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The Sports Section The Watch Lover’s Guide To The Tour De France

Come for the richard milles, stay for the sausage truck..

While most of us in the States are breaking in our flip-flops, stocking the fridge with hot dogs, and belly-flopping our way down a backyard Slip ’N Slide, the world’s 180 best cyclists have hit the roads in France to traverse more than 2,000 miles (3,000 kilometers) of brutal terrain. And yes, some of them are wearing watches. In fact, Le Tour is loaded with watch- and time-related drama. Consider this your backyard-barbecue conversation guide to the Tour de France, from a horological perspective.

But first, a quick explainer on the Tour.

The first Tour de France was in 1903. It is the oldest of the grand tours in Europe, including the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana; it’s roughly three weeks long, ridden in 21 stages, and includes a couple of rest days. Bicycle races follow a circuit, not unlike horse racing, that the same athletes compete in, and though no one has won all three in the same year – the Triple Crown – they have held the titles all at once, and you’ll hear the name Eddy “The Cannibal” Merckx thrown around as one of them. (He is not racing in this year’s Tour. He is 76 years old.)

Anyway, like pretty much all racing events, this one is about time, which in the Tour is kept in a complicated math having to do with stages, team wins, and rest days. Everyone takes a break and does not actually ride the 2,000 miles straight through from start to the Champs-Elysées in Paris. If you want to follow this year’s winners so far, here’s a nice guide. Despite the rest days, the massage tents, support vans, crashes and pileups, and parades and throngs of fans and all the other stuff that makes it seem like no one is really trying to get to Paris before anyone else, time is absolutely of the essence.

Over the years, Tour riders who were once sleeping under the stars, eating at roadside cafes (maybe getting a little too drunk on wine ), and required to fix their own bikes, have become aerodynamic machines of little more than lycra and sinew, reliant on a vast network of time-keepers, coaches, and support. All of which is to say that any cyclist wearing a hefty timepiece while riding in this race is making a statement. It happens that two of this year’s key players are those kind of statement-makers.

While we can’t possibly check the wrists of all 180-plus starting cyclists, we can tell you about a few heavy-hitters. (Note that these are watches worn while racing, as opposed to those spotted on the wrists of cyclists while living their civilian lives.)

Mark Cavendish : One of the bigger watch stories out there is that Cavendish – who has won more stages in the Tour de France than anyone except Merckx – loves Richard Mille watches. As the story goes, in 2016 Cavendish met Mille and he cried with joy. Mille removed his own watch from his own wrist – the RM-011 Felipe Massa 10th Anniversary Limited Edition, worth north of $250k – and strapped it on Cavendish’s. Here’s a cute pic of the rider in his finery.

Julian Alaphilippe : Another Richard Mille fan, Alaphilippe, current world champion and fan favorite, wears an RM 67-02 that costs about $120k . What does it do, you ask? Tells time! Writes Iaian Treloar for CyclingTips : “Despite a spec list including a white gold rotor, titanium cogs, and ‘Calibre CRMA7 skeletonizsd automatic-winding movement,’ it’s just a very fancy analog watch.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Cavendish (@markcavendish)

Probably our favorite watch-and-Tour lore is this: Back in the 1980s, before aerodynamics were the cyclist’s obsession, frames were steel and helmets weren’t required, legendary American champ Greg LeMond (yes, the maker of the LeMond bicycle), began racing in cool watches and pioneering speed-reducing tactics. Now, LeMond was known for being a bit of a bad boy then, supposedly eating ice cream and drinking sodas instead of following a strict salad diet meant to keep him as thin as his bike frame, and (shock!) he brought his wife, Kathy, to watch him race.

After winning the 1986 Tour – and beating five-time winner, Bernard Hinault – to become the first American ever to wear the winning Maillot Jaune jersey, LeMond was accidentally shot while hunting during the off-season. Recovery was slow. After a rough start to 1989, Lemond returned to his winning ways with one of (if not the most famous) Tour victories in history (cue a clip of the emotional finish here , where LeMond wears some kind of Casio). Then he did it again in 1990 , and we have to assume that the choice to race wearing a gold and steel Cartier Santos ref. 119901 was part of his famous rebellious streak.

And just last year, our current reigning champ Tadej Pogačar won the Tour wearing a Breitling Endurance Pro . Pogačar, at just 21 years old, was the youngest to win the Tour de France in over a century and is again leading the pack this year. He’s also at the center of a teensy sponsorship snafu.

So glad you asked. Last year, Richard Mille sponsored team Bahrain-McLaren, whose members included Mille fan Mark Cavendish. But then in a move that lifted not a few eyebrows, Richard Mille signed a four-year deal with team UAE Team Emirates, starting in 2021:

As part of the deal, UAE Team Emirates riders will carry Richard Mille branding on their bikes and kits throughout the next four campaigns, the cyclists will also have the chance to sport the Richard Mille RM 67-02 watch. An ergonomic model and a technical tour de force, weighing just 32 grams, thanks to its use of TPT® composite materials and grade 5 titanium. It also features a special strap, which is entirely seamless, non-slip and highly elastic, so that it follows the contours of every individual wearer’s wrist morphology.

All well and good unless you are the UAE Team’s super-contender in this year’s Tour, Pogačar, and happened to be a brand ambassador for Breitling. Since the sponsorship announcement, Pogačar has in fact won two Breitling Endurance Pros during the UAE Tour , when the brand gave them out to stage winners . Awkward! And though just last year he won the tour wearing his Breitling, he’s been in and out of his team-issue RM, as far as we can tell.

(Side note: Breitling has a historic link to cyclists as far back as legends Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali.)

Meanwhile, Cavendish is no longer on team Bahrain. After dealing with health issues and threatening to retire, he took over for an injured rider on team Deceuninck–Quick-Step (home to fellow Mille lover, Alaphilippe) and has since powered through this year’s Tour.

Actually, the vast majority earn a modest salary that can range from $20,000 to a quite decent $200,000, and once they’ve reached a certain level the salaries jump to the millions. Cavendish is in the reported 3-mil category. You can buy a few Milles with that many mils.

The big news in this year’s tour is Pogačar – the wunderkind racer – doing what everyone expected and winning, and Cavendish’s unlikely comeback and advance on the Merckx record of stage wins (about which he’s sick of talking ). We’ve got some noncyclist dramas, like the truck and “official sausage supplier” of the Tour de France getting stuck in a mountain pass; and a fan who held up a sign and caused a massive pileup ( and landed in jail ).

The infamous sausage truck.

However, it’s one unlikely story that in my opinion is the best of all, and that’s Lachlan Morton’s “Alt Tour.” Morton is riding the length of the Tour solo in an attempt to beat the entire peloton (aka the cluster of racers). That means no rest days and no proper beds or meals; Morton is doing the back-to-basics version of the Tour (though I can’t see him rebuilding a frame, but what do I know), sleeping al fresco, and schlepping his own gear. He’s stopping at restaurants and (swoon!) carrying baguettes in his kit. This kind of thing has never been done before. By riding for team EF Pro Cycling (backed by HODINKEE’s pals at Rapha ) and raising money for World Bicycle Relief, Morton is changing the narrative of time on this year’s Tour.

So far, he’s well ahead of the pack, and on course to ride over a thousand miles more than those on the official Tour. It is as someone on Twitter put it, one of the cooler things a pro cyclist has done in awhile. Also maybe “the definition of mental,” as someone else put it. But is he wearing a watch? you ask. Well, it’s not on his packing list , and it looks like what’s on his wrist is a biometrics tracker , so my bet is he’s going by the stars and the angle of the sun. Probably for the best, considering how much longer those extra miles must feel, dipping through mountain passes, all alone in the saddle.

Genevieve Walker is a writer in Maine. Click here to read her previous HODINKEE stories, which have covered everything from a Henry-Daniel Capt pocket watch to a certain Bill Murray movie.

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Home » TV Service

How to Watch the Tour de France

It’s July, which means the Tour de France (or TDF) is kicking into gear. Watching the event live or on-demand is about as easy as coasting downhill on a Cannondale.

The Tour will be broadcast by NBC Sports, which means you can catch it on your local NBC affiliate, the USA Network, or the Peacock streaming service.

We think that Peacock offers the best viewing experience because you can watch live or on-demand on many different devices. The service costs just $5.99 a month (or $11.99 ad-free), and you can sign up and watch right now.

Here’s everything cycling fans need to know about watching the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes (which is also broadcast by NBC).

Quick guide to this article:

• Tour de France channels
• TDF on Peacock
• TDF on cable and streaming
• TDF with an HD antenna
• Tour de France FAQ

What channel has the Tour de France?

Because NBC is the official broadcaster of the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes in the United States, the events will be available on NBCUniversal Media channels.

• NBC: Local NBC affiliates will be streaming select stages of the race. Right now, it seems like the network will only be airing the first and the last stages of the race.
• USA Network: The USA Network will be airing many stages of the race live, and others it will air late-night reruns.
• Peacock: You can watch every stage of the race live on Peacock (with a Premium Monthly or Premium Plus plan). You can also stream reruns of stages that you don’t watch live. Peacock will also stream all of the Tour de France Femmes stages live.

All of the coverage will have commentary from NBC Sports anchors Phil Liggett (also known as the "voice of cycling") and Bob Roll.

What is the Tour de France route and schedule?

The best way to look at the Tour de France schedule is in map form! This is the official route with the dates of each stage indicated along the way.

Photo courtesy of A.S.O. and the Tour de France  

You can see the full schedule for the Tour de France on the event’s website . The Tour de France Femmes schedule can also be found online here .

Our top recommendation: Watch the Tour de France on Peacock

The Peacock streaming app offers by far the easiest and most extensive Tour de France viewing experience. You can catch every stage of the race live, or watch them on-demand after they air.

Subscribers can watch Peacock on their phones, computers, tablets, smart TVs, and other devices. You can also link your subscription with services like Roku .

Peacock plans and prices

Peacock is a very affordable streaming service. 

But to get the Tour de France you’ll need to get a Peacock Premium Monthly or Premium Plus plan.

The biggest benefit of going for the Premium Plus plan is that you can watch everything on the site ad-free, including the Tour de France.

But Peacock has a lot more than just cycling content. It’s the main streaming home for classic shows like Parks and Recreation and The Office . It’s where you can watch modern hits like Yellowstone and Poker Face . It’s also the exclusive streaming home for all Universal Movie releases , including big hits like the Jurassic Park and Harry Potter franchises.

Others ways to watch the Tour de France

You don’t have to subscribe to the Peacock app to watch the Tour de France. You can also get coverage of the cycling event's 21 stages by subscribing to a cable or live TV streaming service that has USA and NBC.

Other services with NBC Sports Tour de France coverage

Most live TV streaming services will get you access to USA Network and a local NBC affiliate. But we think these are the best options out there right now.

Each one of these services has its pros and cons, and all of them have a lot more content to offer than just the Tour de France.

Watch the Tour de France for free

There is one way to watch certain parts of the Tour de France for free. All you need is an indoor HD antenna and a TV.

With an antenna you should be able to pick up your local NBC affiliate. The channel will air at least the first and last stage of the Tour de France live. You won’t have to pay for a subscription or even sign up for anything (a rare thing in our modern world).

How to install an antenna

TV antennas are cheap and relatively easy to install. You can find a good one for under $30 online . Then just follow the instructions to attach the antenna to your TV and mount it near a window.

With a TV antenna you’ll get more than just NBC. You can watch local nightly news, sit-coms like The Simpsons (on Fox) and Abbot Elementary (ABC), and other sporting events, like the Super Bowl.

Recap: What’s the best way to watch the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is being broadcast by three different channels: NBC, USA Network, and Peacock. All three channels will have NBC Sports commentary.

By far the best and easiest way to watch is with the Peacock streaming app , which costs just $6–$12 a month (depending on which plan you go for). It will show every stage of the race live and let you watch on-demand after the race airs.

Hopefully we answered most of your questions in the sections above, but here’s a quick FAQ section to wrap up any loose ends.

Yes. You can watch the Tour de France on NBC or USA Network with a Youtube TV subscription .

No. You cannot watch the Tour de France or the Tour de France Femmes on ESPN or ESPN+ in the United States.

You can watch the Tour de France for $5.99 a month with a Peacock subscription. You can also watch on the USA Network or NBC with a cable or live TV subscription. If you have a TV antenna you can also catch certain stages of the race for free on your local NBC affiliate.

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The economics of the Tour de France

How does the world’s most prestigious cycling race make money who sponsors the teams and how does financing impact the riders’ strategy.

Published: September 06, 2020

Updated: February 09, 2024

Right about now, more than 150 of the world’s most elite cyclists are charging up Col de la Hourcère in the French Pyrenees.

Over a 3-week period from August 29th to September 20, these aerobic beasts will traverse some 2,165 miles up and over 8 mountain passes. They’ll spend more than 4,800 minutes in the saddle, and reach speeds of up to 63 MPH . They’ll vie to bring their countries, teams — and sponsors — glory.

The Tour de France is a historic and global phenomenon. Each year, fans from more than 180 countries turn in to watch the race.

But despite this popularity, the economics of the sport are largely shrouded in secrecy.

How does the Tour de France — an event that is free to the public — make money? How does the sponsorship model of a professional cycling team work? And how does this all affect how the riders choose to compete?

How the Tour de France makes money

Cycling’s most important race was born out of financial necessity.

At the turn of the 20th century, a French newspaper called L’Auto was struggling to stay afloat. The paper’s staff was asked to come up with ways to increase circulation — and Géo Lefèvre, a 26-year-old sportswriter, suggested putting on the biggest cycling race the country had ever seen.

Launched in 1903, the Tour de France was an immediate success.

In its first year, the Tour nearly tripled L’Auto ’s circulation from 25k to 65k newspapers per day — enough to kill off their main competitor, Le Vélo . Over the next 3 decades, this figure would see a 34x increase.

A front-page L’Auto story in 1903, announcing the arrival of the newly-created Tour de France (L’Equipe)

During WWII, the Tour was put on hold. When peacetime resumed, L’Auto — which had been taken over by a consortium of pro-Nazi Germans — was shuttered and ownership of the Tour was shifted to a successor paper, L’Équipe .

Up until the 1960s, the newspapers had monetized the tour in a number of ways:

• They auctioned off stops on the route to the highest-bidding cities. 
• They charged companies a fee to follow riders in logo-plastered publicity “caravans” and throw out swag to spectators.
• They rented out physical ad space along the route.
• They allowed local brands to sponsor the tour .

The Tour’s revenue streams were largely focused on monetizing the large crowds that gathered along the route. And early on, there were concerns that an overabundance of brands and sponsors would corrupt the purity of the sport.

“This caravan of 60 gaudy trucks singing across the countryside…is a shameful spectacle,” the French journalist Pierre Bost wrote of the caravans. “It bellows, it plays ugly music, it’s sad, it’s ugly, it smells of vulgarity and money.”

Despite this diversification of revenue streams, the Tour still operated with a deficit.

But this changed when the race was taken over by its present-day owner, the privately-owned French sports organizer, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) , in 1965.

The ASO pounced on advances in TV broadcast technology and focused on building out the Tour’s global audience. Between 1980 and 2010, revenue increased by 20x — and TV rights became a central part of its business model.

Today, the Tour de France’s revenue breakdown looks something like this:

(Zachary Crockett / The Hustle)

Town hosting fees (5% of revenue) are no longer a significant income source, but locales still shell out big bucks to be included on the route, which changes year to year. Denmark reportedly spent $3.9m USD to host 3 stages of another major race, the Giro d’Italia.

Sponsorships (40%) are still critical to the race’s bottom line and have significantly evolved. Among them:

• Publicity caravans : Some 33 brands reportedly pay $250k to $600k each to be in the caravan. During the 21-day race, they collectively hand out 15m items to fans — t-shirts, laundry soap, keyrings, meat sticks . The procession of 250 vehicles is 12 miles long and takes 45 minutes to pass by.
• Special jerseys : In the Tour, there are 4 special jerseys worn by riders: yellow (overall leader), green (best sprinter), polka dot (best climber), and white (best young rider). The bank LCL spends ~$12m per year to put its name on the yellow jersey; carmaker Skoda drops $4m on the green jersey.
• Dozens of misc. partnerships : These range from Century 21 (real estate firm) running house giveaway promos, to Tissot (watchmaker) sponsoring time trials.

TV broadcasting rights (55%) have now been sold in 186 of the world’s 195 countries. Streaming the race requires 260 camera people, and 35 vehicles, and 6 aircraft. One major deal with France Télévisions is reportedly worth ~$25m per year alone.

Top: Romain Bardet charges through Alpe d’Huez during the 2018 Tour de France (Pool/Getty Images); Bottom: The peloton are cheered on by the crowd during stage 9 of the 2013 Tour (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

So, how much money does the Tour de France bring in per year?

The ASO is incredibly secretive about its finances. But over the years, researchers and French journalists have managed to piece together bits of data from public filings. 

Sources The Hustle spoke with estimate the Tour’s revenue to be somewhere between $60m and $150m per year — about 50% of the ASO’s total annual income. Based on historical revenue data , the ASO has ~21% profit margin. So, a very rough estimate would be that the organization enjoys a $12m to $30m annual profit from the race.

“The Tour de France exists to make money,” says Jean-François Mignot , a demographer who has studied the economics of cycling. “It’s a commercial race, and it’s owned by people whose main goal is to make money off of it.”

But the organizer is only one moving part of the Tour de France: a second thriving economy has been built around the teams and riders who compete there.

The business of professional cycling teams

This year’s Tour features 178 cyclists on 22 different professional teams.

Like the Tour itself, there’s a fiscal omertà (code of silence) surrounding these teams’ budgets. But a 2016 research volume laid out some insight from 3 past teams:

Note: Figures not adjusted for inflation to give a true sense of budgets at the time (Zachary Crockett / The Hustle)

Rider salaries account for the bulk of a team’s budget — but gear costs are no joke.

A video posted by Team Sky (since renamed Ineos Grenadiers) in 2016 outlined an absurd list of resources required for 9 riders during the Tour de France, including:

• 34 staff members (mechanics, drivers, sports doctors, nutritionists)
• 55 bikes (6 per rider), at ~$13k each
• 80 spare wheels, 82 spare cassettes, and 57 spare chains
• 4,360 energy gels and bars + 3,300 water bottles
• 40 bottles of massage cream
• 100 rolls of bar tape (changed every 4 days)
• 5 air purifiers, 9 AC units, and 9 dehumidifiers

All in, today’s top-level cycling teams can easily exceed a $20m annual budget.

But these teams don’t get any piece of the Tour’s revenue. They don’t sell tickets (the event is free to the public). They don’t even have their own merchandise.

How do they fund all of this?

Cycling teams have a very strange — if not deeply flawed — financing model: they have to rely on sponsors or donors to survive .

Teams have all kinds of sub-sponsors for their bikes, gear, and nutrition. But ~70% of their budget comes from the title sponsor , which pays a pro team somewhere in the range of $5m to $15m to name the team and plasters its logo all over the uniforms.

The TV time these sponsors get often comes with healthy dividends: the sports intelligence firm, Repucom, analyzed 325 professional cycling sponsors in 2012 WorldTour (a series of 38 races including the Tour de France) and found that the average team was worth $88.4m in media exposure to a title sponsor.

Take a look at the title sponsors of this year’s 22 Tour de France teams:

Zachary Crockett / The Hustle

The corporate sponsors of today’s cycling teams are almost exclusively boring (but stable) conglomerates: insurance companies, telecommunications firms, commercial manufacturers. And there’s a reason for this.

Until the mid-1950s , only bicycle companies were permitted to sponsor teams. But when bike sales tanked in the ‘60s, a potpourri of local products — alcohol, cigars, face creams, hazelnut spreads — hopped in to fill the void.

The rise of live broadcasting drew in international corporations that saw value in reaching a broader global market. The UCI (cycling’s governing body) also implemented a new professional licensing system that drove up costs.

Between 1992 and 2014, the average pro-level cycling team budget increased from $3.6m to $15.5m . The little guys were priced out. 

Now, the sport is now seeing a new trend : a rise in wealthy benefactors and oil-rich countries that infuse teams with up to 3x the capital of corporations .

In 2019, for instance, the English industrialist Jim Ratcliffe (net worth $21.4B)  purchased Team Sky and renamed it after his chemical firm, Ineos. He’s since infused the team with a reported ~$47m annual budget — heads and shoulders above any other pro team.

Team Israel Start-Up Nation depends on money that comes directly from Sylvan Adams, a Canadian real estate tycoon. Likewise, Mitchelton-Scott relies on cash infusions from the Australian millionaire Gerry Ryan.

A study from the blog Cycling Tips mapped out the correlation between sponsor money and financial success at the 2016 Tour de France (Data: Cycling Tips; Graphic: Zachary Crockett / The Hustle)

This dependency on one rich individual can implode: when Russian billionaire Oleg Tinkov stepped away from funding his team, Tinkoff , in 2015, it folded.

But some say it also causes a competitive imbalance that erodes the marketability of the sport.

“[They’re] purchasing the ability to win,” pro cycling manager Jonathan Vaughters told the Daily Mail . “You’re looking at an almost impenetrable wall of money. You can go and buy all the best riders. The question for the sport is, ‘If they are all on one team, is it fun for spectators to watch?’”

And what about the riders?

For most of the first half of the 20th century, pro cyclists were not paid a salary and had to scrape together an income by winning races. Prize money was their lifeblood.

If that were still the case today, most riders would be screwed.

The total prize money at the Tour de France is relatively small, at ~ $2.7m (€2.3m). The overall winner (yellow jersey) gets the bulk of that — $595k (€500k) of that — and each subsequent overall placing gets a diminishing amount, down to $1.2k for 20th to 160th place.

Winners of other jerseys (green, polka dot, white) take home between $24k ( €20k) to $30k (€25k) each. And various smaller sums are given out for each stage for sprints, time trials, categorized climbs, and “combativity” (aggressiveness).

Let’s, for a second, assume this was riders’ only source of income.

The first few individual finishers would do okay for themselves — but bottom-tier finishers would make more working in retail for 3 weeks than racing in one of the most prestigious cycling races in the world:

(Data: John MacLeary / The Telegraph; Graphic: Zachary Crockett / The Hustle)

In reality, this prize money isn’t an important factor in racers’ income. In fact, the winner customarily shares it with the whole team. 

Today, their livelihood hinges on sponsorship dollars.

The mandated minimum wage for a pro cyclist who participates in the Tour de France is ~$35k. But many pros make 5-10x that — and the top dogs, like Peter Sagan and 4-time Tour winner Chris Froome, command salaries of $6m+ per year .

This dependency comes at a cost: riders must formulate their Tour de France strategy around maximizing visibility for sponsors .

Winning the tour is fantastic — but not necessary — for brand exposure. Often, you’ll see lesser-known riders break away from the pack to give sponsors media time , even if it isn’t technically the best thing to do.

“The entire Tour is about getting eyes on the company on your jersey,” an ex-pro who wished to remain anonymous told us. “Because if the sponsor isn’t happy and cuts funding, your team is probably shit out of luck.”

The pack during the 2nd and 3rd stages of the 2020 Tour de France (Marco Bertorello / AFP, via Getty Images)

This year, keeping sponsors happy is more important than ever.

The pandemic has strained not just the ecosystem of cycling sponsors, but the sport at large. Some riders have taken pay cuts, or deferred as much as 70% of their salaries , in a bid to keep their teams afloat through the crisis.

Many in the cycling community feel that it’s due time to reevaluate the sport’s business model.

“At the end of the day, race organizers make money and sponsors sell more products,” writes Chris Williams , a pro cyclist from Australia. “But teams fight for existence.”

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• Press releases
• July 2, 2021

France Télévisions, long-standing host broadcaster of the Tour de France, one of the world’s most watched sporting events, is delighted to announce that it is bringing viewers the famous race in its entirety through to July 18.

This year’s Tour de France has 21 stages and covers nearly 3,400 km, crossing 9 regions and 31 departments from Brest to the Tourmalet, through the Morvan massif and twice over Mont Ventoux. All viewers will have their eyes on the French star, Julian Alaphilippe .

7 advertisers are sponsoring this latest edition of the Tour on France Télévisions:

E.Leclerc, an important partner of the Tour de France and official sponsor of the polka dot jersey for best climber, is sponsoring all the live programs and magazines.

Century 21, Krys, Probikeshop and Škoda will also be present on live shows, and Senseo and Zwift on magazines.

On the France.tv digital platform, E.Leclerc is co-sponsoring Dans la Roue du Tour with Škoda. This is an exclusive web series featuring a young journalist-influencer and cycling enthusiast who will take visitors on a fun and dynamic journey behind the scenes of the great race.

New this year, Senseo and Probikeshop are sponsoring Skin Content , an attractive, interactive format that allows brands to appear in the middle of live broadcasts on France.tv.

In 2020, 40 million viewers saw at least one minute of the Tour de France on France 2 and France 3. A great passion, and one that France Télévisions intends allowing viewers to continue enjoying in this 108 th edition. E.Leclerc, Century 21, Krys, Probikeshop, Škoda, Senseo and Zwift.

• Communications and Public Relations Director
• Head of Communication / PR
• +33 1 56 22 62 52

• Deputy Director of Communication
• +33 1 56 22 62 04

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The publicity caravan

A show for children and adults alike.

Since 1930 , "la Caravane pulicitaire" has been part of the show that the Tour de France puts on. This festive and creative opening parade precedes the pack of cyclists to the utmost delight of Tour de France fans lining the roadsides. For two hours , the Tour de France and its partners put on a show, hand out many gifts and strive to be the most creative to surprise the millions of fans wating for the riders to pass by!

A responsible Caravan

All the partners distribute promotional gifts that are useful and made of recycled and/or recyclable materials. Food gifts have also met the challenge of having packaging mainly made of paper or recyclable plastic. In certain “Natura 2000” nature protection areas, national parks or nature reserves, etc., distribution of gifts by the caravan is completely forbidden. Sound equipment may be turned off so as not to disturb sensitive animal species.

Follow the Caravan on the social networks also !

"La Caravane du Tour de France", in a few words: 

• A continuous show lasting more than 30 minutes
• A show stretching 10 km
• 30 brands represented
• 4 safety information cars at the front and rear of the Caravan
• 12 republican guard riders and 4 dispatch bikers to control the Caravan
• 3 medical vehicles…

Watch the caravan go by and cheer on your favourite riders but do not forget the essential safety rules!

• Stay on the roadside and off the road
• Do not cross the road and do not leave your children unattended
• Gifts are distributed on either side of the road
• Remain watchful after the caravan passes by, other vehicles will be coming along the route
• Respect the Tour's eco-responsible commitments and do not drop litter on the roadside
• Do not run alongside the riders and do not push them
• Selfies and autographs are not authorised

  Memories of what you have seen are good enough to make sure that the Tour stays fun!

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Everything you need to know about the 2022 Tour de France

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that after crossing from Denmark, the remainder of the race would be in France. Part of the race is also in Switzerland. The article has been corrected.

The Tour de France, road cycling’s most prominent event, begins its grueling trek through the Danish, Swiss and French countryside, mountains and cities this week. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s race.

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Tour de France renews sponsorship pact with Krys

This new updated agreement between Tour de France and Krys has now been signed until 2026.

Cycling’s premier event, Tour de France has announced an extended partnership with the leading firm in the French optical market, Krys.

This new updated agreement, in which the brand will continue to act as the sponsor of the white jersey, has now been signed until 2026.

Krys will also be an official partner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for four years, beginning with the 2023 edition, as an organic extension of its association with the men’s Tour de France. This new engagement enhances Krys’ relationship with the Grande Boucle.

Krys, a firm promoter of the well-being of individuals in France, continues its outreach to raise awareness and screening operations with its Sight and Hearing Bus.

Krys and the Tour de France have a long history of mutual trust and shared principles. Throughout the Tour de France, Krys demonstrates how important trust is to them, particularly with young people.

In addition to sponsoring the white shirt, which recognises the best rider under the age of 26, it also runs the “Étape en Blanc,” a tutoring project that will take place on July 4 during stage 4 from Dax to Nogaro. This humanitarian event, created in collaboration with Afev1, intends to offer academic aid to disadvantaged young people. Since its debut in 2021, the operation has supplied more than 62,000 hours of coaching thanks to the participation of all spectators.

Krys additionally employs the Tour de France as an opportunity to reach out to the French people and enlighten them on important health issues such as vision and hearing by providing free visual and auditory screening examinations. The Sight and Hearing Bus will stop at 14 Tour de France stages for the seventh time. It will also make three stops during the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift. Since 2016, around 8,000 people have had screening tests and gotten preventative advice.

Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, commented, “The list of winners of the best young rider classification of the Tour de France is a litany of legends of cycling and the Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar, Egan Bernal, Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador, Laurent Fignon… Since 2015, Krys has sponsored the white jersey, which always goes to a worthy rider and marks the wearer as a protagonist of the future of cycling. I am delighted to extend until 2026 our partnership with this company and its network of 1,000 stores, which echoes the visibility, territorial coverage and local touch at the heart of the Tour de France.”

Marion Rousse, Director of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, said, “I am thrilled to welcome Krys to the young family of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The presence of such a well-known brand dedicated to the health of people in France is a great asset. Krys’s commitment will boost the development of women’s cycling. Sponsoring the team classification shows that the company recognises the importance of teamwork and cohesion to accomplish great and amazing things.”

Jean-Pierre Champion, CEO, Krys France, said, “This year is a milestone for Krys: we are celebrating ten years of partnership with the Tour de France, a huge festive and popular event whose values are our values. We are mighty proud to deepen our attachment to the Grande Boucle until 2026 by sponsoring the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift from this year and for the next four editions. These bonds of loyalty between Krys and the Tour reflect the trust of our customers in our opticians and hearing aid specialists.

“Being a partner of the white jersey means believing in everyone’s potential and supporting those who stand out and make themselves heard. Sponsoring the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift means empowering and giving more chances to women to shine in a sport that is still very male-dominated. We are committed to society and strive to promote visual and auditory health. The Tour is the perfect opportunity to carry out this mission by supporting a new generation that believes in its chances.”

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• Basic Statistic Tour de France riders with the most victories 1903-2022
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• Olympic Games: number of partners in the OCOGs domestic sponsorship programs 2016
• Olympic Games revenue from Olympic partner program (TOP) 2016
• Intention of French cycling fans to follow the Tour de France 2017
• Share of French wishing to follow the 2017 Tour de France
• Longevity recordmen of the Yellow Jerseys of the Tour de France 1919-2018
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Can’t find a Tour de France Femmes Watch Party near you? Host one!

Five tips on how to host a successful watch party in your community..

Maybe you’ve been to a watch party before—from World Cup football matches to TV show finales, there’s nothing like experiencing significant cultural events with your community in real time. So if you’re ready to share the excitement of the Tour de France Femmes, we have some tips for how to host your own watch party.

1. Find a venue and book a date.

• You can plan your watch party for any day during the eight-stage race, from the Grand Départ on Monday, August 12, to the final mountain stage on Sunday, August 18. Check out the Tour de France Femmes route here.
• Consider supporting women-owned and/or women-led businesses. If you’re lucky enough to have a women’s sports bar in your community, start there! We’re excited to see places like The Sports Bra and Rough & Tumble popping up in the U.S., but there are plenty of other great venues to be found.
• Do you have a favorite local pub, café, or bike shop? Of course it’s helpful if they already have TV screens, seating, food and drink available for purchase, but you can also bring in what you need. Bonus if your venue is open to the public so you can also get walk-in attendees—and inspire new women’s cycling fans!

2. Find some enthusiastic co-conspirators.

• Reach out to local cycling groups, teams, coaches, clubs, and of course, all your community bike shops, and tap into their expertise and energy. 
• Pitch local sponsors to donate prizes and funds, in exchange for sponsor shout-outs on social and signage.
• In the spirit of the white jersey , invite young riders to help shape the event with their fresh perspective and ideas.

3. Get the word out.

• Download our Watch Party poster , then print and post on community bulletin boards.
• Download our Watch Party image ( 9x16 and 4x5 ), then post your event on social using the hashtags #TdFF, #MoreFemmesOnBikes, and #WatchTheFemmes
• Consider submitting your event info to your local newspapers, magazines, and tourist bureaus. And ask your sponsors and community members to help spread the word, too.

4. Get people excited!

• Build anticipation on social media, with countdowns, trivia questions and fun facts, updates when you have new sponsors and prizes, and other invitations to your community to get engaged.
• Get people on bikes! Organize a group ride before the event. Or simply encourage people to ride their bikes to the watch party instead of driving—maybe it earns them VIP bike parking and free raffle tickets. 
• At the event, keep the energy high, with fun guest speakers, contests and prizes, short sets of live music, and/or themed attire. For example, at one watch party last year, prizes were handed out by a team of girls in yellow berets.

5. Share the love.

• At your event, assign someone the job of taking photos and videos (on your mobile phone is fine!), so you can inspire the rest of us by posting and tagging @livcycling #MoreFemmesOnBikes #TdFF
• Thank and tag your sponsors on social media (and at the event) and encourage your community to support them.
• Follow the athletes, teams, and race organizers on social media, and encourage your community to follow them, too. You can start with Le Tour Femmes and Team Liv AlUla Jayco , and drop some words of encouragement in the comments. Allez, femmes!

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

July 23-30, 2023, watch party downloads, find a watch party near you.

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2021 Tour de France live stream: How to watch Stage 19 of the race online

A guide on watching the 2021 Tour de France on TV and how to stream the cycling event online

The 2021 Tour de France coverage is almost over, concluding with Stage 21 on Sunday, July 18. It began on Saturday, June 26. Race coverage begins at around at 6 a.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN. Full schedule of stages below.

The excitement is almost over, as the 2021 Tour de France live streams finish this Sunday, with Stage 21. That said, everything feels final for the overall winner seems obvious. Yesterday, Stage 18 saw Tadej Pogacar win and keep the yellow jersey, solidifying the fact that he's likely winning the whole thing.

Today, on the 207km route to Libourne, most eyes will be on a pair chasing at the points. Michael Matthews (from Australia, representing Team BikeExchange), is on the tail of Mark Cavendish (of Great Britain and Team Deceuninck-Quick Step).

Going into today, Cavendish had a 38-point advantage, and with 20 points on the line, Matthews could get closer to that green jersey. That said, Cavendish is one stage win away from breaking Eddy Merck's record, so we doubt he'll be giving anyone a chance.

The three-week race is now live, with 184 riders in 23 teams, pedaling through 21 stages, including three summit finishes and two individual time trials. The strongest all-around rider will emerge victorious at the end. 

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The 2021 Tour de France is following its usual summer schedule, after last year's edition was delayed to the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic. That means it's been only nine months since Tadej Pogacar won his first Tour de France. 

Favorites in this year's race include Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers).

Here's everything you need to watch the 2021 Tour de France live stream.

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How to watch 2021 Tour de France live stream with a VPN

If you're worried about how to watch the 2021 Tour de France live stream when you're away from home and can't access your usual streaming services, fear not. A virtual private network, or VPN, makes it so that you can appear to be surfing the web from your home town, so you can access the same streaming services you've already paid for. 

Unsure which is the best VPN for you? We've tested a bunch of services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN , which offers superb speeds and excellent customer service. But you've got other VPN options as well.

We think speed, security and simplicity make ExpressVPN second to none. During our tests, we saw fast connection times, and we're impressed by the service's ability to access more than 3,000 services spread out across 160 locations in 94 countries.

Tour de France live streams in the US

In the U.S., the 2021 Tour de France live stream is available daily on Peacock Premium. Stages generally begin around 6 or 7 a.m. ET.

Live coverage will also air on NBCSN, which requires a cable subscription. If you've cut the cord, you can get NBCSN via live TV streaming services (depending on your region), including Fubo TV , Sling TV , Hulu With Live TV , and AT&T TV Now. Of these options, we recommend Fubo and Sling.

If you love sports, you'll want to check out Fubo.TV . It's got a 7-day free trial, so you don't need to pay up front. The Starter Plan ($64.99) features dozens of channels including NBCSN, ESPN, Fox Sports and more.

Sling TV is one of the best values among cable alternatives. The Sling Blue package comes with 30-plus channels in the lineup, including NBCSN. 

Peacock is one of the newest streaming services but houses a great library, including the entirety of The Office. It's also home to a ton of sports, including the upcoming Olympics, Premier League matches and WWE wrestling.

Tour de France live streams in the UK

Cycling enthusiasts have several options for watching the 2021 Tour de France live stream.

ITV4 will have free, daily live coverage on TV from around 10:45 a.m. to 4:30pm local time. The ITV Hub will also feature live streams of the 2021 Tour de France.

Eurosport and GCN are also streaming the the race. A subscription to  Eurosport Player  costs £6.99 per month and £39.99 per year. The  GCN Race Pass is available in the UK and Australia and costs £39.99 for a year. 

Tour de France live streams in Canada

Canadians can get all the Tour de France action exclusively on FloBikes . A subscription to the service costs $30 per month or $150 for the year, and you also get access to other big races.

Tour de France live streams in Australia

Cycling fans Down Under can access the 2021 Tour de France live stream through SBS On Demand.  

2021 Tour de France stages schedule

Here's the schedule and route for the 21 stages of the 2021 Tour de France.

Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.

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Where to attend a Tour de France Femmes watch party near you

Watch parties are taking place throughout the US - here’s where to join one

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In 2022, we witnessed the momentous revival of a women’s Tour de France with Annemiek van Vleuten winning the yellow jersey in 33 years. The event was reported as a smashing success with millions of people across 190 countries tuning in to watch eight action-packed days of racing. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift became an instant flagship race on the women’s WorldTour calendar, and on Sunday, July 23, 154 riders will roll from the start line in Clermont-Ferrand for the much-anticipated second edition. 

Will you be watching?

With public watch parties happening across the country, Liv, a women’s bike manufacturer and sponsor of the young rider jersey at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, hopes to keep the momentum going.

“Strong race viewership has been cited as an integral metric to increase sponsorship of women’s cycling events. Last year’s inaugural race reported global viewership numbers that surpassed many races in the men’s World Tour circuit, and Liv is determined to keep these numbers strong,” Liv states. 

To do so, Liv is hosting fun and free opportunities for fans to watch the race. 

“Attending the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in France last year was a dream of mine, and it reinforced the importance of race opportunities for the growth of women’s cycling,” said Bonnie Tu, Liv Founder and Giant Group chairperson. “If we can inspire one more girl or woman into cycling by creating more opportunities for her to watch the women’s race, we’ve done our part.” 

Where to watch the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

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More than 22 hours of live coverage of last year's inaugural edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift were broadcast last year, with 23.2 million viewers tuning in to watch the action live. 

For this year's edition, the host broadcasters are France TV Sport and Eurovision Sport. 

The race will be shown live in the UK and Europe on Eurosport, Discovery+ and GCN+. In the U.S., fan will be able to tune in to the action on CNBC and Peacock Premium.

The bars and bike shops will be showing the race:

Race Overview

The Tour de France avec Femmes returns on Sunday, July 23. Eight exciting stages will see the women's peloton traverse across France for a total of 956 kilometers (594 miles).  

Dates: 23-30 July 2023

Number of stages: 8

Total distance: 956km

Number of teams: 22

Read about the route, the contestants and where to watch in  our 2023 guide .

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Cycling Weekly 's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.

Originally from The Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years. 

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ASO and LCL extend sponsorship agreement for Tour de France

Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the organiser of the prestigious Tour de France, has inked an extension of its longstanding partnership with Le Crédit Lyonnais (LCL), a prominent French bank.

This renewed sponsorship agreement is set to run until July 2028, reaffirming LCL’s unwavering commitment to the world’s premier annual road cycling event.

LCL has been an integral Tour de France partner since 1981 and took on the distinguished role of yellow jersey sponsor in 1987. This latest five-edition extension encompasses both the men’s edition and the burgeoning women’s Tour de France Femmes. The previous extension of the partnership was sealed in 2018 and was slated to run until 2023.

Yann Le Moënner, the Chief Executive of ASO, expressed his sentiments about the development.

“This new agreement marks the 50th anniversary of the relationship between LCL and the Tour de France,” Le Moënner said.

“LCL’s ambition is to support all forms of cycling and will be able to work alongside us on a number of initiatives aimed at young people and women, who are increasingly taking up cycling in the broadest sense of the term.”

Alongside LCL, the Tour de France boasts a roster of other key sponsors, including E-Leclerc, Skoda, Continental and Krys, who collectively contribute to the event’s continued success.

Beyond its association with the Tour de France, LCL is deeply involved in several other prominent French cycling events organised by ASO: Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, Paris-Roubaix Challenge, Critérium du Dauphiné, l’Étape du Tour de France and Paris-Tours. L

CL’s dedication to cycling extends across various platforms, ensuring that the sport continues to thrive and reach a broader audience.

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Tour de France 2019: Sponsors of the top ten richest teams in cycling hoping for overall glory

Business Popular Business of Sport

By Thomas Parker    04 Jul 2019

From shoe manufacturers to a telecommunication company, we look at the top ten biggest sponsors going for glory at this year's Tour de France

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Stage 19 of the 2018 Tour de France (Credit: ASO, Alex Broadway)

It’s the world’s oldest road bicycle race, and sponsors have been a key part in the Tour de France throughout its storied history.

Set up in 1903, the roots of the annual ride around the French countryside came off the back of a marketing stunt by L’Auto – ancestor of France’s leading sports paper L’Équipe.

Wanting to use the race as a promotional tool, the publication changed its paper to yellow to stand out – inspiring the famous yellow jersey given to the winner of the 21-stage race, which this year lasts from Saturday (6 July) until 28 July.

And sponsorship is a key part of the way cycling teams are financed, with the Tour having private teams instead of national squads since 1969.

In recent years, with the rise of professionalism in sport, the need for a big backer in any field has become ever more important.

Tour de France still pulls in sponsors despite doping scandals

The vast majority of sponsorship revenue comes from a team’s top title sponsor, says Conrad Wiacek, head of sponsorship at sports intelligence agency Sportcal.

While they are supplemented by a number of smaller backers, he says these main deals are “absolutely essential” for the teams to compete throughout the cycling season – saying 70% of a team’s annual budget will come from sponsorship.

With Team INEOS far ahead of the pack when it comes to finance with an $11m lead over its next rival, every other team is playing catch-up, he believes.

Mr Wiacek adds: “While exceedingly well resourced themselves, teams like Astana and Movistar can’t compete with the numbers injected by INEOS and Sky previously so are at a disadvantage.

“However, any challenge to this dominance is likely to come from the pack of teams who are able to generate those eight-figure sponsorship spends.

“Those teams without financial backing are unlikely to trouble the top of the general classification standings, but will be looking to make a mark in other areas.

“A simple stage win or putting a rider in contention for one of the other jerseys can help change the perception of the team and therefore could potentially generate more lucrative endorsements in the future.”

One of the problems faced by cycling has been a stream of doping scandals over the past couple of decades.

Despite “losing some of its sheen”, according to Mr Wiacek, it remains one of the world’s premier sporting events and therefore an attractive proposition for brands.

“While some of the teams may struggle to may ends meet, the Tour itself has no such issues, generating over $40m annually through its sponsorship portfolio – which shows that the Tour is in rude health despite some of its recent issues,” he adds.

“With a narrative around endurance, bravery and spirit, the race and the iconic yellow jersey are synonymous with the sport of cycling and it is this history and tradition which makes the race such a commercial success.

“While the other grand tours have affection from other cycling fans – much like the Monaco Grand Prix, Wimbledon or even the Grand National – the Tour de France is the crown jewel of its sport and cuts through with those who may not follow the sport as closely, making it an invaluable commodity to the sport itself.”

From the established names to the new kids on the block, we take a look at the top ten Tour de France 2019 teams in terms of their sponsorship income – and profile the title backers.

Tour de France 2019 teams and their sponsors

Team ineos ($25m).

By far and away the richest and most well-known team at the Tour de France, Team INEOS makes its debut under its current guise in the 2019 race.

Owned by Britain’s richest man  Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the petrochemical giant is the world’s biggest company in its industry and one of the UK’s largest private businesses, recording sales of about $60bn and employing 21,000 people globally.

The company is involved in the development of plastic packaging , synthetic oils, chlorine for drinking water.

It also provides materials to insulate houses and offices, as well as electrical and telecommunications cables – while most recently it has been one of the major companies exploring fracking for shale gas in Britain.

INEOS took over as primary sponsor of the UK-based cycling team after its first sponsor, broadcasting company Sky, announced it was pulling out of the sport following a nine-year association with the squad it helped to set up in 2010 alongside general manager Sir Dave Brailsford.

It’s not the first sport that INEOS has been involved in, with sailor Sir Ben Ainslie’s UK team for the America’s Cup still sponsored by the firm, and will compete at the 2021 competition with the backing.

With overall classification contenders Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas featuring in this year’s Team INEOS side, there is a good chance the chemical company’s sponsorship of the team will start with grand tour success.

Mr Wiacek says the INEOS backing gives the team a “huge budget”, adding: “Given that Team Sky was a passion project of James Murdoch, the level of funding was unprecedented, which may go some way to explaining Team Sky’s stranglehold over the race over the past few years.

“This year will be the same, with Geraint Thomas favourite to retain his title.”

Astana ($14m)

Astana is the longest-running side with a single sponsor riding in this year’s Tour de France.

Founded in 2007 and named after the former name for Kazakhstan’s capital city Nur-Sultan, the team is owned by Samruk–Kazyna – a collection of state-owned companies in industries such as oil and gas , telecommunications, transportation and real estate.

The cycling team is a part of the Astana Presidential Club, a collection of sports teams owned by Samruk–Kazyna, which also includes football team FC Astana, basketball side BC Astana, ice hockey team Barys Astana and Astana Arlans, an amateur boxing side.

Astana’s big hope this year is Jakob Fulsang, with the 34-year-old man from Denmark in good form this year after winning the Criterium du Dauphiné – an annual cycling stage race in the Dauphiné region in the south-east of France.

CCC Team ($12.5m)

Prior to this year, the existing CCC Team was split between BMC Racing Team, a top tier outfit based in Switzerland, and second tier CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice, based in Poland.

But in July 2018, Polish shoe manufacturer CCC oversaw a merger between the two teams and took over as the sole sponsor ahead of the 2019 season.

This followed the decision from bike manufacturer BMC Switzerland to pull out of the sport after the death of team owner Andy Rihs.

CCC, founded in 1996, is one of the largest footwear retailerd and manufacturers in Europe , selling in 22 countries including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary Russia, Germany and Switzerland.

Although the team does not offer riders that could realistically go for overall victory, Belgian duo Greg Van Avermaet and Serge Pauwels could win a few stages for the team, which is licensed in Switzerland.

Deceuninck-Quick-Step ($12.5m)

Arguably one of the most iconic names in modern cycling, Belgium side Deceunick-Quick-Step has been involved in the sport under the management of Patrick Lefevere – often as dubbed cycling’s answer to Sir Alex Ferguson – since 2003.

Flooring, panels and insulation company UNILIN – founded by a group of West Flanders families in 1960 and based in Wielsbeke, Belgium – has been involved with the team from the beginning, using its laminated flooring brand Quick-Step as the title sponsor.

PVC windows, doors, roof lining and cladding firm Deceunick became involved with the team at the start of this year, with the Hooglede-based business becoming the third company to partner Quick-Step in duel sponsorship over the side .

With last year’s king of the mountains jersey wearer Julian Alaphilippe one of its riders, the 2019 Tour could be another successful one for the side.

BORA–hansgrohe ($12m)

Founded in 2010 as a UCI Professional Continental team – cycling’s second tier – German side BORA–hansgrohe joined the ranks of the premier WorldTeam circuit in 2017, after the signing of Slovakian superstar Peter Sagan.

Kitchenware developer Bora – founded by German entrepreneur Willi Bruckbauer in 2006 and involved in the production gas hobs and extractor fans – first got involved in the team in 2014.

Shower and tap manufacturer hansgrohe – founded in Germany in 1901 – has been with the team since the step up to the world tour scene two years ago.

It’s likely the BORA-hansgrohe name will be atop the podium when the race finishes in Paris, with last year’s points classification winner Peter Sagan favourite to hold on to the green jersey – something he has worn all the way to Paris in six of the last seven years.

Movistar Team ($11m)

By far and away the oldest team in road cycling, Movistar Pro Cycling has been in the peloton since 1980, when it rode under the name Reynolds.

The team’s current sponsor  Movistar is a Spanish telecommunications company operating both its native Spain as well as in Hispanic American countries such as Argentina and Colombia.

Founded in 1995, the company took over as sponsor of the team in in 2011, taking the place of French financial services firm Groupe Cassie d’épargne.

Although it has a predominately homegrown squad, the team will likely be riding for Colombian two-time grand tour winner Nario Quintana.

Team Jumbo-Visma ($10m)

It is the first year there has been a team called Team Jumbo-Visma in cycling, but the side hailing from the Netherlands has been around since 1984.

Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has been involved in the team since 2015, when it was the duel sponsor with the Dutch lottery – LottoNL – after American tech company Belkin pulled out its support for the side.

The Norwegian computer company Visma – founded in Oslo in 1996 – took the place of LottoNL in 2019.

With time trial giant Tony Martin riding for sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, Team Jumbo–Visma could see more than a few sprint stage wins at this year’s race.

Lotto-Soudal ($10m)

Founded by the Belgium lottery, Lotto, in 1985, Lotto–Soudal is one of the most historic sides in the pro peloton.

Lotto has been a permanent with the team since the start, with chemicals company Soudal – a producer of silicone and caulks, used as sealants in manufacturing – sponsoring the team since 2015.

Home of the popular Thomas De Gent and the reigning European time trial champion and holder of the hour-record Victor Campenaerts, Lotto–Soudal will likely be one of the more prominent jerseys in this year’s race.

Mitchelton-SCOTT ($9.5m)

Australian team Mitchelton–SCOTT was launched in 2011, with its first season in cycling coming the following year under a former guise as Orica-GreenEDGE.

Swiss bicycle manufacturer Scott Sports SA first sponsored the team in 2017, alongside Australian company Orica, a metals, mining and oil and gas firm – and one of the world’s largest commercial suppliers of explosives.

Scott was joined by Australian wines, hotel, restaurant and day spa company Mitchelton in 2018, changing to its current moniker.

The Australian team comes with two Brits as its overall contention hopefuls, with twins Adam – who won the best young rider jersey in 2016 – and Simon Yates – holder of one of the three grand tours – riding at this year’s race.

Despite Mr Wiacek’s suggestion that teams with lower budgets have little chance of winning the yellow jersey, the brothers could prove an exception to the rule.

Team Dimension Data ($9m)

South Africa’s Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka was founded in 2007 as a UCI Continental team, before becoming a UCI WorldTeam in 2016.

In that year, Johannesburg-based tech company Dimension Data, which has been the tech sponsor of the Tour de France since 2014, came on board.

The team has had a long-running partnership with South African charity Qhubeka – which, among other work, supplies bikes for healthcare and disaster relief workers.

Its biggest hope for stage success will be 38-year-old Brit Steve Cummings, who has won two stages of the Tour in his career – in 2015 and 2016.

Tour de France 2019 sponsors: The other contenders

Outside the top ten, there will be 12 other teams competing at the Tour de France in 2019. Here we list them and the value of their sponsorship deals:

Team Katusha–Alpecin: $9m

Team Sunweb: $9m

AG2R La Mondiale: $8.5m

EF Education First: $8.5m

Trek–Segafredo: $8.5m

UAE Team Emirates: $7.5m

Cofidis: $7.5m

Groupama–FDJ: $7m

Wanty–Groupe Gobert: $5.5m

Bahrain–Merida: $5m

Total Direct Énergie: $4.25m

Arkéa–Samsic: $2.5m

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News, Trends and Analysis of The UK Watch Industry

Watchfinder sponsors ITV4 coverage of this year’s Tour de France

Pre-owned watch specialist Watchfinder is sponsoring this year’s ITV4 coverage of the Tour de France, which starts this weekend.

The deal will see every segment of the live shows and highlight coverage bookended with video advertising from Watchfinder.

This type of sponsorship has become particularly popular in an era when many people record massive sporting events like the Tour de France and fast-forward through the main adverts, seeing only the intro and outro promotions.

The Tour de France is expected to be watched by millions of people in the UK thanks to its airing on the free-to-view ITV4 channel and the success of British riders starting with the now retired Sir Bradley Wiggins, and the current stars Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish.

“We hope this is the start of a long association between Watchfinder and a programme that not only brings one of the world’s most popular sporting events into millions of homes but also inspires people to get out on their bike and get fit,” said Matt Bowling, director and co-founder at Watchfinder.

Asked by WatchPro whether middle-aged men in lycra (mamils) are a particular target market for Watchfinder, Mr Bowling suggested that the typical Tour Dr France fan’s age, passions and disposable income make them likely to also appreciate a perfectly serviced and cleaned fine mechanical timepiece as well.

The growth in the popularity of competitive cycling has also taken place at the same time as the rise in sales of pre-owned watches.

Before the 2004 Olympics – when Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy won their first gold medals – cycling was considered by many to be a marginal sport. Since then, the number of people interested in cycling has grown enormously.

The popularity of pre-owned watches has also grown significantly through the last decade. Seen by many people as a viable alternative to buying new, the UK market is estimated by Watchfinder to generate more than £1.5bn in sales every year and shows no signs of slowing.

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2024 Could Be a Make-Or-Break Year for the Tour de France Femmes

I f there’s one depressing fact I’ve learned in nearly two decades of covering women’s cycling, it’s that, sadly, there’s rarely a moment to rest on one’s laurels in this sport—and that’s particularly true for race organizers, and team owners.

Just because a race does fantastically well one year in terms of unprecedented levels of viewership and media coverage or because a team is arguably the absolute best in the world doesn’t guarantee anything. It’s all easy come, easy go. That’s why I’m nervous about the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and why I believe that this year could be the most pivotal year for the race.

But why am I worried about the Tour de France Femmes in year three? After all, viewership numbers have been high, enthusiasm hasn’t waned, and sports bars are full of fans screaming for Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma. And yet... There are a few important factors to consider.

Last year, Zwift’s Kate Verroneau told me that the second year of the TDFF was scary for her: The first year, you’re riding a wave of hype. In the second year, the race has to stand as a great race, not just a “first.” What about the third year?

“There’s no kind of resting on the fact that last year was really successful,” Veronneau said then. “I look at it and think, ‘Last year was pretty easy sell: It was the first women’s Tour de France in over 30 years. That was easy to get the media on board, easy to get sponsors on board. It was the first time that that huge of an audience watched women’s racing.”

Year two was hugely successful, but what about year three?

The sponsorship dynamics at play

First, there’s the simple fact that this is year three of Zwift’s four-year commitment to the Tour de France Femmes in partnership with ASO. That means if Zwift isn’t planning to continue its support or is going to cut back its sponsorship budget, this is the year the race needs to look for a new sponsor.

Leaving it entirely to next year, the final year in their contract, is foolhardy. So I have to imagine that there’s some buzz happening behind the scenes already. I haven’t heard any scuttlebutt about them giving up their title sponsorship position, to be clear, but considering Zwift just had a round of layoffs and a shuffle in their C-suite , who knows where they’re heading? Hopefully into another lengthy contract, but it’s unclear. My fingers are crossed.

Viewership challenges

Viewership this year will also be more important than ever. High viewership numbers mean a better chance of securing new or renewed sponsorship dollars, and TdFF viewership has been undeniably impressive. But this year is going to make that tricky. The men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes are separated this year by the Olympics. That means three weeks between the races, rather than the men’s race ending on the day the women’s race began.

In the past two years, it was easy to just continue tuning in if you’d been watching the men’s race. This year, viewers will have to actively seek it out starting August 12—the day after the Olympics finish. That is a lot of TV watching for cycling/sports fans to contend with. While serious fans will still tune in, those ‘medium’ fans may not.

The state of the cycling industry

Then, there’s the cycling industry landscape. Brands like Trek and Specialized are slashing budgets , and Shimano is reporting quarter after quarter of losses . To blithely assume that there’s a cycling company capable of taking Zwift’s place as title sponsor in the current landscape is a mistake.

I say all this not to be discouraging. It’s meant to be a rallying cry. What does this all mean for you, the person reading this?

I want to believe that this race will survive and thrive in the same way that Le Tour has for over a century. But I also know that it takes more than love to keep a race of this magnitude running. It takes cold, hard cash. It takes commitment from big businesses that often see women’s cycling as a line item that they can scrap when it’s time to tighten up their belts. It took decades to get back to a point where we have this race. It’s happened before, it’s been lost before. Let’s not let it happen again.

It’s time to get fired up and ensure that the Tour de France Femmes isn’t just a blip in the cycling history books. Mark your calendars, set a Google alert for the Tour de France Femmes, follow racers on social media, and plan watch parties—let’s make this the loudest Tour de France Femmes yet.

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Tour de France

A conversation with garmin executives at the tour de france, sponsoring a bike team makes good business sense, especially if you’re garmin and one of the largest companies in the fast-growing, highly competitive gps market. garmin unveiled its high-profile deal with slipstream sports at the start of the 2008 tour de france as the first step of a title sponsorship contract that continues through the 2010 season. velonews spoke with jon cassat, vice president of communications with garmin, about the details of how the sponsorship deal came about and why the company decided to bet on cycling. here are excerpts from the interview:.

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By Andrew Hood

Photo: Special to VeloNews.com

Sponsoring a bike team makes good business sense, especially if you’re Garmin and one of the largest companies in the fast-growing, highly competitive GPS market.

Garmin unveiled its high-profile deal with Slipstream sports at the start of the 2008 Tour de France as the first step of a title sponsorship contract that continues through the 2010 season.

VeloNews spoke with Jon Cassat, vice president of communications with Garmin, about the details of how the sponsorship deal came about and why the company decided to bet on cycling. Here are excerpts from the interview:

VeloNews: Why was Garmin interested in sponsoring a bicycle team?

Jon Cassat: It’s a two-fold benefit for us. We chose cycling in part because you can cover all of Europe. If you sponsor a football team (note – Garmin also sponsors the Premier League Middlesborough soccer team in England), it doesn’t go much beyond they UK until they play a foreign team. With Team Garmin, you get to cover all of Europe, just like we get to cover all of the USA. It’s a sport that isn’t city or region specific. Because we have riders from both Europe and the United States, we expect fans to get behind the team from all over.

VN: How did Garmin decide to sponsor a cycling team rather than another mainstream U.S. sport?

JC: It is true that cycling in the United States doesn’t have the appeal that football or baseball, but it’s growing in popularity. There are hundreds of millions of cycling fans, and those fans are enthusiastic about the products in the sport. If we can demonstrate that our products are interesting, they can go to their local bike shop and buy the same products that the team is racing with. That’s good for us. Every time we have a chance to put the Garmin brand in front of people, that’s good for us, too. We not only looked at it as being part of the emerging and growing cycling market in America, but also to be across Europe as well.

VN: Was there any special connection to cycling from officials within Garmin that they wanted to get behind a professional cycling team?

JC: We looked at this sport to increase our brand awareness, to increase our sales in the fitness category. We’re not here because our owner is a rabid cycling fan. We’re here for business reasons and we’re enthusiasts. The device that sits on David Millar’s bike was designed by engineers back in Kansas City who are devoted to this sport. They asked, the GPS device that works in my car, if I could make it function for a bike, what would that look like? Years ago, we started working with the same technology that guides boats, planes and cars, and apply that same technology to enhancing cycling opportunities. We didn’t have a history with the Tour. We see the Tour as an opportunity to showcase our products in a big way.

VN: Was it difficult for Garmin to commit to cycling after the recent doping scandals plaguing the sport?

JC: The leadership at Garmin took a very practical and pragmatic approach. We looked at that fan base, that’s our customer. We looked at the viewing audience on TV, just during the next three weeks with the Tour, that’s a huge media buy. As the team attacks, we make headlines, that’s great media exposure. Then we had personal conversations with Vaughters and Allen Lim. We talked about the integrity of the team and what they want to accomplish. It was a very thoughtful process, not a difficult one.

VN: The doping scandals have scared off a lot of potential U.S. sponsors, why did Garmin decide to move forward?

JC: There’s been a black cloud over the sport. The doping issue might be a bigger issue in America than it is in Europe. People who aren’t as familiar with the sport, they might look at that and gasp. We are obviously very concerned. But there are a lot of changes in the sport right now. We see it as opportunity to be part of this wave and be part of this movement to ride clean. That’s a good position to be in. If we’re part of the breakaway toward clean riding, that’s good for our brand as well. We have every confidence that this team will do as its promised, that’s to ride clean and ride well.

VN: Does Garmin have language in its contract concerning the doping issue?

JC: Our contract is private and complex, but there are measures in the contract that state what’s expected of us as a sponsor, and what’s expected of the riders. We expect the riders to uphold the integrity of their sport and of our sponsor. Those character issues are part of any standard contract. We have assurances that they will ride clean, and they have assurances that we will support the team.

VN: Was the team’s anti-doping policy and ethics message critical in the final decision?

JC: I would be lying that I understood all that goes into (the anti-doping program). I have every confidence that Jonathan and the team is doing everything possible. We know that they are embracing the highest standard. As far as anti-doping policy, they, as a team, and we, as a corporation, will not tolerate any kind of misconduct. It’s important to us, that’s something we check off early.

VN: When did Garmin initially make the decision to back a pro team?

JC: We started out as a small sponsor at the Tour of California a few years ago. We started to talk to teams, we started to look around and this crazy argyle design caught our attention. We evaluated it, would it be better for our brand to put our name on a race, like Amgen does at the Tour de California? Or is it better to provide equipment to a lot of teams like some companies do? Or would we want our name on a team as a title sponsor? We really looked around. We’ve had countless e-mails and conversations with the owners of (Slipstream). They’ve been incredibly open with us. We’ve come in with eyes wide open, so maybe over the period a few years.

VN: How many teams did Garmin consider?

JC: We had no preconception. We didn’t identify a team early. We stepped back and were methodical in our search. Is it a pro team, something that’s already established? With Slipstream, it was kind of a youth movement and an international movement. The enthusiasm and zeal they have to develop winners of this team was unique. We said, let’s look at everything and then we migrated to Slipstream.

VN: Along with Columbia, Garmin represents the second major U.S. company to step forward as a sponsor, has the sense of caution among corporate America about cycling lifted?

JC: The mainstream American corporate culture is looking for companies to step up. We saw it with Columbia, and we’re a consumer electronics brand. Other corporations are thinking maybe it’s time to come back into it. We’re not worried about it or not worried if we’re setting a trend. We looked at our customer base and our demographic, and a cycling team was a great fit. Cycling is growing every year.

VN: Does Garmin have any other major sponsorship deals?

JC: This is our biggest sponsorship and our only global sponsorship. Garmin is truly an international company. We have operations throughout Europe, North America and Asia. This is the only sponsorship that circles the globe and that’s strong in our major markets.

VN: By the team’s own admission, it doesn’t have a rider who can aspire to win the yellow jersey in Paris, is Garmin satisfied with the team’s roll as an instigator in the race?

JC: We hope to be protagonists, riding in the front, to get great exposure and offer great moments in cycling. Will we be engaged during the entire race. We will race by riding hard, riding clean and riding at the front. We’re going to ride well every day.

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114,000 acres of maine wilderness are now open to gravel biking\"}}\u0027>\n over 114,000 acres of maine wilderness are now open to gravel biking\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"8 new shoes from giro, q36.5, shimano, fizik, lake, and crankbrothers","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/8-new-shoes-from-giro-q36-5-shimano-fizik-lake-and-crankbrothers\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/8-new-shoes-from-giro-q36-5-shimano-fizik-lake-and-crankbrothers\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"8 new shoes from giro, q36.5, shimano, fizik, lake, and crankbrothers\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/8-new-shoes-from-giro-q36-5-shimano-fizik-lake-and-crankbrothers\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"8 new shoes from giro, q36.5, shimano, fizik, lake, and crankbrothers\"}}\u0027>\n 8 new shoes from giro, q36.5, shimano, fizik, lake, and crankbrothers\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-leaves-liege-in-frustration-i-was-setting-all-time-power-numbers\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-leaves-liege-in-frustration-i-was-setting-all-time-power-numbers\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-leaves-liege-in-frustration-i-was-setting-all-time-power-numbers\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n tom pidcock leaves li\u00e8ge in frustration: \u2018i was setting all-time power numbers\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-seizes-liege-bastogne-liege-with-dominant-solo-display\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-seizes-liege-bastogne-liege-with-dominant-solo-display\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-seizes-liege-bastogne-liege-with-dominant-solo-display\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display\"}}\u0027>\n tadej poga\u010dar seizes li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge with dominant solo display\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"7 new bikes we found at sea otter","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/7-new-bikes-we-found-at-sea-otter\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/7-new-bikes-we-found-at-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"7 new bikes we found at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/7-new-bikes-we-found-at-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"7 new bikes we found at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n 7 new bikes we found at sea otter\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"sea otter randoms: the one about carrying cargo of all kinds","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/urban\/urban-gear\/sea-otter-randoms-the-one-about-carrying-cargo-of-all-kinds\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/urban\/urban-gear\/sea-otter-randoms-the-one-about-carrying-cargo-of-all-kinds\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: the one about carrying cargo of all kinds\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/urban\/urban-gear\/sea-otter-randoms-the-one-about-carrying-cargo-of-all-kinds\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: the one about carrying cargo of all kinds\"}}\u0027>\n sea otter randoms: the one about carrying cargo of all kinds\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/16-attention-grabbing-bikes-sea-otter-classic\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/16-attention-grabbing-bikes-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/16-attention-grabbing-bikes-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\"}}\u0027>\n haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\"}}\u0027>\n sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/thesis-n1-do-everything-drop-bar-bike\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/thesis-n1-do-everything-drop-bar-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/thesis-n1-do-everything-drop-bar-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything\"}}\u0027>\n the thesis n1 wants to be your sole drop bar bike for everything\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/xpedo-new-power-sonik-omni-and-thrust-omni-meter-pedals-sea-otter-classic\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/xpedo-new-power-sonik-omni-and-thrust-omni-meter-pedals-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/xpedo-new-power-sonik-omni-and-thrust-omni-meter-pedals-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight\"}}\u0027>\n xpedo\u2019s new power meter pedals are ready for the spotlight\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/fuego-xl-sea-otter-results\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/fuego-xl-sea-otter-results\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/fuego-xl-sea-otter-results\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n results: keegan swenson and sofia gomez villafa\u00f1e win the fuego xl at sea otter classic\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-the-rockies-canceled-due-to-low-registration-future-uncertain\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-the-rockies-canceled-due-to-low-registration-future-uncertain\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-the-rockies-canceled-due-to-low-registration-future-uncertain\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain\"}}\u0027>\n ride the rockies canceled for 2024, future uncertain\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/cadex-race-integrated-bar-first-look\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/cadex-race-integrated-bar-first-look\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/cadex-race-integrated-bar-first-look\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\"}}\u0027>\n the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\"}}\u0027>\n highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": 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You are here, vosper: inside the quirky dynamics of tour de france race team sponsorship.

It's July, and you know what that means. The Big Dance, La Grande Boucle, that strange French road race that eclipses all the others each year, Le Tour. It's the only bicycle race many Americans know or care about: the Tour de France.

Along with the Tour every year comes the inevitable question: None of my customers care about professional road racing. So why do bike companies spend so much money on race teams, money that could be better spent on projects like advocacy or youth development or community programs or just promoting the activity of cycling in general?

Like a lot of things in the bicycle business, the answers are neither simple nor straightforward. The reality of pro road racing sponsorship dips into arcane topics, ranging from "that's the way we've always done it (at least in the last thirty years or so)" to the byzantine processes of bike brands' budgets.

The Economic Argument

We're talking about something on the order of a million euros in cash per year just to show up at the start line and play the professional road racing game.

Let's start by looking at the purely economic aspects of race teams. And let's get this out of the way while we're at it: no way do sales of high-end road bikes pay for the costs of road team sponsorship, and I don't know of any bike brand that pretends otherwise.

For one thing, there's the outlay of sponsorship itself: as of 10 years ago, the last time I was responsible for a bike brand's racing budget, we're talking about something on the order of a million euros ($1.1 million) in cash per year just to show up at the start line and play the professional road racing game. And that's only to be the team's bike sponsor, not one of its title sponsors. According to my sources in the peloton, that million-euro number has remained fairly constant over the past decade while overall team budgets have skyrocketed.

But the pure cash outlay is the least of it. There's also the cost of proving multiple dozens of fully equipped semi-custom top-of-the-line road bikes, climbing bikes and time trial bikes. On the equipment side (components, wheels, computers and wattage meters, bars, stems and saddles and so forth) some of these costs can be offset with sub-sponsors. Those are OE vendors to the main bike brand who want their products to be seen on the main brands' road racing team. Then there's the cost of a full-time employee to manage team relations and all the onsite realities of working with the team management and riders.

From a budgetary standpoint, the initial cash generally comes from the marketing department, and the bikes and equipment usually come from Product, often line-itemed as R&D. But however you account for it, it's still a huge expense and, at the risk of repeating myself, the revenue from high-end racing bike sales comes nowhere near covering it. Functionally, those costs are spread among all the bikes the company makes. We'll explore why in just a bit.

Marketing the team relationship

Failure to have a team in the pro peloton for the Tour is the kiss of death for a road brand, both among opinion-making riders and even more critically, among opinion-making shop employees.

While the costs of team sponsorship may be high, the costs of not having a team in the Tour may be even higher. To have credibility as a premiere road brand, a supplier's team has to be one of the 18 UCI WorldTeams, which is to say, one of the 22 teams in the Tour de France. Failure to have a team in the Tour is the kiss of death for a road brand, both among opinion-making riders and even more critically, among opinion-making shop employees.

Among the four brands in the Quadrumvirate, Trek is a title sponsor for its team Lidl-Trek; Specialized sponsors Bora-Hansgrohe, Soudal Quick-Step, and TotalEnergies with bikes; Giant has Jayco AlUla; and Pon is represented both with Cannondale — ridden by the EF Education-Easypost team — and Cervélo — ridden by Jumbo Visma.

So one reason to have a team in the Tour is that every other major brand (including Canyon) has one (or more). Smaller players with budgets that are a fraction of the Big Four's, including Bianchi, Cube, Pinarello, Scott, Factor and others, all have teams in the Tour. For many of them, team sponsorship may be the single biggest element — even, in practical terms, the only element — in the company's marketing budget. So there's a certain amount of peer pressure at work here. Sure, it's expensive to get in, but it's even more expensive to get out. The bottom line is, if you're not in the Tour, you're just not considered a player in the high-end road market.

Corporate positioning

Of course, the same thinking also applies to women's road racing, cyclocross, gravel, and the various offroad disciplines. At the end of the day, bike companies just happen to like bike racing, and competition at the highest levels is seen as part of a brand's corporate DNA. But while other categories are growing — especially women's road racing and gravel — it's still the Tour that speaks most clearly to a brand's reputation, and to the brand's perception of itself.

And that's why bike brands sponsor Tour de France racing teams.

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