Tour de France

Tour de France

The Tour de France is the most important bike race in the pro road cycling calendar. It is an annual multiple-stage race held primarily in France every summer, occasionally venturing into surrounding countries.   It comprises 21 stages that take place over 23 days, which consist of flat, hilly, mountainous terrain, as well as individual time trial races.
Matej Mohorič Bianchi Specialissima RC at the 2026 Tour de France Continental tyre.

Raw carbon frames and weight-weenie hacks: 9 ways Tour de France riders make their bikes lighter

Pro hacks for a lighter bike for the climbs
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Alpe d'Huez during the Tour de France

The 10 most iconic climbs in Tour de France history, ranked

With the 2026 Tour de France reaching its crescendo in the Alps, we reveal the 10 most iconic ascents in the history of the race
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ALPE D'HUEZ, FRANCE - JULY 24: Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow Leader Jersey celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 113th Tour de France 2026, Stage 19 a 127.9km stage from Gap to Alpe d'Huez 1835m / #UCIWT / on July 24, 2026 in Alpe d'Huez, France. (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)

Tadej Pogačar wins on Alpe d’Huez to finally break Marco Pantani's 29-year-old record

Pogačar breaks record that stood for nearly three decades
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Thomas Pidcock riding Alpe d'Huez during 2022 Tour de France.

21 switchbacks and a lightning-fast record: the history of Alpe d’Huez at the Tour de France in numbers 

It’s one of the icons of the Tour de France and among its toughest climbs, but what’s behind the ski resort’s unique place in the race’s history?
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Tour de France 2022 in Alpe d'Huez

How Alpe d'Huez became the Tour de France's favourite climb

The final battle for this year’s Tour will take place on the slopes of Alpe d’Huez. We look back at how this relatively recent addition became the race’s most celebrated climb
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Shimano netural service bike Tour de France 2026

Watch our Shimano Neutral Service bike check: the 10-year-old bike still being used at the Tour de France

Simon von Bromley explains why no pro wants to ride this bike, until they have to
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Tadej Pogačar drinking from bottle.

Pogačar's new lactate super fuel is a "breakthrough" in sports nutrition, but should you believe the hype?

Enervit's new lactate gel mix has been called a 'breakthrough' in sports nutrition, but skepticism remains
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Team Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe is photographed during LaVision PIV testing at Catesby Tunnel in Birmingham, United Kingdom on September 30, 2025. // George Marshall / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202510141054 // Usage for editorial use only //

4 performance innovations pro cyclists are using at the 2026 Tour de France

From Tadej Pogačar’s sleep technician to riding through helium bubbles at Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, the battle for glory at the Tour de France is as competitive between the scientists as the riders
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Eddy Merckx wearing the yellow jersey at the 1974 Tour de France

Why is Eddy Merckx cycling's GOAT? And why is he the rider Tadej Pogačar is always compared to?

The Cannibal won a remarkable 525 races in an unmatchable career
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Maurice Garin 1903 Tour de France winner

1903 to 2026: how Tour de France bikes have evolved since the race began

From frames to wheels, tyres and finishing kit, here's how the Tour de France bike has evolved since the inaugural edition
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Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour de France.

UCI defends nighttime anti-doping tests at Tour de France: “the fight against doping is an absolute priority” 

Nighttime anti-doping tests at the Tour prompted the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés to say the fight against doping should respect “fundamental rights”. Now the UCI has sought to justify the disruption to riders
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Paul Seixas

Paul Seixas carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, but what makes the 19-year-old cyclist so good?

Paul Seixas is the youngest Tour de France rider in 89 years. His meteoric rise is a continuation of modern cycling’s obsession with youth
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CHOLET - JULY 15: Policemen stay nearby Festina team sportive director Bruno Roussel's car in Cholet, West of France on July 15, 1998 as he is questioned about doping. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) (Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

Is doping a problem at the Tour de France?

There have been no major scandals since the Armstrong era and anti-doping measures have been toughened up, but the issue hasn't disappeared
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Tom Pidcock using CoolMitts.

Tom Pidcock used $1,000 cooling gloves for Tour de France time trial

The Pinarello-Q36.5 rider's cooling tactic is a high-tech version of his former team's plastic tubs
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HAGETMAU, FRANCE - JULY 10: (L-R) Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Visma | Lease a Bike - Polka Dot Mountain Jersey and Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow Leader Jersey prior to the 113th Tour de France 2026, Stage 7 a 175.1km stage from Hagetmau to Bordeaux / #UCIWT / on July 10, 2026 in Hagetmau, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

"We should be testing at all times" – Tour de France's nighttime doping tests reveal a tension at the heart of professional sport

Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar's doping control tests have sparked fierce debate. An anti-doping expert tells BikeRadar that it underlines the conflict between keeping sport clean and protecting athletes
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09/06/2026 – Tour Auvergne Rhône Alpes - Etape 3 – Perreux / Perreux (CLM par équipes – 28,4 km) - Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)

Could following cars decide today's Tour de France time trial?

Study shows vehicle size and distance can make seconds’ difference to times
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Matteo Trentin BMC Timemachine Mpc at the 2026 Tour de France

The 7 hottest time trial bikes at the 2026 Tour de France ahead of stage 16

All the tech details for seven top TT bikes ahead of the stage 16 individual time trial
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What are the start times for the Tour de France stage 16 time trial?

The 2026 Tour de France's only individual time trial will be an opportunity for the riders to regain time lost in the Vosges, with the action starting from midday UK time
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Weird graphics aren’t dead – Iron Man HJC helmet debuts at Tour de France stage 16 time trial 

HJC gets to work on its time trial helmet with a comic-themed design
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TOPSHOT - UAE Team Emirates - XRG's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar celebrates on the podium with the best climber's polka dot (dotted) jersey after the 14th stage of the 113th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 155,3 km between Mulhouse and Le Markstein in the Vosges mountains, on July 18, 2026. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP via Getty Images)

An incredibly low heart rate and an unbelievable engine: the physiology of a Tour de France cyclist in numbers 

We take a look at what it takes to survive one of the world’s hardest sporting events in seven numbers
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Paul Seixas Liege - Bastogne - Liege 2026

How much money does Pogačar earn, and how does that compare to other sports’ top stars?

Cycling's highest earner still trails in the wake of other elite athletes
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09/07/2026 - Tour de France 2026 - Étape 6 - Pau / Gavarnie-Gèdre (186,2 km) - Paul SEIXAS (DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM) - Col du Tourmalet

'Teams that build AI programmes will win races' – how artificial intelligence is changing the Tour de France and pro cycling

Advanced analytics are helping Tour de France teams move beyond traditional coaching methods, using performance data, environmental factors and recovery metrics to build a more complete picture of rider fitness and unlock marginal gains.
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Eddy Mercx

The 10 greatest Tour de France riders of all time, ranked

Sorting athletes in any field can cause endless debate, but Timothy John argues his top ten Tour riders in reverse order
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