The Tour De France: The Most Famous Bicycle Race In The World

By Damian Papworth

Throughout Europe, there's no sporting event that quite manages to captivate audiences year after year, dividing friendships and families when people choose their allegiances. Is it The World Cup? That's small potatoes compared to The Tour de France.

Even more important, those European sports that might sometimes seem "wimpy" to Americans are actually more more grueling and require more endurance. Bicycle races across multiple countries and miles and miles run during soccer games are a whole lot more of an effort, after all, than just running around a baseball diamond, enjoying a whole lot of free time in the dugout.

The biggest mistake that people make when thinking about The Tour de France is thinking the race just lasts for a couple of days, or is actually not that long, but is spread out time-wise. In reality, the race is thousands of miles long, usually lasts for 21 days of continuous riding, and has been known not just to span France, but the surrounding countries, too. Riders have to navigate some of the steepest and most dangerous roads in France, and must be in peak physical shape to even think about doing a good job.

In fact, a number of riders have actually not survived The Tour de France, whether it was succumbing to heart attacks after ingesting methamphetamine while climbing part of the hills, or simply not being able to keep a bicycle on the road in times of great exhaustion. Riding the race has been compared to running in a marathon non-stop for a month, and it's no wonder why this seems an appropriate description once viewers take a single look at those treacherous mountain passes.

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.

Aside from that, the race is known for being daunting emotionally, since much time is spent alone, unsure of one's standing in the race, and dealing with the very real thought that, after the next hundred miles, 900 more are waiting. It takes a lot out of anyone, even a famous bicyclist, to compete in this race.

While Europe has long praised the race, worked itself into a fervor over the conclusion, and pointedly supported riders the way that long-term Red Sox fans root for their home team in baseball, America has gotten on board in recent years since they became one of the big winners. Ever since one of their own started pummeling the Europeans, interest in the race, and in cycling in general, has grown.

Who managed to change American opinion on The Tour de France? A single rider, Lance Armstrong, who managed to win The Tour de France not once, not twice, not three times, but SEVEN times, in a row. He managed to come back from a devastating cancer diagnosis to triumph in the race, and led to a lot of bicycling-related patriotism for those Americans who might not have even been interested in the race in the first place.

And finally the Americans understand what it is that the French, the Swiss, the Italians, and so many others have been enjoying for years and years, since the races' humble beginnings almost a hundred years ago. It's not about the sport of bicycling, so much, it's about the idea of a single person, on their own on the side of a mountain, trying to last until tomorrow. The physical and mental endurance of taking on a race that lasts almost a month is legendary, and no matter what the vehicle, worthy of a great deal of applause.

About the Author:

Damian Papworth, an enthusiastic cyclist understands how crucial hydration is in the sport, at all levels. As such, he created the Cycling Water Bottle website, offering free information on bicycle water bottles