In France, the month of July is synonymous with two major events: July 14th and the Tour de France. To highlight our French cousins' national holiday, we present to you 10 things to know about La Grande Boucle 2016.
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1-103rd edition
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Created in 1903 by Henri Desgranges to boost sales of the daily newspaper L'Auto, the Tour de France has been held every year since, with the exception of breaks during the two major wars. This year, the Tour celebrates its 103rd edition!
2- 3,535 km
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Taking place from July 2nd to 24th, the 2016 edition of the Tour will cover a total of 3535 km in 21 stages... for an average of 168.3km per day! The race crosses France counter-clockwise and makes excursions into Spain , Andorra and Switzerland. Along the way, the riders will have to climb 28 passes in the Pyrenees and the Alps before finishing the race on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.*
3- 198 cyclists
With 22 teams of 9 riders, 198 cyclists from 11 different nationalities will take part in the world's greatest cycling race. However, not all of them will finish this great athletic challenge.*
4- Jerseys
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4 leader jerseys are awarded at the end of the Tour de France. The famous yellow jersey is the leader's jersey and is awarded to the rider who has completed the entire course in the shortest amount of time. The green jersey goes to the points leader. These are awarded in intermediate and final sprints. The polka dot jersey is reserved for the best climber of the event, which is determined by, once again, points awarded at the summit of the various passes crossed by the peloton. Finally, the white jersey designates the best-ranked rider aged 25 or under in the general classification.
5- Favorites 2016
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Two riders stand out as contenders for the yellow jersey: Chris Froome, winner in 2013 and 2015, and Nairo Quintana, 2nd and winner of the white jersey in 2013 and 2015 and winner of the Giro d'Italia in 2014. However, a long list of contenders could surprise the favorites. Among them: Richie Porte, Froome's lieutenant in his two victories, and Romain Bardet, 3rd in the 2014 Tour and dominant in both climbing and descending.
6- Quebecers in the Tour
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Although not considered a favorite, Antoine Duchesne, the only Quebecer in the 2016 Tour de France, will try to honor the Beautiful Province. We wish him to succeed in achieving David Veilleux's feat of 2013, the only Quebecer in history to have completed La Grande Boucle, by crossing the finish line in Paris.
7- July 14th + Ventoux
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As we mentioned earlier, the major events in July for the French are the Tour de France and July 14th. The Tour often takes advantage of our cousins' national holiday to put on a big show. This year, you can expect fireworks, as the organizers have planned a day on the mythical Mont Ventoux. It's safe to bet that this will be an important day for anyone wishing to win the 2016 edition of the Grande Boucle. However, we can also bet that the French riders will be particularly motivated to shake things up! Also, keep an eye on Romain Bardet's white, blue, and brown jersey...
8- Queen Stage
Although Mont Ventoux will certainly offer a thrilling spectacle, the stage that is most likely to define the winner of this 2016 Tour will not take place in Provence, but rather in the Alps of Haute-Savoie. Indeed, do not miss the penultimate day, Saturday, July 23, when the riders will try one last time to don the yellow jersey. The stage will be very difficult with several passes to cross and the contender for victory will have to take risks during a dizzying descent to the line towards Morzine. Recognized as one of the most frightening descents in the history of the Tour, it's not to be missed!
9- Custom bikes 2016
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Every year, companies redouble their efforts to offer custom-painted bikes to riders to stand out from their competitors. Our favorite this year? Marcel Kittel's Venge Vias S-Works !
10- La Course by Le Tour
In addition to the men's race, the organizers of the Tour de France have created La Course for the women's peloton. Following the same route as the men on the Champs-Élysées, this race has become one of the most important moments of the season for the women's World Tour.
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You are now up to date on the biggest cycling race in the world. It's time to fire up your espresso machine, take a few minutes break at work, and watch today's stage!