The Lanterne Rouge – the race to be last in the Tour de France.
It would seem like a dubious honor at best, maybe even a mark of failure, but for some the Lanterne Rouge has been the most coveted prize of the Tour de France after the celebrated jerseys…
Named for the red light on the rear of a train, the Lanterne Rouge has been part of the Tour de France from its beginnings. It was never an official award, but a very popular unofficial recognition, highly prized by riders who couldn’t be contenders for victory, and enormously popular with the public.
The Lanterne Rouge of the Tour de France may be the most contested booby prize in all of sport.
Very few people remember who finished half way down the field in the last Tour de France, or who was next to last, but the rider who gets to Paris in the very last place sticks out and is remembered.
This rider attracts sympathy and some notoriety for enduring all the hardships and agony without giving up, even though they had no hope of winning. The organizers
In the circuit of criterium races that used to follow the Tour de France, the jersey winners would be able to command substantial appearance fees as celebrities. The Lanterne Rouge benefitted from his achievement the same way, often doubling his annual income in a few weeks of post-Tour racing.
Naturally, the Lanterne Rouge became a distinction to aim for. Back in the earlier days of the Tour, riders would resort to all kinds of devious tactics to “win” it: sabotaging opponents so they might be eliminated, hiding down alleys to lose time.
The Lanterne Rouge Specialists
A few riders made a specialty of the Lanterne Rouge. Belgian rider Wim Vansevenant was in last place three years in a row from 2006, though intentionally only the last time.
It’s Austrian rider Gerhard Schönbacher who gets the yellow jersey of Lanterne Rouges. In the 1979 Tour de France he set out in pursuit of the extra income and celebrity of last place, and went further, announcing it to the press and cultivating publicity throughout the Tour.
The Classic Lanterne Rouge Duel
In the same year, French rider Philippe Tesnière, who had been Lanterne Rouge the previous year, also set his sights on the prize.
The two pitted wits and strategies against each other through the race, coming down to a final time trial where last place depended on achieving a fairly exact percentage of the expected winner’s time – it was Bernard Hinault that year. Too much faster and you wouldn’t be last. Slower and you would be eliminated from the race. It was Schönbacher who gauged it correctly.
Lanterne Rouge – 2018 Tour de France
Lawson Craddock has the unusual distinction of attaining the Lanterne Rouge position on the first stage of 2018 and holding it through the entire race. No one else has ever done that. Unlike many who achieved the Lanterne Rouge by calculation or maneuvering, Craddock suffered a bad crash in the first stage, and battled his way through the race with injuries but without being eliminated – a notable feat of bravery (and suffering) and well worth recognition.
Even so, the Lanterne Rouge is not quite so prized these days. Because compensation has changed so much as the sport has reached a higher profile, post-tour appearance fees are largely a thing of the past. Now for riders at least, the “honor” is more of what we might expect – a bit of a joke, kind of embarrassing, and certainly not achieved on purpose.
The story of the Lanterne Rouge and the riders who achieved it is actually a great insight into the Tour de France itself.
Lanterne Rouge: The Last Man in the Tour de France, by Max Leonard, covers a lot of fascinating and very amusing stories behind the Tour and the people who run it and race it. A highly recommended summer read!
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When National Public Radio runs a story about the Tour de France it’s unusual enough to make us perk up our ears, and appreciate the exposure for our sport. When the coverage is focused on a group pushing for a women’s Tour de France, we really pay attention.
Their recent story followed a group of women drawing attention to their demand for a full Women’s Tour de France.
Known as J-1 – which stands for Jour minus 1 – the group of 13 women, with support staff and vehicles, and around 400 supporters who join in along the way, are riding the entire Tour de France route, one day ahead of the men. Their progress is a lot slower of course, as they contend with traffic and inconvenience. They do not compete to win, but aim to show that women can complete the same route as the men.
The NPR coverage adds to a lot of media stories this year, asking why there is no women’s equivalent to the Tour de France.
There is la Course, a one day event raced over part of a TDF stage, and organized as part of the Tour de France.
Annemiek van Vleuten pictured winning the 2018 la Course on the official website
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This year’s la Course was among the most exciting ever, with a nail-biting duel fought over a major climb and perilous descent, with a last minute surge to snatch the win. It showed that women’s bike racing delivers just as much excitement and drama as men’s racing.
The 10 day Giro Rosa is already well established as a women’s equivalent to the Giro d’Italia, and together with high profile pro women’s stage races in the UK, US and Australia proves the formula can work with the right support.
It’s not that the idea of a Women’s Tour hasn’t been tried. Digging into the background of the various events that have so far filled in as the Women’s Tour de France, it’s clear that there are a lot of obstacles to overcome to stage a major Tour de France equivalent, even beyond the often cited issue of sexism among the Tour’s and sport’s governing bureaucracies.
The beginnings of the Women’s Tour de France – 1984-1989
Back in 1984, the first Tour de France Féminine (Women’s Tour de France) was won by American rider Marianne Martin. It was a curtain-raising event for the Tour de France, by the same organizers, and actually lasted three weeks, ran over the same course as the men’s race with modified stages, earlier in each racing day.
Even then it was a shoestring affair, with not nearly enough support or exposure, but it was a close equivalent of the men’s race in length at least.
That version of the Women’s Tour de France was reduced to two weeks after a couple of years, and slowly dwindled through a name and format change until its last year in 1989, when political and organizational problems added to the difficulties of securing sponsors and media coverage.
It seems simply not enough people payed attention.
Rebirth of the Women’s Tour de France – 1992-2009
In 1992 a separate organization tried to create the missing Women’s Tour de France as the Tour Cycliste Féminin. Another name change was forced in 1998, when the owners of the Tour de France enforced their copyright on the word “Tour.”
It was an enormous struggle to find sponsors and cities to accommodate this version of the Women’s Tour de France. That made awful conditions for the riders, with extremely long transfers, not enough time for sleep, cramped and difficult accommodations and transport.
Prizes went unpaid, and were pitifully small to begin with.
As the Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale, the race continued until 2009, gradually succumbing to the same list of problems as its predecessor.
Current state of the Women’s Tour de France – 2013 to present
The company behind the Tour de France, A.S.O., added la Course to the Tour de France agenda in 2013. It seems the vision was always to grow the race into a true Women’s Tour de France, but it has never been a smooth path. La Course has mostly been a single day event, two days at most.
Even so, the standard of racing has been increasing and the showcase of exciting, hard-contested women’s races has helped fuel the demand for full equity.
Hope for the Women’s Tour de France – soon?
At last the state of professional women’s sports and public enthusiasm for them seems to have reached a new level, and the people running the events and sport’s governing bodies are being cajoled or convinced to get on the same page.
The head of ASO, Tour de France’s owner and organizer, recently said that a standalone women’s tour is almost inevitable, “and the sooner the better.”
The French president of the International Cycling Union has said he wants to witness a women’s Tour de France before his tenure ends in 2021.
Many are calling for a return to the original format – the women’s race staged along the same course, with modifications, run earlier in the same day. Others would like to see a separate event, Giro style, with 7 to 10 stages over similar routes to the main TDF.
The difficulties seem the same as ever – sponsorship and media attention. What seems different now are attitudes to professional women’s sports, and voices within the organizing bodies responding to the complaints of the athletes and the gentle demands of activists like the women covered by NPR, riding the TDF route one day ahead of the men.
Crowds already lined up along the route cheer for them, just as for the men the next day.
As one of the riders, Tetiana Kalachova, said in the NPR piece: “When you come to the mountains, you climb, and you have all these people cheering you up, believing in you. And even if though you don’t have any more force, you just push on. You just stand up and finish that. So it’s enormous source of energy. It’s a great feeling.”
Surely a sign that riders competing in a Women’s Tour de France is a spectacle people are eager to see.
The 2018 Tour de France heads into Paris today – July 29th, and if there are no last moment disasters Geraint Thomas will keep his yellow jersey and enter the history books as winner of the 2018 Tour de France.
He scored a few other notable achievements in this Tour: the only rider ever to win the famed Alpe d’Huez stage wearing the yellow jersey; one of only a few “domestiques” to eclipse his team leader to win the Tour.
But what a Tour de France! Surprise sprints, crushing crashes, amazing attacks, champions cracking as new ones emerged. Let’s take a look at the highlights, and get ready for a Parisian Wrap Up…
From the kick off in the Vendée, the 2018 Tour de France was a thrill ride.
Columbian rider Fernando da Gaviria snatched two impressive sprint stage victories, but had to withdraw mid-way though the race.
Richie Porte, Froome’s former team mate and a pre-race favorite, crashed out of the Tour on the Roubaix stage, changing the dynamic among the contenders for the remainder of the race.
Rigoberto Uran, another serious contender, crashed in the same stage and withdrew a few stages later due to the injuries he received.
Greg Van Avarmaet landed in the yellow jersey thanks to team BMC’s performance in the team time trial in stage 3, then stamped his authority on the race to hold onto yellow for eight days, through the hill stages.
Peter Sagan defended his points jersey and racked up three stage wins – more than any other rider this year. He will tie Erik Zabel’s record five Green Jersey wins when he completes the ride into Paris. After a nasty crash on a wet Pyrenean descent in stage 17 there were moments when it didn’t seem completely certain that he would make it.
Julian Alaphillipe put a strong hold on the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey from the second week on, and ranked well in the points competition also.
Pierre Latour prevailed in the hotly contested struggle for the white jersey, with a series of impressive performances.
Mark Cavendish set out to hunt down Mercx’s record 34 stage wins, but came up empty handed and fell behind the time limit in stage 11, along with other sprinters.
Chris Froome, the pre-race favorite, succumbed to fatigue in the Pyrenees, while Geraint Thomas, the team mate who had been in a support role, stepped into the yellow jersey mid-race and proved himself the stronger rider. Thomas consolidated his lead on the steeper ascents of the Pyrenees, and maintained control of the race through the third week.
Froome shows there’s a good reason so few riders have won both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same year – they are just too close together, and his Giro win in June clearly cost him some endurance in the crucial third week.
Craziest moments of the 2018 tour de France
A protest by farmers led to the peloton being inadvertently sprayed with tear gas, team Sky and Froome in particular endured vocal abuse and physical violence throughout the race, and to cap that off an over-enthusiastic gendarme pulled Froome off his bike after a stage was over, breaking the frame and drawing out a very strongly worded response.
Most exciting stage of the 2018 tour de France?
Possibly the cobblestone stage to Roubaix, where the sheer spectacle of the toughest riding conditions and random luck came to the fore, particularly Porte’s crash and Sagan’s stage win.
Another strong contender: stage 12 in the Alps, when Thomas showed his strength on Alpe d’Huez, in a day of intense attacks and endless climbing.
But my vote is for stage 17 – the shortest stage in decades, designed to produce decisive action with several serious climbs in the Pyrenees. This was the day Thomas defended against many attacks and sealed the deal on the yellow jersey. Quintana had not won a stage since his debut Tour de France in 2013, but mounted a perfectly timed attack to claim an impressive win, jumping up in the rankings to be within potential reach of a podium finish.
The excitement lasted right up to the nail-biting last moments of the penultimate stage: Saturday’s individual time trial brought the expected showdown between the four top placed riders, all of whom have world class time trial credentials.
Thomas set the fastest splits of the day, but faded in the last third of the stage. It was still more than enough to retain his overall lead, so the day became a battle for the other podium positions.
Chris Froome had slipped from second to fourth in the overall standings, but pulled out a strong ride to gain a good margin over Primoz Roglic and make it back onto the podium. Froome and Tom Dumoulin were neck and neck through the stage’s splits, Dumoulin winning the stage by just one second to retain second place overall.
Today we enjoy the fun of a sprint stage against the backdrop of the sights of Paris, while the winners enjoy champagne in the peloton.
It won’t be easy, but seriously, here’s how you win the Tour de France.
It’s the rider who completes the course in the shortest time that will win the Tour de France, of course. Here’s how you could accomplish that, if you got the chance.
The first step is the easiest: Get yourself into the top ranks of the pro bike racing circuit. Sorry, but after that it’s all going to be uphill.
Tour de France riders are an inspiring bunch, remarkable for the talent and dedication it takes just to get to the starting line.
Many of these riders are very visible in the early stages, which tend to be flat, or only a little hilly, with dramatic sprint finishes, and lots of intermediate sprints offering points for the green jersey contenders.
The sprinters and more powerful riders tend to shine in these early stages, and it’s possible for them to accumulate a good time advantage over some of the pre-race favorites. However, these guys never actually win the Tour de France. Why is that?
In the second week of the race the hills become steeper and longer, with a few mountains thrown in for the polka dot jersey competition, but still lots of sprint points up for grabs.
Peter Sagan winning a sprint stage of the Tour de France, with Greg Van Avermaet wearing yellow a few places behind. Photo credit: vectornews.eu
In these stages the “puncheurs” come to the fore. These riders can maintain speed on the flats and through multiple short steep hills along the route, and still have energy for an uphill sprint at the end. Slovakian rider Peter Sagan is a great example. He dominated the points competition for five previous Tours, and now a sixth.
Col du Glandon, France – 23 July 2015: Tour vehicles make their way along the road to Col du Glandon in the Alps, during stage 18 of the Tour de France 2015.We saw Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet wearing yellow for more than a week this year, through this phase of the race. He’s a good example of the strong, gutsy riders who do well in these conditions. They can battle all day in breakaways, and still win a sprint or open a gap on a category 2 or 3 mountain finish. Unfortunately for Van Avermaet, he faded once the race reached the Alps.
The mountains are the key to the big stage races like the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta d’Espana, and many others. Since it all depends on finding opportunities to open time gaps on the other riders, and being able to defend your advantage, riders who excel at the kind of bike riding that allows larger time advantages are always the ones to win the Tour de France.
That would be the “grimpeurs,” the mountain climbing specialists.
Let’s look at how a grand tour stage race works.
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How to Win the Tour de France – Sprint stages: spectacular finishes for points and glory
Chartres, France – July 13, 2018: Dutch cyclist Dylan Groenewegen celebrates his victory in Chartres after the longest stage, Fougeres-Chartres, of the Tour de France 2018.
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In the early sprint stages, the pure sprinters finish at the front of the race, bursting out from a massive peloton of riders at the very end. This year we saw young Columbian rider Fernando Gaviria snatch two convincing sprint stage victories. Sagan and Dutch rider Dylan Groenevegen also grabbed a couple of stages each. They rarely cleared the other riders by more than a few seconds. Most times the G.C. riders (contenders to win the Tour de France General Classification) will be somewhere in the peloton, having been paced along by their team mates.
Because it’s impossible to determine individual finish times when there are a hundred or more all crossing the line in a big bunch, everyone in the peloton is given the same time as the rider at the front. So, as a future winner of the Tour de France, your job for those early sprint stages is simple – be in the peloton.
How to Win the Tour de France – Hill stages: breakaways and surprises
Mailleroncourt-Saint-Pancras, France – July 5, 2017: The breakaway approaching La Planche des Belle Filles during stage 5 of Tour de France 2017.
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On the rolling and hilly stages in the middle of the race, it’s common for a breakaway group to contest the finish. They may clear the peloton by a couple of minutes or so.
If the breakaway includes only riders who are not considered G.C. threats, the peloton won’t waste energy trying to catch them and they may open a considerable time gap, but it won’t matter later on.
Again, your mission is to stay safe in the peloton.
How to Win the Tour de France – Mountain stages: dramatic scenery, decisive moves
Col de Manse, France – July 16, 2013: Portuguese cyclist Rui Alberto Costa completes the ascent to Col de Manse, on his way to winning stage 16 of 100th edition of Le Tour de France 2013.
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Once in the mountains, the G.C. riders dominate the racing. They can finish several minutes clear of their rivals and 15 or 30 minutes in front of the main field.
On a stage crossing several summits, a few climbing specialist team mates will pace and assist the team leader to keep him strategically placed and conserve his energy. When the moment is right, maybe on the last climb, or earlier if key opponents seem weak, or some strategic opportunity appears, the leader may attack and put everything into opening a gap that rivals can’t bridge.
The Sky team supporting Britain’s Chris Froome has done this consistently through all the Tours since 2012. In the key mountain stages Froome has been ever present, dueling with other contenders, smacking the hammer down, or grimly hanging on to limit losses – always with team members giving it their all to keep him in the right place.
Froome has had the support of Australian Richie Porte and Welshman Geraint Thomas for a few seasons. As we see in this year’s Tour, Thomas is in yellow himself and is a strong contender in his own right. Porte crashed out in the tough Roubaix stage, but was on the short list of race favorites for his new team.
Over the course of several mountain stages the strongest climbers can open up serious time gaps. Even if they gain only a few seconds per stage, it might add up to a minute or two cumulatively, and at the top level that becomes extremely hard to overcome.
That makes it clear: to win the Tour de France you have to be a climber, no way around it.
And you have to have a great team. No way around that either.
One more skill that will help you win the Tour de France: time trials
Beaurouvre,France, July 27, 2012 – Briton Sir Bradley Wiggins wearing the Yellow Jersey during the 19th stage – a time trial between Bonneval and Chartres, that helped him win the Tour de France 2012.
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This is another type of racing where a specialist can create a significant margin. This type of racing calls for power and discipline together. Sometimes TTs are mountainous, which of course favors the climbers, sometimes they’re quite flat. Either way, it’s not unusual for someone like Chris Froome, who excels at both climbing and time trials, to open a crucial gap, or cement his leading position on a time trial stage.
This year may deliver an exciting showdown with the individual time trial on the penultimate day. As of stage 12, the top three G.C. riders are Chris Froome, Holland’s Tom Dumoulin, who is even better at time trials and is a strong climber, and Geraint Thomas, who is already in yellow, is also a time trial champion, and is proving himself a more than worthy climber in this tour.
So, if you want to win the Tour de France, here’s your checklist:
Be well placed in all the flat and rolling stages – not necessarily at the head of the race, but very close to the finishing times of your rivals.
Be aggressive and opportunistic, so you can seize chances to gain large time advantages, especially in the mountains.
But not too aggressive, since you also have to avoid crashing, and being too exhausted in the third week.
Defend your advantage – if one of your rivals attacks, be able to do whatever it takes to limit their advantage in the stage to less than your advantage overall.
Calculate – know the time differential between you and any other rival, be ready to adjust your race strategy and effort to defend against attacks from any of them.
Be dogged, consistent and never have a bad day.
Best of luck if you try!
Myself, I think I’ll compete for the couch potato classification as I follow the Tour, and maybe enjoy a TDF party.
Let’s watch the last week of the 2018 Tour de France unfold and celebrate the amazing riders who can tick all those boxes.
The race leaders line up for the start of a stage in the 2012 Tour de France
Most everyone knows about the coveted yellow jersey of the Tour de France, worn by the rider who has accumulated the least time in the race. But what about the other hotly contested Tour de France jersey colors – green, white, and polka dot?
The battle for the honor of wearing each of the Tour de France jerseys can be just as intense as that for the overall leadership, making for a series of races within the race.
Not too surprising really. The distinction of winning any Tour de France jersey boosts appearance fees for seasons afterward, along with the status it brings.
Tour de France Yellow Jersey, or Maillot Jaune – for the General Classification
Chris Froome wearing the yellow jersey in the 2015 Tour
At the start of each stage, the rider with the shortest time so far wears the “Maillot Jaune” for that day. At the end of the race the yellow jersey goes to the overall winner, and they have the distinction of wearing a yellow arm band in any future TDF they ride in.
In fact, the G.C. leader only wore a yellow armband in the early Tours, 1903 onward – the yellow jersey wasn’t introduced until 1919.
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Tour de France Jersey Fun Facts – Yellow Jersey
The leader was distinguished by the color yellow because the original race sponsor’s newspaper, l’Auto, was printed on yellow paper.
It’s possible to win the tour overall without ever winning a stage, since it’s the accumulated time that counts, and not placement in stages. That has happened seven times, most recently by Chris Froome in 2017.
It’s also possible to never wear the yellow jersey until after the race. Just two riders have done that, decades ago, both attaining the shortest overall time only on the last stage.
Eddy Mercx has the record for the most days wearing the yellow jersey – 96. If Chris Froome manages to lead the race for 2 days this year he will surpass Miguel Indurain to reach 3rd place on that list. Indurain spent 60 days in yellow, while at #2, Bernard Hinault racked up 75 days. Looks like “The Cannibal’s” mark is safe for a while.
Fabian Cancellara spent the most days in yellow without actually winning – 29 days over 6 Tours.
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Tour de France Green Jersey, or Maillot Vert – for the Points Classification
Peter Sagan in an individual time trial, 2016 Tour
Points are awarded for finishing in the first few places at the end of each stage, and at key intermediate sprints during most stages. It’s not the time that counts, the keys to the green jersey are finishing consistently well in high scoring stages, and being close to the front of the race for as many intermediate sprints as possible.
It’s often thought of as the sprinters’ prize, because more points are up for grabs in the flatter stages. In fact it is more often won by an all-rounder, someone who can sprint on both flat stages and short steep hill finishes (a “Puncheur” in cycling lingo), and even do well in the mountains.
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Tour de France Jersey Fun Facts – Green Jersey
Recently Peter Sagan has dominated the Tour de France Green Jersey competition, winning 5 times in the last several years, and looking to defend in the 2018 Tour de France as well. If he manages it he will tie Erik Zabel for most Green Jersey wins.
The jersey is green because the original sponsor of the points prize was a lawn mower manufacturer.
The green jersey became the red jersey for just one year, 1968, following the corporate color of that year’s sponsor.
Only two riders have won both Points and Overall classifications – Eddy Mercx and Bernard Hinault, both in the 1970s.
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Tour de France Polka Dot Jersey, or Maillot a Pois Rouges – for the Mountains Classification
Fredrik Kessiakoff wears polka dots
The polka dot jersey is worn by the King of the Mountains, or KOM. Like the other jerseys, it is calculated each day, this time by winning points at the top of climbs along the route.
The mountains of the Tour de France are rated by difficulty, with most points available on the hardest climbs. A category 4 mountain will have a single point for just the first rider to cross the line. Category 1 and the “off the charts” HC, or Hors Categorie (which translates as beyond classification) will offer many more points for up to the first 10 places.
Like the sprint points, KOM points can be won at each of the summits along a route that includes several climbs, so quite a bit of strategy and calculation come into play.
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Tour de France Jersey Fun Facts – Polka Dot Jersey
Occasionally, the G.C. winner also wins the KOM competition. Chris Froome did this most recently in 2013.
Richard Virenque holds the record for most Tour de France Polka Dot Jersey wins – seven.
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Tour de France White Jersey, or Maillot Blanc – for the Young Rider Classification
Thibaut Pinot wears the white jersey, individual time trial stage
This is the equivalent of the yellow jersey, but only for riders under 26 years of age.
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Tour de France Jersey Fun Facts – White Jersey
The Young Rider Classification was introduced in 1975. Before that a white jersey was awarded in the Combination Classification, for the rider best placed across all the Points, Mountains and G.C. categories.
Only four riders have won both the General and Young Rider classifications in the same year: Laurent Fignon (1983), Jan Ullrich (1997), Alberto Contador (2007), and Andy Schleck (2010).
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Other colorful awards in the Tour de France
Most combative – red number
The rider who races most aggressively, or shows the most “fighting spirit,” gets a prize and wears a red number with white digits the next day. It is often awarded to the rider who does the most to keep a breakaway clear of the peloton, but the judges recognize many different displays of spirit. Michael Matthews won it when he completed a stage in agony two days after breaking his ribs in a crash in 2015.
An overall prize for Super-Combativity is awarded at the end of the race. Eddy Mercx leads the pack in that category – “The Cannibal” won it four times, including the first time he raced the Tour de France in 1969, when he swept the Points and Mountains classifications as well. He’s still the only rider ever to do that.
Team classification – yellow number
Awarded to the team with the lowest accumulated time for its top three riders – yellow numbers with black digits, and the option of wearing yellow helmets.
And – sort of – the Lanterne Rouge
The last placed rider still in the race is the lanterne rouge, like the red light on a caboose. In some tours they carried a red light on the bike, and there was actually competition for the honor.
You can still score our “Green Jersey:” Breakaway Mesh Sleeveless in Vendee Jade – still a few available in limited sizes, don’t miss this classic![/one-third]
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Your Guide to the Tour de France 2018 – Who and What to Watch Out For This Year
This year the Tour start is on an island on the West coast, in the Vendee region (close to the Loire). The race loops around France to finish on the Champs d’Elysee in Paris on July 29th.
And they’re off…
The first stage brought a surprising, but pleasing result, as Columbian rider, Fernando Gaviria, left half a length of air between his bike and Sagan’s in the bunch sprint, and steps into the yellow jersey.
There’s lots to anticipate, and at this early stage many more surprises are surely waiting for us. Here’s what to know as you watch the race develop.
Tour de France 2018 Riders To Watch
The favorite – Chris Froome was surrounded by controversy heading into this tour, with an investigation into a high test level of asthma medication last year. He was cleared to race a few days ago, but public reaction is still very negative. Details here. Even without that going on, Froome won the Giro d’Italia with an amazing comeback performance only a few weeks ago, and not many riders have accomplished the double. Will he be too tired? Undoubtedly he has the mental toughness required, and is supported by a strong team. Once considered a bit of a dull rider for a Tour champion, he showed remarkable resourcefulness and grit in the last couple of Tours, launching surprise attacks that won the races. Whatever you think, he’s the one to watch.
Tour de France 2018 Contenders
Quintana – suffered a setback in the opening stage with an unfortunately timed flat, but a brilliant climber with a great team. Don’t count him out.
Valverde – Quintana’s team mate could be the alpha depending on how their performances shape up. He has the legs to win in the mountains.
Bardet – young French rider of great talent and courage, getting stronger each year.
Nibali – a previous TDF winner, who gets stronger in the third week and has a strong sense of strategy.
Porte – rode for years in support of Froome, and proved he’s capable both physically and mentally. Now he’s leading a new team he may have the chance to prove himself.
Fun Riders to Watch
Bardet – courageous young rider capable of great things, contender for the white jersey and, surely one of these years, the yellow;
Sagan – not just a world-class sprinter, but road race world champion and versatile enough to carry even hilly stages with a sprint finish. He also brings humor and charm in abundance. Defending a string of green jerseys;
Voekler – fun to keep an eye on because he’s always looking for a chance to mix things up;
The great sprinters: Greipel, Kittel, Cavendish, Debenkolb, Kristoff, Boasson Hagen: amazing power and prowess from all these guys in the right conditions.
Chasing records
Froome – another win would make 5, and place him in a very select group of racing legends;
Cavendish – closing in on Eddy Merxc’s record of 34 TDF stage wins. He needs 4 to tie, and won 4 stages in 2016. Keep an eye out this year.
The Tour de France 2018 Route – Tougher Than Ever
This year the tour stays in France, except for a minor excursion into Spain in the Pyrenees, late in the race.
The route begins on the West coast, and sweeps up to the North for a series of flat or only moderately hilly days, which favor the dramatic bunch finishes where the sprinters shine. Great fun to watch!
In a change from most previous years, the route takes the riders into the Alps in the East, bordering Switzerland and Italy, before heading to the Pyrenees in the South West, bordering Spain.
Usually the riders are severely tested in the Pyrenees before heading into the classic climbs of the Alps, which always seem longer, harder, and more strategically decisive in the later stages of the race.
More than the change in sequence, this year’s route is tougher because it includes more days of harder mountain climbs than usual – long, grueling days where riders are pushed to their limits of strength and endurance – over and over.
This year also includes parts of the infamous Paris-Roubaix route, which tests riders and bikes in other ways. Those who cannot maintain top speed through the constant battering of miles and miles of often muddy cobblestones may lose a lot of time here.
Tour de France 2018 Stages Not To Be Missed
Individual and team strategy is always a crucial part of the Tour de France, and is fascinating to follow.
This year, individual time trials, a team time trial, the brutal cobblestone stage, and any of the serious climbing stages, will be the places to watch riders attempt to gain big time advantages.
Stage 9: Arras to Roubaix, Sunday July 15
This is when the race hits the cobblestones. It will be a key strategic stage, where luck also plays a huge role. One of those days when you can just watch in awe and say “I am glad I don’t have to do that to earn a living!”
Stage 12, Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Alpe d’Huez, Thursday, July 19
One of the early days with serious mountain climbing on this route, takes in the famed Alpe d’Huez, with it’s legendary hairpin curves, and which has been the key climb of the race in many Tours.
Stage 17, Bagnères-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan/Col-de-Portet, Wednesday, July 25
An unusually short stage, packing 3 serious climbs. Riders will have energy and motivation: expect fireworks.
Stage 20, Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Espelette, 31km individual time trial, Saturday, July 28
The individual time trial on the next to last day could give someone an opportunity to leapfrog the overall standings at the last minute. Not so dramatic to watch unless you’re an enthusiast, but this could be a decisive day for the Tour.
What’s the best way to follow the Tour de France 2018?
NBC has the broadcast rights in the US, and offers an app that does a great job of keeping you in the moment, with live coverage and lots of stats.
If you don’t want or need to shell out fifty bucks for the app, the official Tour de France site is a great alternative.
We’re mostly bike and/or race nuts here at Terry, so it’s hard not to be immersed in the Tour. The live feed coverage is a great way to keep a handle on the progress of the race and still get your work done – not as immersive as video but you can still experience the drama and strategy as the stages unfold.
TERRY UNVEILS AN INSPIRED TOUR COLLECTION FOR SUMMER 2016.
This limited edition collection is dedicated to the Tour de France and designed with performance in mind by the Original Women’s Bicycling Company. Integrating sleeveless and sun protective jerseys, printed shorts and matching gloves, these kits are podium-worthy and ready to ride. On the vision for this collection, VP of Marketing, Paula Dyba:
“From Normandy’s Mont-St-Michel through the flower fields of Limoges, the climb up Mont Ventoux to the arrival in Paris, our tribute to the Tour is bright and fierce.”
DEPART A L’ARRIVEE: 2016 LIMITED EDITION TOUR COLLECTION.
Sun Goddess Jersey:
Our tribute to the start of the Tour in Normandy is available only in our highly rated Sun Goddess. 10” front zipper; racer back; 2 rear open pockets; wicking fabric with UPF 50+ and anti-odor protection; available in sizes XS-XXL; $65 suggested retail. COLORS: Normandy, Sunflower Dots.
Breakaway Mesh Jersey:
Designed with high viz, high flying, prints – these jerseys reflect everything we love about the Tour. This best-selling jersey is created with fast-wicking fabric, UPF 50+ and anti-odor protection; 10” front zipper; 2 rear open pockets; available in sizes XS-XXL; $65 suggested retail. COLORS: Paris, Stages.
Soleil Top:
Graceful and simply styled, this tribute to the arrival in Paris also limits the harmful effects of sun exposure with lightweight, UPF 50+ protection. Made of micropoly spandex, crew neck styling and 3 open rear pockets. Available in sizes XS-XXL; suggested retail $89. COLOR: Tower.
NEWPrinted Peloton Short:
Our first-ever, printed bottom features laser cut leg bands with custom Tour inspired printing on the left leg. Designed with the premium Flex chamois, 6 panel construction and premium Italian fabric with moderate compression; available in sizes XS-XXL; $99 suggested retail. COLORS: Liberty, Sunflower.
Signature Gloves:
Designed to be super breathable, these gloves feature padded mesh palms, adjustable wrist cuffs, and microfiber thumbs; provide shock protection and a precision grip. Made in Italy and available in sizes XS-L; suggested retail $40. COLOR: Liberty, Sunflower.
About Terry
For over 30 years, TERRY has been dedicated to getting more women riding bikes. TERRY apparel and saddles for both women and men are designed to improve the ride for all levels of cyclists and are distributed by better bike shops and major retailers across the US. From serious gear to recreational fun, TERRY positions itself as a brand for all, where technical performance and feminine style ride in tandem.
The story of the Lanterne Rouge and the riders who achieved it is actually a great insight into the Tour de France itself. 
