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Tour de France Party

Ryan Levesque

Contributor

Cycling enthusiasts near and far look forward to the Tour de France. Easily plan your party now with entertainment from The Bash. It's simple and free to search. View profiles, hear audio clips, see video of performances, read reviews and contact entertainers for quotes directly from our site. The best-known cycling race in the world, the Tour de France, takes riders all across the country and through sometimes-grueling courses. Since 1903, the best of the best have met to prove their strength and endurance. With all eyes on France for week after week, you've got plenty of time to celebrate the Tour de France. Party entertainment can easily be found here at The Bash with our database of over 10,000 entertainment acts spanning the U.S. and Canada.

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Watching the Tour de France in person: essential tips for following the Tour de France!

Watching the Tour de France in person is a magical experience. The Tour is the most famous cycling event in the world and you get the chance to experience the electric atmosphere and history being made in front of your eyes.

Yes, the television coverage and aerial shots of chateaus, mountains and charming villages are fantastic, but being on the ground is something else. Following the Tour de France and spectating it live is something special.

Epic Road Rides reader, Ben Davies, knows quite a bit about this – he’s planned trips for him and his friends to spectate the Tour de France every year since 2016. He has kindly written this DIY Tour de France bike tour/spectator guide to help make it easier for anyone wanting to do the same.

Ben says: “My first year following the Tour was spent chasing my tail around France due to being “over enthusiastic” in my estimation of what was involved. I hope my mistakes will help me to assist so you can avoid the same pitfalls!”.

So without further ado, here’s Ben’s Tour de France spectator guide. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for an organised tour to watch the Tour de France, read this in-depth article .

1. How do you decide which stages of the Tour de France to watch in person?

My usual starting point is to look at the route map and the location of the stages.  I look for a number of stages that are close to a central location in order to avoid too much travel.

From there I look for well known places and try and plan a cycle route for us taking in “icons” and as much of each stage as we can get away with (before getting booted off the course – more on that below !).

We’ve watched everything from a Grand Depart to flat sprint stages and stages in the high mountains too – but these days we tend to miss out long flat stages as there’s not a lot of action. The peloton comes past at a rate of knots so you don’t get to see a great deal.

Most week-long trips would allow you to fit in each type of stage, though our favourites are the mountains. You can get close to the action, test yourself out with the riding and get enough time to see the riders pass slowly enough to pick individual favourites out. The publicity caravan also passes slowly enough to give more chance of being able to pick up some Tour souvenirs (AKA “Tour tat”)!

One of my top tips is to think about the riders’ rest days. For example, last year I did a bit of research in the Roadbook (more info below ) and found the various hotels the teams were allocated. I decided Mr Cavendish and team Di Data would benefit from our company the following day.  We got up early and went by the team hotel to check things out.  After a chat with the mechanics, who were busy working on the bikes, we discovered the guys would be setting off around 10:00am on a “spin”.  After some breakfast we made our way back to the hotel car park and joined the team for a ride round Lake Annecy – spectacular!  We also saw Movistar and AG2R out with groups of fans too. This was one of my favourite days ever on a bike!

A note of warning: if you do this, use your common sense. Give the riders room to do what they are there to do – ride.  Don’t get in their group or too close as they don’t want you to be responsible for a crash. Don’t be too pushy and pester them for selfies and autographs. When the moment looks right, then ask, preferably either at the start or end, not whilst they are taking a nature break (as someone did when we were there…)!

2. What’s the best way of getting to the Tour from the UK?

Travelling across the Channel to France can be fairly cheap especially on the more unpopular timed crossings. However, be warned: the ferry companies often seem to raise the prices when the Tour is on as they know more people will want to cross.  Book early!

I use https://www.aferry.com/ to book crossings as soon as the dates/routes/plan becomes clear.

For planning your trip across France, ViaMichelin gives cost options and alternative routes for specific vehicles.

3. How do you find out detailed information on each Tour de France stage?

I always download the “Official Roadbook” (the one issued to the teams) that becomes available on the Velorooms website .

The Roadbook shows profiles, timings, road closures, team hotels – the lot!  It’s a fantastic resource.

I usually print off the pages for the week we’re doing and take the relevant pages each day so I can refer back to them regarding locations and times etc.

4. How do you decide where to stay?

Once I’ve decided how long we’ve got and what area we want to focus on, I try to find a few possible locations spread over a few days of the Tour being in the particular area.

I use Google maps try and make sure the location to park the motorhome and base ourselves in is central to the routes we’re going to watch.  I use www.searchforsites.co.uk which is a specific motorhome parking app to search for recommended parking spots for the motorhome. However, during the Tour, I’ve found most towns and villages are very relaxed about parking presumably as they know you’re not going to be there too long.

I’ve previously parked in sports centres, supermarket and railway station car parks with no problems at all. I’ve been welcomed into strangers’ houses and even joined a village street party (at their request) to celebrate the Tour passing through that day. It was great – we were fed and plied with beer/wine!

Of course, if you’re not in a motorhome it’ll still be a similar process: you’ll be looking for accommodation that’s central to the stages you want to watch.

Example: in 2018, we drove from Calais down to Annecy for the Tour’s rest day there (more on rest days  above !). From there, a central point somewhere near Annecy around Albertville and Bourg St Maurice worked well, giving us opportunities to ride out to each day’s route, take in a climb or two and catch a start and a finish whilst not needing to move the motorhome between stages. It meant we could enjoy cycling each day, usually taking in as much of the route as we could, and avoid too much travelling.

Don’t do what I did in my first year spectating the Tour de France. Due to bad motorhome positioning, we ended up travelling each night until after midnight trying to catch the next day’s stage.  After watching the stage, we had to cycle back, wash, change, load the bikes and travel hundreds of miles plus try and eat somewhere along the way! It wasn’t much fun!

5. How do you find accommodation and bike hire for your Tour de France spectator tour?

If you’re not in a motorhome, be aware that hotels and guest houses will get booked up very quickly once the route details are released by the organisers around October of the preceding year. This is particularly the case in the mountains and especially where the area you want to go is where the Etape du Tour is also being held.

In terms of bike hire, we’ve always taken our own bikes, but I’ve had friends who tried to hire bikes at Mt Ventoux over a Tour de France weekend and found they were sold out until the day after (when there were plenty available!). Admittedly this was an extremely busy location, but I think most places get booked up quickly when the Tour is in town. Again, book early!

6. How do you get to the Tour de France route on the day?

My advice is to cycle to the route and along as much of it as possible in order to scout out the best place to watch from (more on this below ).

I’ve found advertised Tour de France road closures are usually not too strict for cycling to your chosen viewpoint as they are meant for motor vehicles. That said, there are some very over-enthusiastic gendarmes that won’t let you past their posts once the “fermée” or “route barée” time kicks in.  They usually shout “pied” (walk) which we do until out of sight before hopping back on and continuing (if safe to do so) for as far as we can… Obviously we stay vigilant and if we hear any sirens, traffic or the caravan is near we dismount and get out of the way immediately.

7. Do you have any tips for picking your spot to spectate the stage?

Places on iconic climbs such as Mt Ventoux, Alpe d’Huez etc get filled up very quickly, especially near the finish line.

We generally aim to ride as much of the climb/route as possible early on whilst looking for good viewpoints, bars, cafés or any vantage points (rocky outcrops or overlooking gardens etc) that would be good as the peloton passes.

It’s then fairly easy to drop back down to our chosen spot on that day’s route once we’ve completed as much of the route as we can. The beauty of having the bikes is that if our chosen spot turns out not to be good enough then we can move on to another option.

Check the Roadbook. For example, the “feed zone” offers a different experience of the Tour and a chance to chat with soigneurs and watch them interact with their teams. Feed zones also have areas where bidons are to be thrown away by the riders. Sometimes they’re not that busy meaning there’s plenty of bidons to go around.  The soigneurs sometimes have “spare” bidons and musettes that the riders didn’t or couldn’t take whilst in the zone.  Often, they’re not interested in carting them about or won’t get another chance to pass them to their riders, so will hand them out once the peloton has passed.

Another thing to look out for is if the route does a loop and this will allow you to see the peloton in action more than once. For example you watch from point A then as they cycle more of the loop you can use the Roadbook to check the times and cycle to point B to catch them again.

Also look out for large car parks at a depart/arrivee village.  These are often used to stock up the caravan with goodies and provide a great opportunity to blag some swag.

Avoid the crowds.

If a stage finishes on top of a mountain there is sometimes no access for the team coaches/trucks who are left at the foot of the climbs. The riders have to make their own way back down to the coaches by cycle – blowing their whistles so the crowds part – and it’s quite easy to wait a while and join them as they make their way back down.  We’ve ridden down off Planche des Belles Filles chatting with various stars – very memorable!

8. What time should you get in position to watch the Tour come through?

This depends on how busy the location is. For example, Alpe d’Huez fills up from first thing in the morning, whilst lesser known stages are easy to get a spot on up to about an hour before the peloton comes through.

Occasionally we have been blocked by gendarmes and have been made to stay exactly where they say, but even then we’ve managed to move around a bit and found a better spot.

9. What should you take with you each day?

This depends on the length of your ride and what’s on route. Use Google Earth to do a bit of research beforehand and decide on supplies for your day.

There is normally a village of some sorts near to viewpoints where supplies can be bought, as well as local entrepreneurs that set up pop-up snack bars. However obviously they cannot be totally relied upon, so we also usually take some extra sandwiches and a few cans of pop/water in a rucksack which is replaced with Tour stuff (see below ) as the day progresses.

Make sure to take a bag or rucksack to put all your “Tour tat” in! They they throw loads out as the caravan passes through and everybody loves a madeleine or an LCL branded cap, right?!

10. Do you have any tips for how to be a good Tour de France spectator and make the most of your day?!

We’ve all seen the videos and pictures of spectators causing crashes whilst watching the Tour. The following “rules” should help make sure you don’t get caught up in disaster.

• Don’t swing on or lean too far over the barriers. Riders passing close can get caught up in disaster this way.
• Don’t leave it until the last minute to step back from your “brilliant” vantage point directly in front of an approaching rider.  Someone may be stood directly behind you; next thing you’re all on the tarmac. Not the best way to get your face on TV!
• Be careful of camera straps, rucksacks and bags that may get caught, tripping you (and maybe the yellow jersey) up.
• Take all your litter home, including gel wrappers, or find a convenient bin/bag to place them in.
• Smoke bombs and flares… Really. Just don’t even think about it.

On a more positive note, I’d also suggest not spending too much time focusing (get it?!) on your pictures/videos. The peloton passes quickly in most places and if you’re concentrating on getting images then you’ll miss them. There’s always chance for a few snaps, just try not to miss the main event!

Once the peloton, and more specifically the “broom wagon”, has gone through there will be a car with a flashing headboard telling you the road is re-opened. At this point you’re free to cycle away. Beware that the roads can be very busy and there are plenty trying to imitate the descending skills of their heroes, though usually nowhere near as good!

11. Any final thoughts?

Don’t forget that the Tour will only take in certain climbs in certain areas that you may be in too.

For example, it’s a shame to be on the doorstep of the Ballon d’Alsace and only go up Planche des Belles Filles. So do some research in the area you plan to visit and maybe even take a day off from the Tour to tick off some bucket list adventures.

Epic Road Rides gives great information (the France cycling guides are all here ) and suggestions on various routes in your chosen area but www.cyclingcols.com and www.cycling-challenge.com can also be useful resources.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this short guide and that it helps you avoid some of our early mistakes.  If you would like any further information, then please just ask in the comments below.  Safe travels and enjoy your trip!

Big thanks to Ben for all his Tour de France tips! There are some really useful pointers in here and we hope you use them to have a fantastic trip!

Have you planned a DIY Tour de France spectator tour?

Have you got some tips for watching the Tour de France in person?

Any questions?

Let us know in the comments below!

And finally, if you want to go on a supported tour to watch the Tour de France, where all the planning is done for you, read this article .

Please support Epic Road Rides

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If you found what you’ve read useful, I’d really appreciate it if you dropped something in the tip jar  here .

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Looking for an organised cycling trip?

If you want someone to help you plan and book your cycling holiday, fill out this form. We aren’t a tour operator/agent but we work with lots of people who are and will do our best to put you in touch with someone that can help (within 24 hours wherever possible)!

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Ben Davies is an Epic Road Rides reader who also runs Velomoho He got in touch to tell us about his Cinglés du Ventoux trip and his frequent trips to watch the Tour de France (check out the separate article on that here).

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Foshee Lifestyle Blog

The ultimate guide to a tour de france watch party.

The Tour de France is the most televised cycling event in the world and captures the attention of millions of sports fans worldwide. Did you know that you can bring the excitement of this famous race right into your own home? In this post, we will guide you on how to organize an unforgettable Tour de France watch party that will provide you, your friends, and your family with a great time. From French-inspired cuisine to tips on creating the perfect cycling-themed watch party, we’ve got some great ideas you can add to your gathering. Most importantly, we will discuss what you need to know first about the event and how to access it!

The Tour de France Schedule

First, there are a few things you need to know before hosting a Tour de France watch party at your home. To ensure a successful watch party, familiarize yourself with the Tour de France schedule . Plan your watch party on a day when you can dedicate plenty of time to enjoy the entire race or key stages of it. The Tour de France is broadcasted on various sports networks, depending on your location. In the United States, NBC Sports Network is the official broadcaster. Check your local listings or contact your cable provider to determine which channel is televising it.

Create a Comfortable Space

Next, you want to create a comfortable and spacious viewing area for your guests. Arrange seating options such as couches, chairs, or floor cushions to ensure everyone can enjoy the race without any obstruction of their view. For aesthetics, you can add a touch of cycling-themed decorations to create an immersive atmosphere. Incorporate elements like mini yellow jerseys, cycling helmets, and bike-shaped banners to evoke the spirit of the race. To keep the Tour de France watch party energy high, offer a selection of tasty treats and refreshing beverages. Embrace the French theme by serving delicious French cuisine. Consider classics like croissants, baguettes, cheese platters with Brie and Camembert, charcuterie boards, and quiches. Add a touch of elegance with macarons and crème brûlée for dessert. However, it’s never a bad idea to take the more traditional route with easy-to-eat finger foods like sliders, mini quiches, gourmet popcorn, fresh fruits, vegetable crudités, and chips with a selection of dips if that’s more pleasurable. As for beverages, offer options such as French wines , including Champagne, and refreshing mocktails inspired by traditional French ingredients. Don’t forget to provide non-alcoholic alternatives like sparkling water, fruit juices, and sodas. 

Go For A Ride

Lastly, going for a bike ride to celebrate the Tour de France completion can be a fun, immersive way to get you and your group of friends more in tune with the event, as well as a great way to get cardiovascular exercise. If you cannot bike outdoors due to weather or other conditions, consider using an indoor cycling machine or participating in a cycling class at your local gym.

Ultimately, hosting a Tour de France watch party aims to create an engaging, enjoyable experience for everyone involved. By paying a little closer attention to the details, and embracing the French spirit you can turn your home into the center of fun and celebration for this exciting cycling event. For more ideas on how to better host a watch party at your home, check out this article that has some more great ideas you can implement for your gathering. So grab your friends, prepare the snacks, and get ready to enjoy the Tour de France from the comfort of your own living room with all of your friends and family. Let the race begin!

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Where to Watch the Tour de France

Cheer on your favorite pro at one of these Tour de France viewing parties

Celebrate the Tour de France among friends new and old with a viewing party at a pub, café, or bike shop. We've rounded up a few of our favorites from across the country:

Denver, CO: Denver Bicycle Cafe Coffee, beer, and parking for your bike—what more could you ask for? Denver Bicycle Café will show the Tour live every day as well a re-broadcast of each stage later in the day. “Toward the end of the race and for the queen stage and other highlights, we'll run specials and more promotions to build the energy,” says co-owner Peter Roper. More info: denverbicyclecafe.com

Fort Collins, CO: Road 34 A combination bike shop, deli, and tavern, Road 34 bills itself as the first true bike bar. Grab one of Road 34’s inventive sandwiches, a beer, and a “Big Ass Basket of Curly Fries” before you sit back and enjoy the show every day. More info: road34.com

New York City: Gotham West Market Head to the Cannibal in Gotham West Market for a viewing event that includes plenty of beer and meaty delicacies. Named after Eddy Merckx, The Cannibal features a butcher counter, bar, and bike-friendly outdoor garden. The restaurant will have all-French beers on tap in honor of the Tour. More info: www.nycvelo.com

Philadelphia: Old Eagle, Devil’s Den, and Barren Hill Tavern Three Philly bars are teaming up with Ommegang Brewery to create the ultimate viewing party. Devil’s Den, Old Eagle, and Barren Hill are taking $1 off Ommegang and Duvel beers throughout the entire Tour de France. You can also enter Ommegang’s raffle to win beer gift baskets and tickets to the Belgium Comes to Cooperstown beer festival in August. More info: facebook.com

Portland, OR: Velo Cult Part bike shop, part performance venue, and part bar, Velo Cult offers the perfect atmosphere for die-hard cyclists. The venue will show each stage of the Tour at 5 p.m. on movie theater screens in its main room and basement. “The stages will usually end with live music performances,” says owner Sky Boyer. With 12 draft beers and 44 cans and bottles, you’ll have a large selection of fine refreshments to choose from as you watch. More info: velocult.com

Salt Lake City: Gateway Megaplex Theatre The people who put together the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah are hosting a party for Stage 14 of the Tour at the Gateway Megaplex Theatre. See the live action and enjoy a catered breakfast and giveaways—all for free. More info: tourofutah.com

San Francisco: Velo Rouge With a red bike hanging over its entrance and bike parking spots, the Velo Rouge Café is a bike themed-paradise. It opens at 6:30 a.m., so you can watch the live race action while enjoying coffee and a croissant. The café also shows the rebroadcast of each stage in the evening, if you’d rather sleep in. More info: afar.com

Seattle: Café Presse Located on Capitol Hill near Seattle University, Café Presse offers a French-inspired Tour experience. Co-owner Jim Drohman studied at a culinary school in Paris and his menu items include a croquet monsieur and beef tartare. The café will broadcast every stage at 7 a.m. when it opens as well as some of the mid-day rebroadcasts. More info: cafepresseseattle.com

Tucson, AZ: Ghinis French Caffe Ghinis French Caffe will show each stage of the Tour along with its authentic French food option. Local bike shop There and Back Bike Shop, has organized rides to the French café in the past. More info: ghiniscafe.com

Washington, DC: Rhodeside Grille Washington bike club the Potomac Pedalers will band together at the Rhodeside Grille in Arlington, VA to view the climb-laden Stage 10 of the Tour. Join the crew from 6 to 9 p.m.—appetizers are on them! More info: potomacpedalers.org

Do you know of a great Tour de France viewing party that we should include? E-mail Julia.Naftulin –at– Rodale.com.

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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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Heading to the Tour de France? Go to the mountains, eat local, and stay clear of the riders.

• Seeing the Tour de France in person should be on everyone's bucket list.
• Three weeks long, colorful, and fast, it's called the world's greatest race for a reason ... and then there's all that delicious food and drink.
• If you go, there are some things you should consider doing — and some things you should definitely avoid — to make the most of your Tour.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

FRANCE — Everyone should go see the Tour de France. It's unlike anything else.

Forget that it's the world's largest annual sporting event and the greatest bicycle race. It's also a delicious party.

Read more: The Tour de France bikes, ranked

It's hard to mess up a visit to the Tour, so just go. But a few tips might make the experience a little easier and a lot more fun.

Here are our best bits of advice for anyone going to see the race in person.

Go to the mountains.

On the flatter stages, the riders fly by so fast it's a whizzing blur. Instead, opt for the mountain stages, on which the riders will likely be strung out single file in small groups and going (relatively) slower as they labor up the steep gradients.

Whereas on the flats the peloton of 176 riders could shoot by in less than a minute, on the hardest mountain stages there could be over a half hour between the leader and the last rider.

On the biggest mountain stages, which feature several high summits, you'll want to be on the penultimate or final climb, near the summit (but perhaps not at the very top, since it can get packed with spectators and crowd barriers can limit your movement).

The main mountain regions in the Tour de France are the Alps and Pyrenees. Our favorite climb is Alpe d'Huez — a massive party — but each Tour features different climbs, so be sure to check the Tour website for the general route when it's announced in October and the detailed stage maps published in May.

Go to the Grand Départ for the sheer spectacle.

Yes, skip most of the flat stages, but consider going to the Grand Départ, the "big start." This is the festive opening weekend of the Tour when the buzz around the race is highest. Two days before the first stage, you'll get to see all the teams presented and tip a glass with the locals in the party atmosphere.

The Tour starts in a different city every year, but you can always count on the host going all out to welcome the Tour. Often the first two or three stages start and finish in or near the same city, so you can base yourself in a single area without having to move around so much.

Eat and drink local.

Skip the supermarkets and fast-food chains and seek out what's good in the region. Hit the local market or bakery instead.

France is known for its delicious food and drink, so try the specialties. And don't overthink it: Some days it could just mean a quick stop for picnic favorites like local cheeses, fresh baguettes, sausages, fruit, olives, chocolate, wine, whatever you crave.

In Belgium, we hit up a food truck for the best frites with mayo we've ever had and washed it down with a cold Leffe. When in Rome.

Skip the starts and finishes.

Don't bother going to the stage starts or finishes, unless you really, really want to.

If you're driving, traffic and parking can be a headache, and you'll need to arrive quite early. Most likely you'll need a special pass to get close to the area where the riders are (though you can see them from a distance) as well as into the "start village," a large VIP area for ticket holders, the well-heeled, local celebrities, and the town mayor.

Ditto with the finishes, where public access can be limited and the crowds intense.

Go the third week.

Probably the best stages to see the Tour are in the third week, when the race hits the high mountains proper. The Tour alternates from year to year, clockwise and counterclockwise around France, so you'll be heading to either the Alps or the Pyrenees.

The last week is the toughest leg for the riders, as it features several major mountain passes, and it's where the race is decided. The best climb for spectating is Alpe d'Huez , but the race visits different climbs each year, so check the route to see which climbs are in and which are out when you go.

Arrive early, leave late.

Wherever and whenever you go, arrive at your desired spot along the course hours ahead of the race. If driving, know that the roads are often closed early in the morning, so strike out very early in the a.m. or just show up the night before and camp. On the most popular climbs, crowds can swell to 10 deep roadside. Die-hard fans arrive a day or two before.

One popular option is to arrive at the base of your chosen climb in the morning, hike up to a good spot, enjoy your picnic and neighbors, and wait for the race. The Tour website has helpful information about when (to the very minute) the riders are expected to pass each point along the stage. Use it to plan your day.

And don't bother trying to leave right after the riders pass. You'll just find yourself stuck in traffic. Wait till the race clears out and the crowds disperse.

Stay out of the road, and don't touch the riders.

Newbies to the Tour, and to bike racing generally, are often shocked at how fast the riders come by. It's much faster than you'd expect. Really. So while it hopefully goes without saying, don't stand in the road, even a little. Stay off to the side.

Also, riders don't like to be touched, and they don't like to be pushed. Cheer all you want, but keep your hands to yourself. And don't run alongside the riders. It puts you both in danger.

Bonus: Don't bother trying to take photos of the riders. Unless you really know what you're doing, your pictures will probably not turn out well at all. Just lose yourself in the frenzy of the moment. There will be plenty of photos to look at later. You traveled all that way to see the riders with your own eyes, anyway.

Finish in style on the Champs.

Another exception to skipping the flat stages is the final one, which always takes place on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Seeing the finish is something to behold. Many riders say they get goosebumps riding into Paris. You might too.

While this stage starts outside the city and is largely ceremonial at first, the second half is legit racing, so when the riders finally make it onto the Champs, it's game on. They'll do several laps at full speed as they rip over the cobbles. Winning the final Tour stage in Paris is one of the crowning achievements in cycling, so the sprinters will be going 100% to the line.

While the dense crowds can make it tough to get a clear view of the riders, the atmosphere is brilliant. Anywhere near the Arc de Triomphe is a bonus, though other spots along the Champs are worthwhile. And what better place for a Champagne toast.

As with everything else at the Tour, get there early, naturellement.

Read more from Daniel McMahon

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The best fans at the Tour de France, ranked

The Tour de France is more than a race, it is an event, and the fans make it that way

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The 2023 Tour de France is in its final week, and as the riders close on Paris, it would seem the issue of general classification is all but settled. Thanks to a “time trial of destruction” from defending champion Jonas Vingegaard on Tuesday, followed by another impressive ride in the mountains on Wednesday, Vingegaard now has a lead of over seven seconds over his biggest rival, Tadej Pogačar.

While four stages remain, and even Vingegaard conceded that the matter is not decided, he is closing in on his second straight Tour de France title.

But that does not mean we are without things to discuss.

After all, the Tour de France is much more than a cycling race. It is an event. Part of what makes it one of the most fascinating sporting events in the world happens alongside the riders. As the peloton winds its way through France each July, thousands upon thousands of fans line the route, cheering the competitors on in their own distinctive way.

To pay tribute to those supporters — the good and the bad — here are the best spectators of the 2023 Tour de France, ranked.

1. The Bidon Swish

It’s the cycling/basketball crossover we all didn’t know we would need but now can enjoy nonetheless.

The Tour de France is the greatest sporting event in the world, and you’ll never convince me otherwise #tdf2023 pic.twitter.com/092yyiE0KU — Myles Smith (@mylessmith33) July 18, 2023

Up until this moment, you never knew that you needed a Tour de France rider swishing a water bottle mid-stage.

Now you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Also, great job Guillaume Boivin for nailing this shot.

2. One proud pup

Dogs are the best.

Valentin Madouas, a rider for Groupama–FDJ, spotted a familiar face on the side of the road during the final week of the Tour de France.

His dog Perle:

Valentin Madouas spots his dog during the Tour de France pic.twitter.com/OHTpq45FzZ — Emma La Jaune #SiempreGino (@cyclartist) July 20, 2023

Groupama-FDJ posted a longer video on Instagram, outlining how one of Madouas’s other dogs, Paquito, could not make the Tour de France this year, so Perle was called in as a substitute. Perle even managed to “growl” at Wout Poels, a rider for Team Bahrain Victorious who won Stage 15:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@equipegroupamafdj)

Fantastic stuff.

3. Pizza Guy

For many spectators, taking in the Tour de France means finding a way to help. Whether just offering support, or in the case of this fan, pizza.

A fan offering Ben O'Connor a freshly baked pizza after giving his all for Felix Gall #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/N6Q235vRtI — Eurosport (@eurosport) July 19, 2023

Where does Pizza Guy come from? We don’t know! What is his purpose? To offer pizza to Australian rider Ben O’Connor! That’s it? You’re damn right that’s it. Pizza Guy FTW!

4. Marge Simpson: Cycling Fan

Let’s see. It’s mid-July in France, you’re getting ready to watch the cycling on Bastille Day, and you need to pick out the absolute perfect outfit.

Obviously the answer is Marge Simpson.

"Not now honey, I have to pick up my Marge Simpson costume and go to see the stage" pic.twitter.com/t3D0lMftd4 — Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) July 14, 2023

5. The Mid-Stage Party

The Tour de France is one big party, just ask French rider Benoît Cosnefroy. He stopped midway through Stage 14 on one of the hardest climbs in the race to absolutely soak in the crowd. Man of the people.

La folie des supporters de @BenoitCosnefroy et @AurelienParetP dans Joux Plane Le vélo qu’on y aime #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/UXvvWQU7nF — Julien Trivero (@Julientrivero) July 15, 2023

The only reason we did not rank this higher is because it has more to do with Cosnefroy than the fans alone. But what a moment.

6. Supporters, or mechanics?

During Tuesday’s pivotal individual time trial, Pogačar made a fascinating decision mid-stage. After starting out on a time trial bike, he made the switch to a road bike to take on the final climbs at the end of the stage.

Switching mid-stage can be difficult and time consuming.

Unless some fans want to lend a hand.

Really liked this episode from #TDF2023 stage 16, where a couple of cycling fans are helping T. Pogacar and UAE with his bike change. In what other sports do fans actually, get to participate in the action? pic.twitter.com/FiGk1OHKO3 — JJ (@me_marco) July 19, 2023

This has us thinking, however. What other sports should allow spectators to help out mid-event? Imagine pulling a fan out of the stands to warm up a pitcher in the bullpen? Maybe letting fans change some tires as part of a NASCAR pit crew or during an F1 race.

7. Father-son Painting

If you have ever seen a Tour de France stage, you probably noticed that a significant portion of the roads, and virtually all of the major climbs, have been painted over. Names, motivational messages, whatever — fans have paint and they intend to use it. Representing all of them on our list are this father/son duo who were up at 8 a.m. to put names and smiley faces on the asphalt on Stage 14.

Le 8 del mattino sul Joux Plane, l'inizio di una straordinaria festa popolare. Un papà che scrive i nomi dei corridori sull'asfalto e il figlio che aggiunge faccine sorridenti imbrattandosi di vernice. Il #TDF2023 in una sola immagine. (Grazie Lele per la testimonianza). pic.twitter.com/5iOUUXAssI — Bidon (@ciclismoliquido) July 16, 2023

Bonus points to the son. He is all decked out in Team Jumbo-Visma gear and as such is probably rooting for Vingegaard, but it looks like he just painted “Pogi” for Pogačar, Vingegaard’s biggest rival in the Tour de France. You love to see it.

8. The singing Gendarme

The French as a passionate, romantic people. It comes through in their food, their daily lives, and yes, through song.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA Give this guy a Grammy! Votre tube de l'été 2023 ! #TDF2023 Could be produced by @OutOfCycling ! pic.twitter.com/kcvMTXcXTM — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 4, 2023

While a Grammy might not be in the works, making this list is the next-best thing, right?

9. The Race Steward

As we will see in a moment, fans have disrupted the 2023 Tour de France. During Tuesday’s pivotal Stage 16 time trial, one fan in a polka-dot jersey came dangerously close to race leader Vingegaard.

But another fan was not having it. Watch as this fan — and perhaps future race steward — prevents an excited supporter from not just disrupting the time trial, but perhaps changing the course of the general classification:

Gotta love the crowd control by fans for Fans alongside today's @LeTour TT! (dude manages Polka Dot Fan while having cell phone AND beer & cigarette in other hand!) #letour #TDF2023 cc: @OutOfCycling pic.twitter.com/KGUho68gWc — Stefan Rothe (@stefanrothe) July 18, 2023

What makes it even better? Our hero accomplishes this despite holding a cell phone, bottle of beer and cigarette in his hands at the same time. A true Renaissance Man of our time.

10. Rabbit Girl

Sometimes as a parent you make promises to your children as a means of avoiding difficult decisions. You give them a task that you can never imagine them accomplishing and tell them if they someone pull it off, then sure, you will give them what they want.

Like telling your daughter that if she gets her picture with Pogačar, she can finally have that rabbit she has been asking for. Rabbits can be mean, after all, and there’s no chance she’ll be able to ... wait what?

Pogacar made this fan's day #TDF2023 (via @TeamEmiratesUAE ) pic.twitter.com/j03lJsdLhr — Eurosport (@eurosport) July 16, 2023

Hope she has fun with her rabbit.

11. Random fish guy

This is the tenth — and final — Tour de France for Thibaut Pinot. The French cyclist is a hero in his home country, having finished third in the general classification in the 2014 Tour de France. He also has three stage wins in the Tour de France over his career.

So along the route there are many pulling for Pinot.

Including fish guy.

Cycling fans can be the best! Nos supporters ont du talent ! @maillotapois #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/6lvEbe5qmm — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2023

“Hey honey, I’m heading out to the bike race to cheer for Pinot. Have you seen my fish costume?”

12. Cofidis has a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell

Riders are not the only ones who come in (sometimes too) close contact with fans. Team personnel riding along in the support cars are no different, as this video from François Pervis from a Team Cofidis car shows.

There is a lot going on here, but one thing certainly stands out.

Cowbell dude.

Très compliqué aujourd’hui dans le dernier col. On comprends rapidement pourquoi la moto image n’a pas pu prendre du champ et a gêné l’attaque de pogacar. pic.twitter.com/1c6dajxcmt — François Pervis (@FrancoisPervis) July 15, 2023

It’s 90 degrees, and he has a humongous cowbell strapped around his body. That’s dedication to the craft. You, sir, are an inspiration to all of us!

13. Borat fans

Kids, do not try this at home.

Uno que no ha devuelto el prestamo y cofidis tocando los pic.twitter.com/d0ouHwIbSQ — De lejarreta y sean kelly. (@gurpeazkar) July 7, 2023

Honestly, that might be enough to get any cyclist out of the seat and into high-energy mode.

14. Tractor man

This is so incredibly random, we just had to include it. It’s a guy, on a bike, on an excavator, on the side of the road.

pic.twitter.com/hqayjHTIjL — Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) July 4, 2023

Did they rent the excavator? Are these construction workers on a day off? You know what, we don’t want to know. We just want to appreciate the randomness of it all.

10/10, no complaints.

Absolutely, positively last place: This chucklehead

Attending the Tour de France is a bucket-list item for many. Spending a month working through the French countryside, seeing some of the best athletes in the world performing at the peak of their abilities? Seems like a fun time.

You might even want to take a photo or two. Of course you will.

Just, whatever you do, do not do this:

Another huge crash that seemed to be caused by a fan... All riders involved are back on their bikes #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/QkxrGaMhcV — Eurosport (@eurosport) July 16, 2023

An estimated 10-15 million cycling fans line the roads during the Tour de France and as we’ve seen most of them are awesome. And then there is Mr. “I need to take a selfie with the peloton and take out several riders in the process of doing so.”

Not cool, dude. Not cool.

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After more than 30 years, a multiday women's Tour de France is back

Tom Goldman

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio of Team South Africa leads the peloton during the women's road race on the second day of the 2020 Olympic Games at Fuji International Speedway on July 25, 2021 in Oyama, Shizuoka, Japan. Michael Steele/Getty Images hide caption

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio of Team South Africa leads the peloton during the women's road race on the second day of the 2020 Olympic Games at Fuji International Speedway on July 25, 2021 in Oyama, Shizuoka, Japan.

Bicycle racing's most famous competition, for men, ends Sunday in Paris.

But on the same day, in the same city, another version of the Tour de France begins .

And this one is for the world's best female riders.

It's been more than 30 years since women have competed in a viable, multistage Tour de France. Now they finally have another chance, and it's due, in large part, to the pandemic.

Pedaling to victory at home

With COVID-19 surging in 2020, elite cyclists, pretty much like everyone, were on lockdown.

But for them, as the proverbial door closed, another opened.

The company Zwift , which combines fitness and video gaming for indoor training, put on virtual races worldwide, with separate contests for men and women. Including a virtual Tour de France.

Some pro cyclists rolled their eyes.

"Like, I did not want to ride inside. I thought it was dumb," said American cyclist Lily Williams. "You know it's harder to ride inside because you're just staring at the wall."

Others embraced the chance to break the drudgery of indoor training and maintain a level of competitiveness, albeit virtual.

"I saw the opportunity it presented for us in one of the most challenging years for the world," said Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, a 13-year veteran of women's pro cycling.

It paid off for Moolman-Pasio.

She pedaled to victory in stage five of the 2020 virtual Tour de France, the so-called "queen stage." The toughest stage in a multiday road race.

The next day, Moolman-Pasio and her husband ventured outside their home in Girona, Spain, and noticed people pointing.

"He's like, 'Well, it's because of the Tour de France,' " Moolman-Pasio said. "You know you were on TV and everyone saw you winning the queen stage."

It was not an isolated incident.

Colombian rider Egan Bernal , the 2019 Tour de France champion, holds a virtual test during a news conference in Bogota on April 2, 2022. JUAN BARRETO/Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Colombian rider Egan Bernal , the 2019 Tour de France champion, holds a virtual test during a news conference in Bogota on April 2, 2022.

Turning virtual racing into reality

According to Zwift, more than 16 million people in more than 130 countries saw the virtual races – on television and digital platforms. And viewership was equally split between the men's and women's events.

Longtime Tour de France organizer ASO — the Amaury Sport Organization — saw in those numbers the potential for women's cycling.

"That's how the conversation started," said Moolman-Pasio.

The conversation with Zwift was about launching a real women's Tour, one with heft and sustainability. A top-notch broadcast plan was critical.

"That's the key to the success of the race," said Kate Veronneau from Zwift, "to building that audience, to building future investment and growing the race and keeping it around."

Veronneau says broadcasting to 190 countries on each of the race's eight days should certainly help keep the new women's Tour de France around.

After so many other Tours had gone away.

Laurent Fignon, left, of France, and Marianne Martin of Boulder, Colo., hold up their trophies in Paris after winning the men's and women's Tour de France cycling races on July 23, 1984. Steven/AP hide caption

Trials, and lots of errors

In 1955, a five-stage loop from Paris to Normandy marked the first women's Tour de France. But it only lasted a year.

It wasn't until 1984 that organizers tried again.

A multistage event called the Tour de France Feminin ran for six years. It featured three wins for French cycling legend Jeannie Longo .

She won the last event in 1989. That Tour folded, like other versions after, because of uneven media coverage and sponsorship.

Both are there now.

Zwift won't say how much money it's poured into its four-year title sponsorship of the Tour de France femmes avec Zwift . But it's enough for about $250,000 in prize money, with $50,000 to the winner.

Finally seeing women

Moolman-Pasio is one of many veteran riders who've fought for a viable women's Tour de France. She's thrilled about finally getting to race in cycling's most prominent event, and about the girls and young women who'll be watching.

"Instead of sitting on the couch and watching the Tour de France and seeing men race up these epic climbs and fighting for the yellow jersey, finally they will see [women]," Moolman-Pasio said. "And it's the opportunity for them to recognize pro cycling as a career choice."

It's still a challenging choice, though.

Many female pro cyclists have to work as well as race.

Williams, the U.S. rider who thought virtual racing was dumb but now likes it so much she sometimes rides inside intentionally, was one of them. She's spent most of her five years as a pro working another job – as communications director for a bike registration network.

But the financial landscape is changing, and finally, Williams is a full time pro.

"This is the first year I've made a full salary from cycling," she said. "Now I actually have the opportunity to just race my bike, which I can't even tell you goes so far because not only is the training and racing incredibly demanding but the travel and the recovery require so much more of you than it did before."

The sport's governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), has been raising minimum salaries for women competing on professional teams. Team budgets are growing, as is prize money across the board. After the Tour de France femmes avec Zwift announced its record $250,000 purse, another women's grand tour event, the Giro d'Italia Donne, matched the Tour's prize money amount.

In her short professional career, Williams has won a World Championship gold medal and Olympic bronze in track cycling. She's excited about the upcoming Tour, a hallowed road race she watched every year, with her family, growing up.

A race now for women too.

"I think it's [part of] the general trend we're seeing everywhere," Williams said, "where women are gaining equal opportunity across the board in a lot of different areas of the world. So it's all kind of coming to a head. And I think the Tour de France is going to be such a great opportunity for us to showcase that as well."

Lily Williams celebrates after the Women's Team Pursuit Finals during the second day of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships on Feb. 27, 2020, in Berlin. Maja Hitij/Getty Images hide caption

Lily Williams celebrates after the Women's Team Pursuit Finals during the second day of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships on Feb. 27, 2020, in Berlin.

Eight, for now

It will be a shorter showcase than the men's Tour.

Women's teams aren't big enough, at least for now, to support a 21-stage Tour de France like the men.

"The top women are more than ready to race three weeks," said Sadhbh O'Shea, a bicycle racing writer for VeloNews. "[But with] a good chunk of these riders working part time to fund their racing, until we can get a full peloton of professional riders, I don't think the women's sport is ready for a full three-week stage race."

But O'Shea thinks the eight-stage race starting Sunday is right for this initial effort.

With so much racing in the men's Tour, "you tend to get these dips in terms of the pace and aggression," O'Shea said. "Whereas with the women's racing, because it's shorter because there are fewer riders, it tends to be a little more gung-ho right from the start and all the way through. You do occasionally get lulls, but it tends to be more action, more of the time."

The women's stages average 80 miles, the men 99.

The action starts Sunday in Paris, before the men arrive for their finish, when the women will own the city streets. Their first stage begins at the Eiffel Tower – 12 laps, or 50 miles later — it ends on the Champs-Elysees. After the city, seven more stages of sprints, grueling mountain climbs and even sections of gravel and dirt roads.

By the end, on July 31, the new women's Tour hopes to finish with new fans, and a promise to be back – year after year.

How do Tour de France riders celebrate their birthday at the race?

Cycling Weekly chats to some of the people who have their special days throughout the Tour

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Almost every morning at the Tour de France , if you listen carefully to the unmissable podium presentation, there's usually, at one point, a diversion from the ordinary schedule. Amid the usual fluff - the interview with Peter Sagan , the roar for Thibaut Pinot, and the Tour's catchy announcement music - if you listen carefully, you might just hear the strains of Happy Birthday To You .

It's not a nice rendition, it should be said, with the Tour composers trying a bit too hard to tie it in with the race's usual jingles, so it comes out sounding electronic and strangled.

Birthdays are not unusual at the Tour; 176 riders start and the race happens over 23 days, so the odds are not low for an individual to have their special day while racing. Essentially, if you are a July baby and a professional cyclist, the chances are you will have a bemused crowd in a random French town, at a stage start, singing happy birthday to you at some point of your career.

For Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe), the 1 July was not only the first ever time the German had pinned on his race numbers at the Tour de France, but it was his 25th birthday. Some day.

"It's super special," Meeus told Cycling Weekly . "It's my first Tour, so to already be here it is super special, and yeah, first Tour stage on my birthday, makes it even more special. I had a cake, it was pretty nice. 

"I think for my first Tour, I couldn't think of a better birthday than yesterday. We will see in the future if I keep thinking like this, but I enjoyed yesterday a lot."

He was not the only man to have his birthday on stage one, that was shared by Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar), who turned 24.

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"It's nice, it's awesome," the American explained. "They sang happy birthday to me after the presentation, it's a good vibe." However, unliked Meeus: "No, definitely no cake."

For some, having a birthday at the Tour de France is a life goal realised. That was the case of Lars van den Berg (Groupama-FDJ, who also turned 25 this year, on stage seven.

"It's special, riding the Tour is something you dream of and to have your birthday too, it's something really special," the Dutchman explained. "I would rather be doing nothing. If you're doing the Tour de France... you only have a few opportunities in your life, so I'd rather be here. That would be great if I could have a few more, I would sign for that right now."

Unlike any normal person, however, professional riders can hardly celebrate their birthday. There's no party, no beer, no gathering with your family and friends - unless your friends are your teammates.

Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) has experienced quite a few birthdays at the Tour over the years, with 10 editions under his belt, and so is a bit tired of the very average celebration he experiences on the roads of France.

"I'd prefer if I was at home," the Norwegian explained. "No, you can't celebrate at all. I will get a cake after dinner, not for dinner. It's not a big celebration, in the mountains. I don't think I ever did really well on my birthday, so I cannot pick out one.

"I've had no great results either [on my birthday]. Maybe the first time I had a chance, but I got dropped. Before I turned pro I had some good memories, but not after. After I retire it will be better, with my family. At least I got a song this morning from my kids."

One also had to feel for Chris Juul-Jensen (Jayco-AlUla), who has had two of the hardest days he has experienced on his bike over the last two years, on his birthday.

"Last year it was the cobbled stage, this year it's a mountain stage," he said. "If it wasn't for seeing it on social media, and my family, then I probably wouldn't have given it too much thought this morning, especially given we have three massive mountains to get over. 

"Any birthday surrounded with all my mates, if I can't spend it with my family... it's the next best option. Regardless of what kind of stage it is, it's enjoyable. I expect a cake."

Given the relentlessness of the Tour, it escapes some rider's minds. "I don't know what day it is, but it's on 8 July. To be honest, I don't care at all," Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) said. "I think it's a possible sprint day, but it's the same motivation.

"Of course, you like to get messages from your family or friends, but for me it's more important that they will congratulate me on a result. It's hard work, so I won't be able to enjoy it that much."

Philippe Gilbert celebrated 12 birthdays at the Tour de France over his career, but thanks to his work with GCN+/Eurosport at the race, still hasn't made it home for one, despite rertiring.

"It's always special, you get a lot of attention," the Belgian said. "It's a special day because everyone wants to celebrate your birthday. I would say it's an extra stress but it's a nice moment. But in the end, you try to focus on those moments and also to try and enjoy your job.

"Yesterday, I was on the motorbike, so it was more relaxed, a lot of sport directors came and wished me something. I enjoy it more, but at the end of the day I would prefer to be with my family now. "

It is not just current and former riders who have their birthdays on Tour. Another lucky man is Ned Boulting, the ITV commentator. The nature of the Tour means that his experience of the special day is also disrupted.

"I almost forgot in the morning, I always require someone to remind me," Boulting said. "On this occasion, it was Eurosport's Laura Meseguer, who came out of a lift and said happy birthday to me. She has a birthday on Tour as well, it's lodged in her memory for some reason. For 21 years she's told me happy birthday.

"I'm embracing it, but my youngest kid is 20 and has never been with me on my birthday, ever. I've been at it for so long, I've probably had another birthday in Issoire."

"We may be on the same race but we live in different worlds," he said of the difference between himself and the riders. "The whole thing about celebrating a birthday on the Tour de France is quite mad, because it just flips past, it just happens. It happens so often, so many of us celebrate our birthdays on the Tour, because it's so flipping long."

It's not all bad; Boulting can actually have a mini party and drink. "Early on, I had a rest day on my birthday, when Chris Boardman was still quite new to ITV, and we were in Chamonix," he said. "We had a big, slightly boozy lunch, with culminated in Chris Boardman ringing up my parents to berate them that they'd forgotten. Olympic medallist Chris Boardman."

Just remember, next time you switch on the Tour de France, that it is more likely than not that one of the peloton will be celebrating their birthday. It probably won't be fun, though.

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Adam is Cycling Weekly ’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.

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