycling fans who take an interest in the event.
People who aren’t scouring the cycling betting tips every week will tune in to The Tour.
Why The Tour de France Is So Great:
Some who take a passing interest at the Olympics and have little awareness of other major events will follow the Tour de France devoutly.
The Tour belongs with the Ashes, the Super Bowl and Champions League final as one of those elite events, but it is unfortunately left out of that group too often.
There are so many reasons to love the Tour De France. It’s an underrated part of the sporting calendar.
Mix of Science & Athleticism
Winning the Tour de France is about much more than stamina, speed and strength of the competitors. It, much like Formula One, is a team sport.
Teams that find marginal gains with improvement to their equipment will often be the most competitive.
The science behind the Tour de France goes to incredible depths, just like the development of a Formula One car. A winning Tour team is as much about the science as it is the physical talents of the rider.
The pioneering work obviously gets passed down toward casual cyclists, too.
It is ultimately a gruelling physical challenge, and the difference in stamina and power between riders is massively important, but the competitiveness of the Tour de France goes well beyond what we see on television.
Teams are constantly striving to find that edge, improve their aerodynamics, save weight, and do anything to make it that bit easier for their riders.
Tactical Battles
Watching a Tour de France stage can seem like a procession at times. Like in any cycling, though, there are important tactics at play.
Teams work together to put themselves in a beneficial position, making it easier for their lead rider.
Preserving energy is always pivotal to who comes out on top, and riders will hang back waiting to push late on. Timing that push is an art in itself.
Stages like the Alpe d’Huez are a unique experience for the riders, a string of hairpins squeezing bikes closer together than anyone would like to be.
Fans are laid out along the stage, with campervans arriving days in advance to get a good spot. Those on the inside of the sharpest corners are in the best place to watch.
The mix of flat stages, medium mountain, high mountain, time trails and intermediate sprints tests every facet of a cyclist. There is no place to hide.
The competitors at the top of Tour de France odds must excel across a range of stages.
Iconic Yellow Jersey
Nothing matches the Tour’s yellow jersey. It’s what every young cyclist dreams of.
The pink of the Giro and red of the Vuelta are great, but neither can match the yellow of the Tour de France. Even people with no interest in cycling know what it means to wear the yellow jersey.
The sprinters who often top cycling betting are all pursuing the green jersey. While not holding the same fame as its yellow cousin, the green is viewed as the pinnacle for the quick men.
Snazziest of the lot, though, is the polka dot jersey given to the rider who dominates on mountain stages. We need more polka dots in elite sport.
Unfortunately, they stopped using the combination jersey back in the 1980s which featured bits of each of the others. Wearing the yellow jersey on the victorious ride along the Champs-Elysees is as good it gets in cycling.
Deserves More Attention
The Tour De France deserves more mainstream attention. The most successful cyclists make history in The Tour, it is the pinnacle of the sport, an opportunity for any rider to cement their place alongside the greatest ever.
The combination of sporting significance with spectacular scenery is one thing. When the tactics, the remarkable athleticism of the riders and the prestige of the yellow jersey are thrown in, it becomes clear how special the Tour de France is.
Perhaps unfair to compare with the Super Bowl or Champions League final, the Tour De France is better matched up to a Test match series.
It is a long commitment as a fan, and perhaps a better job could be done to market the most exciting stages.
Like any sport, cycling isn’t for everyone. Of course, the Tour de France is not always thrilling, but it has more to offer than the perception of it currently suggests.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Thibault Camus / AP Photo*
