July 25, 2017

On Sunday, July 23, British cyclist Chris Froome raced to his fourth Tour de France victory in the last five years. The 32-year-old Froome, who previously won in 2013, 2015, and 2016, crossed the finish line with a 54-second lead over second-place rider Rigoberto Urán of Colombia. The race, nicknamed la Grande Boucle (the Big Loop), is one of the most popular sporting events in the world.

British cyclist Chris Froome wears the leader’s yellow jersey near the end of the Tour de France in Paris, France. Credit: © Frederic Legrand, COMEO/Shutterstock

Wearing the leader’s distinctive yellow jersey, Froome coasted through the largely ceremonial 21^st and final stage, finishing on the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Froome, a member of Team Sky, marveled at riding through the Beaux-Arts Grand Palais exhibition hall—a unique “tunnel” added this year—on the way to the finish line. The majestic glass-roofed Grand Palais was built in 1897 for a world’s fair. Froome rode just behind the final stage’s leader in a comfortable pack amidst thousands of cheering fans and multiple layers of police and other security.

Tour de France racers pedal through the tough mountain stages in the Alps of southeastern France. Credit: © Bogdan Cristel, Reuters

This year—the 104^th Tour de France—the race began July 1 in šDüsseldorf, Germany, and ran through Belgium and Luxembourg before stretching the bulk of its 2,200 miles (3,540 kilometers) through France. The French route took 198 riders to Chambéry in the Alps before a rest-day air transfer carried them west to the Dordogne department (administrative district). Tough stages in the Pyrenees mountains led riders back to the Alps before they raced through Provence to Marseille on the Mediterranean coast. Another air transfer carried the racers to the Parisian suburb of Montgeron for the big finish.

Froome ran near the top in most stages, but won the Tour de France without ever actually finishing first. The race is won by overall time, and nobody else ran the entire race in less time than Froome. The race’s 21 stages were won by 15 different riders. Marcel Kittel of Germany won five stages before a crash forced him from the race during stage 17.

Froome wore the maillot jaune (yellow jersey) as the race’s leader from stage 14 through the finish. Briton Simon Yates donned the maillot blanc (white jersey) as the race’s best young rider (his twin brother, Adam, won last year’s white jersey). Warren Barguil of France earned the maillot à pois (polka dot jersey) as the race’s best climber in the tough mountain stages. The maillot vert (green jersey) went to Australia’s Michael Matthews as the overall leader in points (awarded for consistently high stage finishes). The Tour de France is one of three major touring races of cycling; the others are the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.

July 27, 2016

On Sunday, July 24, British cyclist Chris Froome raced to his third Tour de France victory in the last four years. The 31-year-old Froome, who previously won in 2013 and 2015, established a comfortable 4-minute lead over the race’s grueling first 20 stages and 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers). Wearing the leader’s distinctive yellow jersey, Froome coasted through the largely ceremonial 21^st and final stage, finishing on the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris arm-in-arm with other members of his Team Sky. As Froome accepted the winner’s trophy, he reflected on the terrorist attack that took place 10 days earlier in Nice, France, as the cyclists competed roughly 175 miles (280 kilometers) away. “This Tour has obviously taken place against the backdrop of terrible events in Nice and we pay tribute to those who have lost their lives,” he said. “These events put sport into perspective but it also shows the value of sport to free society.”

British cyclist Chris Froome (wearing the leader’s yellow jersey) and Peter Sagan of Slovakia (in green) ride with the pack down the Champs-Élysées in the final stage of the Tour de France. Credit: © Christophe Ena, AP Photo

Froome, a veteran racer, stayed near the front during the tour’s first week before snatching the lead in stage 8 at Bagnères-de-Luchon on the Spanish border. On Bastille Day, July 14 (the day of the Nice attack), Froome crashed ascending Mont Ventoux in Provence, disabling his bicycle. Losing time, he trotted up the course on foot until the arrival of a replacement bike. In the Swiss Alps, Froome pulled away from the pack, padding his lead despite another crash coming down the mountains on stage 19. Two days later, he completed his second straight Tour de France victory. Only two rest days are included over the course of the three-week endurance event.

French cyclist Romain Bardet finished second in the race, followed closely by Colombia’s Nairo Quintana and the United Kingdom’s Adam Yates. Aside from the race winner’s maillot jaune (yellow jersey), the maillot blanc (white jersey) signifies the race’s best young rider (worn by Yates); the best climber in the tough mountain stages wears the maillot à pois rouges (polka dot jersey); and the maillot vert (green jersey) marks the overall leader in points (awarded for consistently high stage finishes). This year, the climbing “King of the Mountain” was Rafal Majka of Poland, while Slovakia’s Peter Sagan won the green jersey. The Tour de France is one of three major touring races of cycling; the others are the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.

Other World Book article:

• Bicycle racing
• Bastille Day Terror in France

July 27, 2015,

The pack, with Britain’s Chris Froome wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, rides down the Champs Elysees in Paris during the 102nd Tour de France cycling race. Credit: © Christophe Ena, AP Photo

Cyclist Chris Froome of Team Sky won his second Tour de France yesterday, making him the first British cyclist to win the Tour twice. The race is run each year for more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers). This year, the 102nd edition of the race,  began on July 4 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The race always ends on the Champs Elysees, a famous avenue in Paris. The Tour de France is one of three major touring races of cycling, the others being the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.

The Tour de France race is divided into 20 days, called stages. The 21st stage of the Tour, in Paris, is ceremonial and not actually part of the race. The rider who leads at the end of a racing stage wears a yellow jersey for the next stage and continues to wear it until he loses the lead. Chris Froome captured the yellow jersey for stage 4, and again at stage 7. After stage 7, Froome held the yellow jersey to the end of the race.

Froome was challenged in the last few stages by a 25-year-old from Colombia, Nairo Quintana, riding for Team Movistar. Quintana’s time was 1 minute 12 seconds behind Froome’s time of 84 hours 46 minutes 14 seconds.

Other World Book article:

• Bicycle racing