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The Most Watched Sporting Events in The World

By Alison Baker on November 3, 2023

TL;DR As of 2023, the most watched sporting events in the world are:

World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers
Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers
Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers
Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers
Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers
Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers
UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers
Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers
Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers
NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers
World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers
Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers
The Masters – 15 Million Viewers
World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers
NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers

In the height of the streaming era, it’s clear that sports media consumption is shifting rapidly — but people around the world are still tuning in to watch their favorite sporting events live. Edging out the Tour de France, the World Cup of Soccer recently became the most watched sporting event worldwide, when more than 5 billion people watched the tournament in some capacity in 2022.

Nothing quite compares to the excitement of live sports or the experience of watching a competition unfold in real-time alongside the rest of the world, which is why sporting events continue to be such a draw — regardless of our multitasking habits or our incessant need to be constantly scrolling our phones.

If you are looking to avoid that unrelenting sensation sports FOMO — be sure to tune in to these most watched events around the world.

Our Methodology — Ranking the Most Watched Sporting Events Worldwide

As recently as a decade ago, determining the most watched sporting events was much simpler — you simply looked at TV ratings and noted the viewership numbers. However, today, viewers are tuning into their favorite events in ways that are more convenient and accessible.

Our methodology for ranking the most watched sports events worldwide incorporates:

TV Viewership (including streaming)
Duration of Viewership and Peak Viewership Levels
Most Recent Event

What Are the Most Watched Sporting Events Around the World?

Taking into account the TV viewership, duration of viewership, and peak viewership of the most recent major sporting events in the world, it may come as no surprise that soccer dominates our list of the top 15 most-watched sporting events. While soccer makes an appearance four times (World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Champions League Final, and the Summer Games), there are plenty of other sports that boast impressive numbers of viewers. While you’ll find popular American sports like football and baseball on the list, you’ll also find global sports like cricket and rugby. Take a look below to see if your favorite event is on the list.

If you want to make sure that you are part of those epic moments, you will want to catch these most watched sporting events around the world:

1. World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers

World Cup frenzy reached record heights in 2022, when an anticipated 5 billion viewers tuned in to watch some portion of the tournament around the world — and 1.5 billion people watched the World Cup Final game alone.

While the viewership numbers are incredible, the engagement with the tournament is practically unbelievable. FIFA reported in January 2023 that there were nearly 6 billion engagements with the World Cup on social media, with Nielsen data revealing that there were more than 93.6 million posts across all social platforms about the tournament.

This 32-team tournament (which will be expanded to 48 teams in 2026) features national soccer teams from around the globe competing until ultimately one team is crowned champion. Held quadrennially, the World Cup is the pinnacle event in the sport and boasts huge attendance numbers every year. The 1950 Final game holds the record for attendance at a sporting event in an enclosed stadium with a whopping 199,854 spectators.

Next World Cup : June – July 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the United States

2. Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers

Raking in more than 3.5 billion viewers in recent years , the Tour de France is one of the most watched sporting events worldwide. The 2023 event drew in record numbers domestically, with more than 42.5 million viewers in France alone.

Compared to other sporting events around the world, the Tour de France draws a large audience — but they don’t necessarily stick with the broadcast for the entirety. In 2023, viewership peaked during stage 16’s time trial, when 8.7 million viewers in France were watching. The average French viewer tuned in for a total of 55 minutes of coverage.

Taking place each summer in France, it is one of the most prestigious — and difficult — competitions in the sport. The race winds through the country’s scenic mountain roads, and consists of 21 stages totaling approximately 2,200 miles, raced over 23 days. Competitors race as part of an 8-person team, working together to achieve the fastest cumulative time.

Next Tour de France: June 29 – July 21, 2024, in France

3. Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers

North Americans may be surprised to find cricket on a list of most watched sporting events, but fans of the sport are well aware of how hugely popular cricket is in many parts of the world. The Cricket World Cup is the international championship for One Day International cricket. The contest features ten teams and lasts just over six weeks. Like the soccer World Cup, the tournament takes place every four years, with the next Cricket World Cup currently taking place in India.

The 2019 Cricket World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, set a new record for viewership. An incredible 2.6 billion people tuned in, making it the most watched cricket event of all time.

While the 2023 event is ongoing, the Men’s Cricket World Cup has already reported record viewing numbers for this year’s event, with an estimated 43 million viewers tuning into the match between New Zealand and India.

Next Cricket World Cup: October and November 2023 in India

4. Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers

The hype surrounding the Women’s World Cup reached fever pitch in 2023, when 2 billion people were expected to view some portion of the tournament. Viewership numbers nearly doubled from 2019, when FIFA determined that 1.12 billion people worldwide watched the tournament.

In countries around the world, the 2023 Women’s World Cup broke viewership records:

At peak moments during the semi-final game between Australia and England, 11.15 million people were watching, which are the highest viewership numbers recorded for this portion of the tournament.
In China, 53.9 million people watched the China versus England match, which was the highest single-game TV audience ever recorded in the country.
In peak moments, 12 million viewers were watching the tournament in England on BBC One — meaning more people watched the women’s match then the men’s Wimbledon final in July 2023.

Following a similar format as the men’s tournament, national teams compete in a month-long tournament that begins with group-stage matches and ends with a knockout stage (playoff rounds). As interest in the sport as a whole continues to rise, the Women’s World Cup will continue to be a must-watch event.

Next Women’s World Cup : 2027 — Dates and Hosts TBD

5. Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers

Without a doubt, the Summer Games are one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world. The Games not only offer a variety of different sports to watch, they also feature incredible personal triumphs, underdog stories, record-breaking feats of strength and endurance, and the opportunity to showcase national pride. With people around the world eager to cheer on their home country, it is no wonder billions of people want to spectate.

Every four years, the Summer Games are hosted in one of the world’s most attractive destinations, contributing to it being one of the highest attended sporting events. With a global average reach of 2 billion viewers , it’s also one of the most watched on TV.

Next Summer Games : July 26 – August 11, 2024 in Paris, France

6. Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers

Though it may not attract the same amount of attention as the Summer Games, the Winter Games are still a hugely popular event that draws interest from around the globe. With popular sports including figure skating, alpine skiing, ice hockey, and snowboarding, the Games reaches a broad audience. The Winter Games take place over a 17-day period every four years.

A quarter of the world’s population (2 billion people) tuned in to watch a portion of the 2022 Winter Games, up slightly from the previous event in 2018.

Next Winter Games: February 6-22, 2026 in Milano Cortina

7. UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and the UEFA Champions League Final is one of its biggest events. The top teams in Europe battle all season to be one of two teams in this prestigious championship match. In 2023, 450 million viewers watched all or part of the Champions League final game, which saw Manchester City F.C. come out as the champions.

While viewership was in the millions, social engagement with the Champions League Final reached peak levels in 2023. UEFA reported that there were 6.5 billion interactions with its own social content alone, which included more than 3 billion views on its cross-platform videos. The jaw-dropping levels of social engagement continue to prove that viewership and interaction with live sporting events is changing rapidly in our digital era.

Next Champions League Final : June 1, 2024 in London, England

Experience The Champions League in Person!

8. Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers

In the minds of many Americans, Super Bowl Sunday is the most important holiday of the year. It’s become a national pastime to gather your family and friends, make all of your best snacks and sit in front of the largest TV you can find in order to enjoy the big game as well as the sure-to-go-viral commercials.

In 2023, the Super Bowl LVII raked in 115.1 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming networks, which helped the event earn its place in history as the most-watched Super Bowl of all time.

One of the most interesting facets about Super Bowl viewership is that not all viewers are sports enthusiasts. There are a large portion of viewers who watch the game for the commercials alone, and another subset of viewers who are there for the iconic Half Time performances.

Super Bowl popularity is growing among women, in particular. In 2023, about 75 percent of women surveyed said they were planning to watch the game, which was up from 62 percent of female respondents in 2022.

Next Super Bowl : February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada

9. Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers

It is the most famous tennis tournament in the world so it is no surprise that it’s one of the most watched sporting events, as well as the most attended. Every year, thousands of fans converge at the All England Club for two weeks of spectacular tennis. In 2023, more than 532,000 spectators were in attendance, which topped the record-setting attendance of 2022 by more than 17,000 guests.

In terms of TV viewership, the Wimbledon Championships in 2023 continued to break records. In total, more than 25.6 million viewers watched some part of the tournament in 2023, with viewership peaking at 11.3 million on the BBC as Carlos Alcaraz became the champion.

Next Wimbledon : July 1-14, 2024 in London, England

10. NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers

Basketball fans follow their team for 82 games of the regular season, but the real fun begins when the playoffs start. With 30 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots, only two of which will make the NBA Finals, it’s kind of a big deal. The NBA Finals feature incredible basketball, an impressive celebrity presence, and a fun atmosphere…it’s no wonder so many people want to watch.

The NBA announced that the 2023 NBA playoffs were the most-watched in more than 5 years, with viewership peaking at 17.8 million viewers during Game 5 of the finals.

Social engagement also increased during the 2023 finals, with @NBA being the most-viewed brand on X (formerly known as Twitter) during the finals. Across all NBA social platforms, there were more than 8 billion views, which emphasized the fact that more people than ever viewed or interacted with the playoffs in some way.

Next NBA Finals: June 2024

11. World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers

Rugby’s premier event is the World Cup of Rugby, and like many big events is held every four years. Twenty of the best international teams compete in a six-week tournament until ultimately one team remains.

Figures from the recent 2023 World Cup of Rugby tournament showcase that the event is only growing in popularity, with a peak of 17 million viewers tuning in to the first game of the tournament between France and New Zealand — which was a higher viewership level than most final games during previous tournaments.

Next Rugby World Cup: 2027 in Australia

12. Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers

Dubbed “the fastest two minutes in sports,” the Kentucky Derby is not just the most popular horse race in the United States, it’s also one of the premier horse races internationally. While Derby weekend is filled with plenty of different races, the highlight is the grand finale, which features three-year-old thoroughbreds racing one and one quarter miles around the historic Churchill Downs track.

During the most recent Kentucky Derby in 2023, viewership peaked at 16.6 million during a 15-minute time span on NBC, when Mage managed to take the lead and win the Derby.

While TV is still the preferred medium among those who are interested in the Derby, the streaming audience is quickly increasing. the Average Minute Audience on NBC streaming platform Peacock was 371,000 viewers, which was up 50 percent from 2022.

Next Kentucky Derby : May 4, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky

13. The Masters – 15 Million Viewers

The most prestigious tournament in the sport, the Masters takes place every spring in Augusta, Georgia. Attracting the best golfers from around the world, the Masters always boasts big names and a big crowd. Playing four rounds over four days, the top pros battle to become Masters Champion and don the elusive green jacket.

In 2023, viewership for The Masters increased by 19 percent, peaking at 15 million viewers during the final round. The 2023 tournament broke records, becoming the most-watched golf tournament on television in the past five years.

Next Masters : April 8-14, 2024

14. World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers

As the Houston Astros clinched the World Series title in 2022 during the 6th game of the final series, more than 14.73 million people were watching live on cable and streaming networks.

This beloved event is one of America’s favorite fall traditions. Every October, the Major League Baseball (MLB) season culminates with the World Series. The champion from the American League faces the champion from the National League in a best of seven series to become World Series champs.

Next World Series : October 2023 in Arizona and Texas

15. NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers

While viewership numbers are trending downward for the Men’s NCAA Final Four tournament, there were still more than 14.7 million people who watched the UConn Huskies defeat the San Diego State Aztecs in April 2023. At one time, March Madness was considered the premier television event, sparking people around the country to create brackets and try to predict who would win this epic tournament. However, 2023 viewership levels were the lowest recorded for the tournament, signaling a shift in consumer demands for this sporting event.

Next NCAA Final Four : April 6-8 in Glendale, Arizona

If you are tired of watching the world’s biggest sporting events on television and want to finally experience your dream event live, we can help you out. Contact us to start planning your ultimate sports travel experience to one of the world’s most watched sporting events.

Tags: Featured , Major Sporting Events

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About the Author

Alison Baker

Alison Baker is the lead writer in Roadtrips’ marketing department. An avid traveller and passionate sports fan, she’s found her ideal fit at Roadtrips, one of the leaders in sports travel. Alison’s enjoyed working in the travel industry for the last 20 years and had the opportunity to experience it from all sides, from sales and marketing to quality assurance and hosting.

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Tour de France very popular: highest European viewing numbers since 2015

Multisports , News
August 3, 2022

This year’s Tour de France , which culminated on Sunday July 24, 2022, attracted the biggest TV audiences since 2015 for European Broadcasting Union (EBU) countries overall, in terms of hours viewed.

The race, which featured a duel for the Yellow Jersey between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia’s winner of the last two editions of the race, racked up a total number of well over 400 million hours viewed in aggregate for the following EBU member broadcasters:

TV2 (Denmark); TV2 (Norway); ITV and S4C (UK); TG4 (Ireland); NOS (the Netherlands); VRT and RTBF (Belgium); RTL (Luxemburg); ARD (Germany); SRG-SSR (Switzerland); Czech TV (Czech Republic); RTV (Slovakia); RTV (Slovenia); RTVE (Spain); RTP (Portugal); and RAI (Italy).

EBU members’ broadcasts were complemented by pan-European coverage on the TV and digital platforms of Eurosport and Global Cycling Network, with Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 achieving an overall reach of 37 million viewers.

The race also received widespread radio coverage from EBU members across Europe throughout the 21 stages from early morning to late evening. The EBU Radio Members covering the event were notably DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway), CR (Czech Republic), RTVS (Slovakia), SR (Sweden), BBC (UK), VRT and RTBF (Belgium), NOS (Netherlands), SRG (Switzerland), ARD (Germany), RNE (Spain), RAI (Italy) and RTVS (Slovenia).

TV viewing With Vingegaard emerging as the first Danish winner of the Tour since 1996, after the first three stages were held in Denmark, this year’s race held a particular appeal for Danish viewers. This was reflected in the viewing figures of TV2, the Danish national broadcaster, which won an overall viewing share of 71.9% and an average audience of 685,000 viewers for its coverage (best figures since 1997).

Other notable viewing share figures for broadcasters that are part of the EBU agreement included:

VRT: 69.4% (best since at least 2011)
NOS: 50.6% (best since at least 2011)
RTBF: 37.9% (best since at least 2011)
RTV Slovenia: 35.3% and an average audience of 143,000 viewers (historical record)

Peak audiences TV2 Denmark scored the highest peak viewing share of the entire race: 82.35% for its coverage of Stage 2, a flat stage that took in the Danish scenery from Roskilde to Nyborg.

TV2 Denmark also recorded a significant peak audience of 1,529,000 for its coverage of Stage 1, an individual time trial through the streets of the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

ARD won the best peak audience for a stage (2,911,456 for Stage 12), followed by RAI (1,965,900 for Stage 9) and RTVE (1,940,000 for Stage 12).

Digital viewing Strong coverage by EBU members was accompanied by comprehensive digital coverage on their websites, apps, social media pages and OTT/streaming platforms. This included:

ARD’s sportschau.de streaming platform attracted 11 million viewers, more than twice as many as in 2021.
On 3 July (Stage 3), TV2 in Denmark registered an all-time high number of daily users at TV2.DK (1.9 million), and on 24 July (final stage) TV2 broke its record for users of TV2 PLAY, its on-demand platform.
Daily unique visitors to VRT’s website sporza.be averaged 691,432 between 1 July and 21 July, a 32% increase on the average number of daily unique visitors for the first six months of the year.

Julien Goupil, Media and Partnership Director at Tour de France organiser A.S.O., said “Every year the subtle combination of free-to-air coverage by generalist EBU member channels and Eurosport/GCN platforms allows us to showcase the biggest cycling race on Earth to reach a large audience throughout Europe.

“From Copenhagen where The Tour de France received one of its warmest welcome, to the Champs-Élysées after 21 exciting days of racing, the 2022 edition has thrilled millions of TV viewers on all continents.

“We are very happy to see such high ratings from EBU members showing the strength of the relationship between the Tour and European fans of all ages and backgrounds and providing all Tour de France stakeholders – hosting cities and regions, partners, participating teams and riders – a fantastic exposure associated with a complete digital ecosystem made of both Le Tour organic platforms and those of EBU members.”

Frederic Sanz, Head of Cycling at Eurovision Sport, said “As one of the most popular sporting events, the EBU is more than ever convinced that the Tour de France benefits from comprehensive coverage across Europe through the most popular free-to-air platforms of the EBU provided by its members, together with Eurosport and Global Cycling Network.

“EBU members have experienced this year some very strong average ratings and viewing shares, reaching and entertaining more and more fans, and generating increased visibility for sponsors and tourism authorities, with a specific focus this year on the beautiful Danish cities and landscapes where the Tour de France started for the first time ever. Eurovision Sport is absolutely thrilled to have contributed to this overall success.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, August 30th, 2022

USA NETWORK DELIVERS VIEWERSHIP MILESTONES AS CABLE HOME OF NBC SPORTS

Expansive Programming Across NBC Sports on USA Network Has Grown Audiences Throughout 2022

STAMFORD, Conn. – Aug. 30, 2022 – USA Network has delivered numerous viewership milestones since expanding its slate of premium sports properties and events this year across the Premier League, NASCAR, the Olympic Games, USGA and The R&A Golf Championships, horse racing, cycling, track & field and more.

Since becoming the new cable network home for NBC Sports programming on Jan. 1, 2022, USA Network has grown sports event audiences alongside its fan-favorite entertainment content including last year’s top scripted cable launch “Chucky” and unscripted hits like “Miz and Mrs.”

“Sports have experienced sustained viewership increases across the board as part of our strategy transitioning key programming to USA Network. We look forward to continuing that upward trajectory into the fall season,” said Pete Bevacqua , Chairman, NBC Sports.

Below are viewership highlights for NBC Sports programming on USA Network:

Premier League

Two of the four most-watched Premier League matches on cable on record : Manchester City-Liverpool on April 10, 2022, with a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 1.15 million viewers (#2 most watched cable Premier League match on record) and Chelsea-Liverpool on Jan. 2, 2022, with a TAD of 1.04 million viewers (#4 most watched).
The opening match of the 2022-23 Premier League season between Crystal Palace-Arsenal posted a TAD of 526,000 viewers, making it NBC Sports’ most-watched weekday opener on record, and the second-most watched opener on record (Manchester United-Tottenham on NBCSN in 2015; 651,000 viewers TAD).
Post-match coverage following Newcastle-Manchester City on Aug. 21, 2022, was NBC Sports’ most-watched Premier League post-game show on cable on record (582,000 viewers).
The race at Watkins Glen on Aug. 21, 2022, marked the sixth consecutive USA Network Cup Series race to deliver year-over-year viewership gains .
USA Network’s telecast from Atlanta on July 10, 2022, stands as the most-watched Cup Series race on cable (2.626 million TV-only viewers) since last year’s Darlington race (3.149 million on FS1, 5/9/21).

Beijing Olympics

Featuring live coverage of every Winter Games sport, USA Network was the top destination for sports and entertainment programming on cable and along with Tokyo Olympics coverage last summer, delivered the network’s most-watched 15-day span (Feb. 5-19) span since September 2018 .
The Beijing Olympics averaged 1.4 million primetime viewers and 920,000 Total Day viewers – both the highest among all sports and entertainment cable networks during the Games.

Tokyo Olympics

Highlighted by live coverage of track & field, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, indoor volleyball and softball, USA Network was the top destination for sports and entertainment programming on cable, ranking as the #1 sports and entertainment cable network in primetime over the course of the Games with an average of 1.6 million viewers.
USA Network’s primetime viewership average was the best ever for any cable network during the Summer Olympics and featured cable’s three most-watched Summer Olympics nights ever.

Golf: U.S. Open & The Open Championship

Round 2 of the 2022 U.S. Open averaged a TAD of 1.17 million viewers, resulting in USA Network’s best weekday afternoon viewership since January 2017 (excluding Holidays).
Excluding the Olympics, the 150 th Open Championship drove USA Network to its best week of viewership in more than two years (since May 2020).
With a TAD of 1.38 million viewers, 2022 delivered the most-watched early rounds for the Open Championship ever for NBC Sports and most-watched overall since 2015 on ESPN. The Round 1 TAD of 1.35 million viewers was the largest audience for that round since 2013 on ESPN.

Tour de France

USA Network posted the two most-watched weekday stages of the Tour de France in more than 10 years . With 554,000 viewers, the Friday July 15 telecast was the most-watched weekday stage since 2009. The competition the day prior (Thursday July 14) averaged 510,000 viewers which was the best weekday delivery since 2010.

Horse Racing

2022 Kentucky Derby programming on Friday and Saturday delivered its best cable performance since 2019.
559,000 viewers for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby undercard programming marked the second-best performance for the event in the last six years.
Friday’s Kentucky Oaks coverage averaged 244,000 viewers, the best for the event since 2019.

Track & Field

USA Network’s primetime coverage of the World Track & Field Championships Oregon22 on Friday July 22 averaged 783,000 TV-only viewers, NBC Sports’ second-most watched track & field cable telecast on record , excluding Olympics and U.S. Team Trials. It only trails the 2018 Indoor Championships, which had a Winter Olympics lead-in (1.306 million, NBCSN, Feb. 10).

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23.2 million viewers watched the Tour de France Femmes live in 2022

Thanks to the Tour de France Femmes, women’s cycling is now the 4th most followed women’s sport, says Zwift report

Last year's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift , a momentous revival of a women’s edition of cycling’s most recognizable event, the Tour de France, was reported as a smashing success . Millions of people across five continents and 190 countries tuned in to watch eight action-packed days of racing. Thousands more crowded the French countryside streets and banged on the finish line boards.

As the main sponsor of the event, Zwift wanted to know just how successful its four-year investment is. Using data from sports intelligence company Nielsen Sports, Zwift set out to measure and analyze the impact of the 2022 race, hoping to answer the question: Was the race really the catalyst for change we all believed it would be?

Highlights from the Neilson Sports report, published today , certainly impress.

Start of the 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in Paris

Last year, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (TdFF) achieved a cumulative live audience of 23.2 million across 8 stages
2.9 million - The average live audience per stage for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in 2022
The TdFF commanded an audience share higher than that of the men’s Giro d’Italia
The amount of social posts, reach and engagement for the Top 5 women’s cycling races grew by over 300% in 2022 vs. 2021 as a result of the introduction of TdFF
115 million - Women’s cycling attracts a large following, ranking it the 4th most followed women’s sports
73% of women’s cycling fans are interested in participating in sports/fitness activities vs. just 44% for the general population.
Zwift saw an 8.9% growth in its female subscribers

"We knew the racing would be exceptional, but it was the millions of fans that made it game-changing"

Millions of people tuned in to watch the 2022 Tour de France Femmes.Thousands more crowded the French countryside streets and banged on the finish line boards.

The report takes its conclusions from data that spans TV viewership, written media, and social media across eight key markets — the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia and Japan.

Broadcast coverage was a huge contributor to the race's success. Racing could be watched live in 190 countries, resulting in a live cumulative viewership of 23.2 million people with an average live audience of 2.9m per stage.

Within the broader women’s sporting landscape, cycling attracts a following of over 115m, ranking it as the 4th most followed sport In these key markets. Only athletics, tennis and football (soccer) rank higher.

Of the eight key markets analyzed, France drew by far the biggest audience, with just shy of twenty million cumulative live views, followed by Germany and Spain.

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Both in broadcast and written coverage, Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift traffic exceeded that of the men’s Giro d’Italia in 2022.

In addition to the traditional media channels, the report showcases how the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift helped grow the sport and its athletes on social media. Individual riders and teams reported a significant growth spike during the eight-day race. The report concluded that over the course of the race, the Instagram and Facebook profiles of the top 35 female riders grew by 8.6%.

Whats more, other events benefitted, too. The amount of posts, reach and engagement of the Top 5 events —Tour of Flanders, Simac Ladies Tour, Madrid Challenge, Giro Donne and Paris Roubaix Femmes — increased over 300% thanks to the addition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

"It would be an understatement to say we were thrilled by the response to the inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. As longtime supporters of women’s cycling, we knew the racing would be exceptional, but it was the millions of fans that made it game-changing," says Kate Veronneau, Zwift's Director of Women’s Strategy.

For Zwift itself, the four-year investment has already led to an 8.9% growth in its female subscribers, something Veronneau told Cycling Weekly is much desired.

Female Zwift users account for just 18% of all users, which is significantly lower than say Peloton’s female participation —estimated at 45 to 49%— or even female gym attendance in the U.S., which the IHRSA states is now 50.5%.

Who's watching women's cycling?

Young fans along the sidelines at the 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

While watching sports is still a male dominated activity, globally, the Nielsen Sports data shows there is a proportionally higher female interest (44%) in women’s cycling than general sports fans (38%).

Women's cycling fans of all genders are, on average 39.5 years old, and are almost twice more likely than the general population to regularly watch sport on social media platforms. They're also an active bunch, with 73% of women’s sports fans being interested in participating in sports vs. 44% for the general population. To that end, Zwift says that future growth in women’s cycling participation looks promising.

"This is just the beginning. Our job now, as industry, fans, sporting media, and riders - is to keep the fires burning bright. We need to work together to ensure this big moment sparks action and investment at all levels of the sport," says Veronneau.

"Women’s cycling is having a moment, we want you to help make it a movement. The more people that watch women, the more sustainable the sport becomes because a bigger audience means more broadcast coverage, more investment, more sponsorship, bigger salaries and increased prize money."

Read the report .

The Tour de France avec Zwift 2023

Kate Veronneau and Eric Min of Zwift pose with Marion Rousse at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

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).

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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Viewers embrace Tour de France Femmes as French tally alone nears 20 million

More than 5 million tune in for final stage in home nation as audience share reaches 45.6%

Movistar Teams Dutch rider Annemiek Van Vleuten wearing the overall leaders yellow jersey cycles in the final kilometers of the ascent of La Super Planche des Belles Filles to win the 8th and final stage of the new edition of the Womens Tour de France cycling race 1233 km between Lure and La Super Planche des Belles Filles on July 31 2022 Photo by Bernard PAPON various sources AFP Photo by BERNARD PAPONAFP via Getty Images

If there was ever any doubt about whether or not women’s cycling could attract widespread audience interest, the official viewer numbers released by the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on Wednesday have categorically laid them to rest. The finale alone, where Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) took victory atop La Super Blanche des Belles Filles, was watched by more than five million French viewers.

In total there were nearly 20 million viewers in France across the eight days of racing, with an average per stage of 2.25 million on France 2 and France 3 delivering an audience share of 26.4%, according to official Tour de France Femmes figures.

Beyond, there was a reach of 14 million viewers on Eurosport and In the Netherlands, the average audience share tracked at a huge 45%. Dutch riders dominated the Tour winning all but one of the stages of the July 24 to 31 race and taking out a clean sweep of the individual jerseys, right from the yellow of the race leader to the green points jersey won by Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma).

The women’s edition of the Tour de France returned this year after a 33 year absence, however on its reintroduction it was preceded by a blunt warning , with Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme saying that if it lost money it would end up like the women's Tour in the 80’s and die.

9 conclusions from historic 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Annemiek van Vleuten seals Tour de France Femmes victory The yellow Canyon Aeroad Van Vleuten was determined not to ride

The audience interest in the broadcast of the Tour de France Femmes, along with enthusiastic roadside attendance and a strong response across various content access points – including 22 million video views on the official platforms and 2.8 million visits to the race website – seem a clear positive indicator of the success of the event.

Across social media platforms, the most viewed video of the race was the final kilometre of stage 3, won by Denmark’s Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig who rides for French team FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope.

🏁 🇩🇰@CUttrupLudwig wins a tough sprint between favorites in @villeepernay.⏪ Relive the last kilometre of the 3rd stage.🏁 🇩🇰@CUttrupLudwig remporte un sprint entre favorites à @villeepernay.⏪ Revivez le dernier kilomètre de la 3ème étape du #TDFF.#WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/Gp0AzAzA0V July 26, 2022

The race was broadcast for two hours each day, therefore had considerably less time on air to accumulate the stage by stage viewer numbers than the men's event, but that still far exceeded the Women’s WorldTour mandated minimum of 45 minutes live coverage. It was also a quality of broadcast leagues ahead of the norm for women’s cycling.

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There were 22 hours of live coverage of the eight-stage Tour de France Femmes on France Télévisions compared with more than 100 hours of live coverage of the 21 stage Tour de France.

Taking a look at how viewer numbers compared between the women's and men’s race, the Tour de France average audience on France 2 sat at 4 million viewers delivering 41.3% audience share, while the Tour de France Femmes audience of 2.25 million across France 2 and 3 delivering a 26.4% audience share. The peak for the men’s race was 8.4 million viewers for stage 12, which finished atop Alpe d’Huez on Bastille Day and the top audience share of 62.8% came on stage 11 to Col du Granon. The peak of 5.1 million viewers and 45.6% audience share for the Tour de France Femmes both came on the final stage.

Van Vleuten rode over the line in yellow on that final stage, having secured a hard to beat race lead of more than three minutes on stage 7 with a long-range attack. That was the first of two pivotal GC days in the mountain for the race, which started on the Champs-Élysées the same day that the men's event concluded.

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Simone is a degree-qualified journalist that has accumulated decades of wide-ranging experience while working across a variety of leading media organisations. She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor. Previously she worked as a freelance writer, Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg . Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone, who started out as a business journalist, but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.

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The Unquarantined Viewers’ Guide to the Tour de France

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Welcome to the 2021 Tour de France coverage at the Podium Cafe! It’s been a busy year in the Editors’ lives, so pardon the light coverage so far, but we will be with you every step of the way through the Grand Boucle. How could we not? Even if it is in some ways inferior to the Giro d’Italia, and even if the Vuelta a España ends up being the most exciting race of the year. Whatever, the Tour is the Tour, and that’s that.

Of course, the Tour de France enjoys one major advantage over the other two grand tours: everybody cares about it waaaay more than anything else. It’s a bit like taking vacation in Italy, eating wonderful food, meeting great people, enjoying lovely weather, and then COMPLETELY FREAKING OUT about riding a gondola down the main canal in Venice. Sometimes people can’t help themselves. And yeah, the gondolas and the canals are pretty much beyond belief for anyone who hasn’t been to the Venetian in Las Vegas before. But perspective, people! My god...

I have it on good authority that this dynamic is well in play, however. Some industry people have spent lots of time in June, and also May, and maybe April and March and February, kicking out exactly the right gear for the upcoming Tour, knowing at the race is all about marginal gains now, or at least the teams believe this, and if they believe this, then I guess we all have to because that’s what will happen. Still, like the canal-riding gondola guy... they aren’t crazy. I wish I could say they were, but we just watched a one minute lead flip to a one minute deficit on the penultimate ITT last year. And this marked the third time in four years that the final verdict came down to about a minute. So either the teams are right to be worried about marginal gains because they matter so much, or they matter so much because teams are so worried about them. Same same.

Anyway, on to this year’s Tour. It starts super early, as it is wont to do in Olympic years, with major Alps climbs happening around the 4th of July, which is super weird. But whatever, it’s already summer weather everywhere, and nobody has any patience left for anything, so let’s get started! The traditional PdC Viewers’ Guide rates grand tour stages by considering what you should be willing to give up in order to tune in and watch the racing live. We know it’s not easy to catch every stage, particularly if you aren’t on vacation, so in the past we have based our Viewers’ Guides on what date nights you should consider sacrificing, what level of work day obligation you should consider blowing off, and even whether you should allow house remodeling to carry on, depending on what the stage looks like.

This time around, we will do things a bit differently, not contemplating a tradeoff but rather using pandemic-era behaviors as a comparison to the level of excitement each stage can bring. We have pretty much all spent the last 15 months trying to generate excitement in new and creative ways, or at least we have delighted in other people’s efforts. So I am going to use those behaviors to give you a good sense of how awesome a stage may be.

Stage 1: Brest – Landerneau, 197km

Saturday, june 26.

What is it? The Grand Départ, which always looks nice but might come with a bit of extra pomp after last year’s off-kilter version. The Tour is the face of cycling, so it stands to reason that they might like to put on the bravest, most confident one they can. I’m not geeking out on what ASO have in mind, I’m just saying it might feel like a bigger deal than we think.

The host city, Brest, is doing the honors for a fourth time since WWII, most recently back in 2008, putting it on the short list of cities to go to in a pinch when you need a host city to step up. And this is exactly what happened when the original plan to start in Copenhagen crumbled when the UEFA EUROs pushed their tournament back a year, taking over the Danish capital at the same time as the planned Tour start. Now Copenhagen will serve as the Grand Départ host in 2022, with Brest nimbly filling the gap this year.

Brest is in the Finistère Department on the southern edge of the Breton land mass, a/k/a Brittany, which was once “Little Britain” (as opposed to GB) and a separate country, then diced up into various French départments, now down to four of them within the modern region of Brittany encompassing much of the old state, minus the area to the south now found in the Loire-Atlantique (which some are agitating for reuniting with Bretagne). Anyway, it’s a very distinct part of France, and cycling has long been a big deal here, even before native son Bernard Hinault snarled his way into our hearts.

Who does it favor? The stage itself finishes on a 3km climb of below average gradient (5.7%), which is probably steep enough to eliminate all the true sprinters but not the rest of the fast finishers.

Why does it matter? The opening stage is always a vehicle for distributing jerseys, and today’s course will to a fine job of that. The stage winner will end up in yellow and green, and could possibly take white too, though that rider will be unlikely to grab the spots, as there are several rated climbs in cats 3 and 4 on the course. None of these early advantages will hold up in the long run, assuming we have enough of a sprinters’ peloton to eventually seize the green jersey comp.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Hm, I would liken this stage to some of the ways that people made music in the early lockdown days of the pandemic. There are lots of examples around the world, from people singing a song out their windows together to opera musicians doing a zoom concert. Our local version was a pickup truck that drove around with a bunch of speakers in the back, playing very joyful Dixieland music, and with optimistic slogans painted on banners. Not a huge thing, but a noisy and upbeat demonstration of hope.

Stage 2: Perros-Guirec – Mûr de Bretagne, 183km

Sunday, june 27.

What is it? A second bite at the Breton apple, as the Tour makes its fifth visit to the local legend of a climb, the Wall of Brittany, in 15 years. The Mûr-de-Bretagne actually showed up in the Tour as far back as 1939 and again in 1947 when it was rather notably included in a 139km ITT from Vannes to Saint-Brieuc, the longest in Tour history. That was the first post-war edition of the Tour, and the stage here is best remembered for overall leader Rene Vietto, who had been in yellow for most of the previous two weeks, dropping some 14 minutes on the stage, possibly because a friend of his had a bad motorcycle accident, or maybe because he drank some cider during the stage. These were not the days of marginal gains.

Who does it favor? The puncheurs. So much so that American TV coverage might suddenly act like they have discovered the term “puncheurs”.

Why does it matter? Because it’s still opening weekend? It’ll have stage significance only, although a second day with a smattering of KOM points might give us a clue as to who is interested in winning the thing.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Discovering a favorite new podcast. I’ll go first: the History of English Pod. Do you remember the Great Vowel Shift? I can’t say I do, but am pleased to know just how many of our regular words came from Columbus’ voyages to the Caribbean. Also rec the History of Byzantium pod. It’s a great time to hear lectures online about stuff you pretended to study in high school.

Stage 3: Lorient – Pontivy, 183km

Monday, june 28.

What is it? The first sprinters’ stage. It starts near the ocean in the Morbihan Départment on the southern coast of the peninsula and winds inland. The terrain is still up-and-down, but the finish doesn’t feature any climbs. It does, however, feature the hometown of current UCI president David Lappartient. So bring out your boos.

Who does it favor? Sprinters and sprint teams. They will be out in full force here for the first time, with no pathway to win either of the first two stages. I suppose a breakaway isn’t impossible but it’s close to it.

Why does it matter? The maillot vert, you may have heard, is the crowning achievement for sprinters outside of maybe winning Milano-Sanremo or the World Championship, neither of which is left to the bunch gallopers very often these days. There are a handful of stages rated “flat,” with a full 50 points on the line at the line, and this is one of them.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Zoom family reunions. Some families are better at this than others, but there is no denying the importance of family for most people during tough times. Also, like sprint stages, the first one tends to be rather disorderly before settling down a bit, once the leadout men iron out their roles or the grandparents figure out how the app works.

Stage 4: Redon – Fougères, 150km

Tuesday, june 29.

What is it? A rather routine stage meandering slowly away from Brittany, without actually getting there. Fougères is making its fifth entry in nine years, with a couple departures and a previous finish in 2015. The geographic pace of the Tour is unique compared to the Giro and Vuelta, who sometimes seem keen on having one stage in every region or province. The Tour is content to meander slowly and drink in their surroundings, even if it means missing huge portions of France. The Tour is forever and if your region didn’t see it this time, they will soon enough.

Who does it favor? Sprinters again. The race book talks of open spaces where crosswinds can be an issue, so we could see things break up some, although again there are 50 points available and it’s a relatively short stage.

Why does it matter? Does it matter? If you see a sprinter take two straight wins, then the pecking order for Green will be well established. Otherwise, nah.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Getting dressed up for telecommuting. Every now and then I have felt compelled to clean up fully and put on a nice shirt (with my jeans) to park myself again at the dining room table for work. Is it especially exciting? No, it is not. Does anyone else notice? Not very likely. But it’s worth a shot.

Stage 5: Changé – Laval, 27.2km ITT

Wednesday, june 30.

What is it? A fairly flat time trial of middling length, the first of two similar time trials (the latter being on the final weekend) that will certainly help decide the overall standings. More of an incomplete circle of a route than a point-to-point. The Tour keeps their contre-la-montre courses fairly simple so that the race of truth is just that.

One cultural note, Laval is the home of the famous primitif modèrne artist Henri Rousseau, whose Sleeping Bohemian Woman is shown above. Le Douanier, as he was known (because he was a customs officer by day), apparently pleaded with the mayor of Laval to buy the painting for a trifling sum back in the day, but died penniless in 1910, a couple decades before the genre and its artists won wider acclaim. The Sleeping Bohemian Woman hangs in the MOMA, New York.

Who does it favor? Stage wise, there aren’t that many obvious time trial specialists in attendance, given the importance of Tour roster spots, but the more well-rounded GC contenders and a few other notable powerhouse types will be duking it out here for the win.

Why does it matter? Pretty self-explanatory as far as the overall GC goes. One wrinkle will be FroomeWatch, a race to make definitive statements about whether the four-time winner does or does not still have what it takes to challenge for the victory. If Froome can’t make an impact here, we will have our answer.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Driving or biking around early on during lockdown when the roads were empty. Like a time trial, or the emergence of a daring new painting genre, it was more of a slowly unfolding experience than a shot of quick catharsis, but in its subtle way it carried some real weight. Imagine a world with fewer cars? We cyclists can dream. Tough to pull off but it was nice to experience for a bit.

Stage 6: Tours – Châteauroux, 161km

Thursday, july 1.

What is it? Another flat stage, completing the first week sprinters’ trilogy. This is a Tour specialty, daring you to look away from their all-powerful race. Also look! Loire valley chateaux!

Who does it favor? Take a wild guess. Actually if it were longer I might say this was ripe for a breakaway, but I think the peloton will decide it’s worth staying engaged for one more day.

Why does it matter? For green jersey contenders only, who will see this as another brick in the wall.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Hm, the best I can think of are my son’s SnapChat streaks, where if he looks at someone’s account each day, he is assigned ... I dunno, it’s like an attendance record or something? Which is weird, because I don’t think he cares that much about his attendance record. Anyway, it’s something to pass the time.

Stage 7: Vierzon – Le Creusot, 249km

Friday, july 2.

What is it? Oh my god. It’s the longest Tour stage in 21 years! And it’s not particularly flat either, with a full 3000 meters of elevation. Assassins!! It’s also a truly transitional stage, departing from the Loire Valley, finally saying goodbye to western France and traversing straight east to the Bourgogne region... before getting on a bus and driving to the launching point for the next day’s assault on the Alps. It’s as if the organizers were setting the course and someone finally looked up and exclaimed “holy shit! It’s stage 6 and we just left Bretagne! WE ARE DUE IN THE ALPS TOMORROW !!” I like to think ASO could be the setting for an awesome sitcom.

Who does it favor? The surest bet of the Tour will be that a breakaway is allowed to stay clear on this stage. Remember three sentences ago when I said the Alps start tomorrow? This is no place for the top men to get engaged. With a massive stage distance, the time cut will be more than an hour, and they will be happy to use a bunch of it.

Why does it matter? It’s easy to dismiss a sure-fire breakaway stage because it’s not likely to matter for long. But every now and then we have such a stage where the break contains a rider who you wouldn’t normally fear, but maybe don’t want to gift him 25 minutes. The situation among the top teams becomes chaotic and nobody ends up stopping the situation from unfolding. And the rest of the Tour is a march of shame.

Or it’s just a cool day for the reduced group of riders who race this stage like their life depends on it, and they put on a hell of a show.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? I’m not sure if this totally fits, but once I took a bike ride around Lake Washington at a time when boats were not allowed out. Lake Washington is normally about as peaceful on a sunny day as a French Riviera beach in July. But this time it was silence. A flock of ducks was floating on the water in a massive group, in the hundreds, while nearby a bald eagle just sat on a floating log, contemplating its next move. Sometimes, under the right conditions, you can find excitement in places you never thought possible.

Stage 8: Oyonnax – Le Grand-Bounand, 151km

Saturday, july 3.

What is it? The Tour reaches the mountains! This stage is a bit of an appetizer within an appetizer, however. As Alps stages go, this isn’t terribly brutal, and anyway the Alps phase of this Tour is a bit below the demands the peloton will face in a very tough Pyrenean phase. But I’m not complaining.

Basically it’s a ride to the ski resort of Le Grand-Bornand, in the shadow of Mont Blanc, which is undoubtedly as lovely as it sounds. Will J can tell us all about the climbing action, and statistically it isn’t much, something that is borne out by a glance at the list of stage winners here (Alaphilippe, Rui Costa, Frank Schleck, Linus Gerdemann, and yeah, Lance). But the trio of climbs this time might make for a sneaky-tough day in the saddle, even if the peaks themselves don’t soar like some others.

Who does it favor? The overall contenders, of course, along with a host of other climber types, particularly those who covet the maillot a pois , the iconic climbers’ jersey.

Why does it matter? Apart from an early skirmish in for the battle for yellow, we should see the KOM comp take shape. For reference, the KOM point scoring system gives 20 points for a cat HC ( hors categoire ) prize (15 for second, 12 for third...) and a cat-1 is 10 to the winner (then 8, 6, 4...). There are only four HC climbs in the entire race, and two of them are stage finishes, when the overall contenders will take them off the polka-dot chasers’ plate. This is a good stage to start making your case for real.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Zillow-shopping. SNL did a rather hilarious, and possibly very on the nose, skit about couples engaging in a certain type of titillation involving looking at real estate on Zillow. When you are shut indoors together for months on end, the prospect of buying a small cabin in the woods can seem pretty hot. But not the main event.

Stage 9: Cluses – Tignes, 145km

Sunday, july 4.

What is it? Arguably the Queen Stage of the 2021 Tour de France? It’s a little hard to pick one this year, but this is a contender. The highlight is in the middle: making only its second appearance in a Tour, the Col du Pré is a climber-geek specialty, one which the likes of our Will J can sing the praises... and guess what? He appears to have done just that a couple weeks ago. You can read all the details there or just know that it’s 26 hairpins over steep terrain — lots of 9-11% km toward the top — and ending above the Lac de Roselend, which the race will then go around via the road on top of the dam before going over the Cormet de Roselend summit. Majestic views, lots of cows, you get the picture. The climb to Tignes may be anticlimactic, except the riders won’t treat it that way.

Who does it favor? Same as the previous stage, a mix of GC guys and KOM chasers, plus riders just generally looking to bask in the glory of a massive Tour stage in the Alps. The fact that it’s so short means it might give even more guys ideas, although it also might mean they won’t get as long a leash.

Why does it matter? It won’t decide the maillot jaune, but this stage will almost certainly weed out some of the presumed contenders. It’ll also be a massive showdown for team supremacy between loaded INEOS and less-loaded teams whose captain is maybe better than what the Grenadiers can offer up? However you see the GC intrigue coming in, this is a stage that will start answering questions for us.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Porch Parties! In calmer phases of pandemic life, it seemed perfectly safe to recreate a sliver of our former social life on our front porch, or someone else’s. This went on into the winter, which brought the value of outdoor patio heaters into focus. Anyway, this was a big development, actual personal contact over actual food and drinks. I don’t know if it was the Queen Stage of pandemic improvisation, but it’s in the conversation.

Stage 10: Albertville - Valence, 190km

Tuesday, july 6.

What is it? Flat run out of the Alps, and the official end of the climbing until the Pyren... hey wait a second.

Who does it favor? Sprinters. It’s a tad long and all the GC teams will be just stretching their legs back out after the rest day, but there is little of any climbing significance that would stop the sprint teams from reeling in the day’s break.

Why does it matter? Not sure. Cool area though.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Contactless grocery shopping. For a spell, going to the grocery store seemed like a big step, even though it wasn’t, but then we discovered that we could get someone else to go to the grocery store for us! Which actually wasn’t all that great either, because if it’s dangerous to be there, I’m not all that into using a human shield. But whatever, it was definitely a nice innovation for people who had more serious reasons not to go to the one place where you could still encounter far too many people.

Stage 11: Sorgues – Malaucène, 199km

Wednesday, july 7.

What is it? Oh, just a transitional stage I guess. With an unprecedented double-climb of Mont Ventoux . Mother of all that is holy... I am not even sure what expletives to use here.

I’m staring at the map and it still doesn’t make sense. What the fuck? Like, for real? My brain has just stopped working. So now I will type out a few salient facts to try to get the neurons firing again. Did you know...

that cyclists have been climbing Mont Ventoux for 120 years or more? The internets tell me that Adolphe Benoit made a record in 1902 of his climb and the nature of the beast, and I have to think someone else went before him.
that the Tour has featured Ventoux in 16 stages before this year? Dating back to 1951, when the original inclusion saw Lucien Lazaridès first over the summit, although he lost the stage at the line in Avignon to Louison Bobet.
that stages to Mont Ventoux have finished there on nine of those 16 occasions? This surprised me, being of a certain age and always thinking they’d just stop when they got to the summit, why wouldn’t they? But three times in the 1950s they continued on to Avignon, and later they’ve ended in Carpentras, Orange and most recently Chalet Reynard. Bobet, Jean Robic, Eros Poli and Thomas De Gendt are the four riders to be first over the summit and winners of the stage somewhere other than the summit.
that there are three routes to the top of Tour quality (plus apparently some nice wooded trails)? The south route from Bedoin is the one we know and love, and before this year it was chosen for 13 of the 16 Tour ascents. It’s considered the hardest; the north approach is nearly as horrible, and has featured twice in the Tour, while the eastern route is the “easy” one, and has only occurred once before this year, when it will be the appetizer for the final climb up the Bedoin (south) side.

Who does it favor? All of us. Maybe a rider or three, although “favor” is a strong word for “not permanently crushing my spirit as badly as it did that guy.” Picking a finish line that starts with “mal” makes all kinds of sense here.

Why does it matter? Please tell me I don’t need to explain this to you. The chance of you making it this far into a Tour preview and not recognizing the importance of this stage is approaching zero.

But... is it the Queen Stage? I don’t ever really think of Mont Ventoux that way. It seems more like an entirely separate conversation, like when the Giro goes to Monte Zoncolan or the Vuelta goes to the Angliru. For my money, the Queen Stage is more like a supersized version of a normal mountain stage. But maybe if you are riding the thing, these climbs have a certain sameness in that you are hating life for hours at a time. So maybe we shouldn’t consider this ineligible for Queen Stage designation?

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Getting a pandemic puppy! This was totally a thing, and it was an excellent narrative changer for individuals and families all over the world. Like this stage, getting a puppy will induce giggling laughter, tears, joy, and some terror (at 3am when the pup is like “Let’s play!”). In the end it will go down as a wonderful, amazing, memorable thing that you probably won’t want to do ever again.

We already have a dog, and while the puppy subject came up (and could have led to some very irrational decisionmaking), we are pretty sure that our current dog Koji was a hard no on the subject. Oh, and along with pandemic puppies is the widespread practice of unsolicited dog photo sharing. Here’s Koji. He’s a Very Good Boy. Although in this picture he is rather pointedly chewing on a stuffed cat roughly the same size and color of our actual cat. His Scandinavian passive-aggressive genes are maybe a thing?

Stage 12: Saint Paul Trois Châteaux – Nîmes, 159km

Thursday, july 8.

What is it? A summer vacation on wheels. The route begins by going along the Gorges de l’Ardèche, a series of spectacular canyons, before meandering around the Occitanie countryside on the way to a sprint finish in Nîmes, an ancient Roman regional capital then known as Nemausus, and sporting an aqueduct, a colosseum and a few other Roman staples for any doubters out there.

Who does it favor? I guess the sprinters will be bothered. Maybe. At this point people are starting to feel really tired, so maybe they let a group stay away.

Why does it matter? To remind you that the Tour pays attention to the Giro and the Vuelta. Those races constantly go out of their way to hit national parks and other places of tourist-level beauty, and the Tour is not to be left behind. That’s my takeaway message... because they didn’t used to do stuff like this.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Binge-watching period-drama TV. HBO’s series on Rome is from a few years ago, but was totally amazing, at least if you can stomach the violence on the premise that Rome was a pretty violent place (et tu, Brute?). Very on point here for its treatment of Gallic characters, possibly from Nemaunsus.

Stage 13: Nîmes – Carcassonne, 220km

Friday, july 9.

What is it? Transitional stage. Get thee to the Pyrénées! I mean it this time!

Who does it favor? Sprinters, although at 220km, if the green jersey competition isn’t close, you could definitely see those teams letting this stage go.

Why does it matter? Its greatest importance is in getting the peloton to their hotels with a minimal amount of greenhouse gases released. Bike racing is very good for the environment! I mean, just the biking part itself, not the support vehicles, the fans, the... forget it.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Binge-watching cool shows from other countries. Why go on vacation (which isn’t an option) when you can just plunk your brain down inside the Danish parliament (Borgen) or some podunky hockey-obsessed corner of Sweden (Beartown)? Fancy a bit more intrigue? Well, the Bureau des Legendes are here to get you swept up in the dramatic, intricate, and occasionally sexy undertakings of the French secret service! The choices are too numerous to keep up with these days. Life could be worse. Remember 1980s sit-coms?

Stage 14: Carcassonne – Quillan, 184km

Saturday, july 10.

What is it? A small-climb feast as the race kinda-sorta enters the Pyrénées? Let’s do a bit of geography review.

France has 18 regions, 12 within the hexagon of continental France, and six others in places such as Corsica, French Guyana, Martinique etc. Apparently there’s a term called “metropolitan France” which is the hexagon plus Corsica, e.g. Euro-France. Anyway, underneath regions are Départments, 101 in total, 95 of which are in the hexagon. (And 334 arondissements, but let’s skip that.)

The Pyrénées subsections on the French side of the border get their names from the départments. The Pyrénées fall into six different ones, so if you hear names like Pyrénées Orientales, where this stage goes, or Pyrénées Atlantique in the very southwestern corner of France, that’s what that is. Mere political nicknames. By the way, the Hautes-Pyrénées are the ones to know. On a physiographic level, people speak more of the eastern, central and Atlantic Pyrénées. That includes France, Spain and Andorra. Oh yeah, Andorra.

Anyway, the reason for all this is that the Tour hardly ever goes to this part of the Pyrénées, the last such occasion being in 2009. Enjoy the bonus climbing, I guess?

Who does it favor? The KOM comp guys. There are three cat-2s and 2 cat-3s (sigh) on this route, so it’ll be happy point hunting. Stage hunting too, as is always the case at the Tour.

Why does it matter? A lot of times, when the KOM comp consists of guys who don’t figure in the overall, days like this can create the necessary points haul that can give you a margin in Paris, assuming the big climbs left will go to the GC guys.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Binge-watching bad TV. We passed on most of Survivor and all of Lost when those shows were happening in real time. Well, nothing ever disappears now, so guess what’s waiting for you on those long winter nights when you weren’t going anywhere even under normal circumstances?

CYCLING-FRA-TDF-ANDORRA-SAINT-GIRONS-NOCENTINI

Stage 15: Céret– Andorre-La-Vieille, 191km

Sunday, july 11.

What is it? The Tour de France leaves France! Just barely, as the race crosses over into Andorra for about 50km, including the race’s highest elevation (Souvenir Henri “the Assassin” Desgranges), and the stiff challenge of the Col de Beixalis (“Collada” to the locals). The Tour likes its weekend stages to be appointment viewing, and they will have pulled it off here.

Who does it favor? No mystery left, it’s all a battle for Yellow now. In the past we might have made a side note about the battle for white, as if it were a completely separate conversation, but that will either go to the guy in Yellow or one of the ones just behind him. KOM guys will be present too, since the GC guys might still be racing a bit cautiously.

Why does it matter? Gains might be pretty marginal compared to the next few days, but you can’t rule out someone throwing a real haymaker here, particularly with a rest day to recover.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Getting a pandemic kitten. Again, already covered in the feline category, but a step down from the pandemic puppy experience (in terms of commitment, if not excitement) is the pandemic kitty acquisition. Not sure but I did hear they were running low on dogs, whereas in most American cities we are never out of kittens. Oh, and as with dog photos, so too have unsolicited cat photos been more of a thing. Here is a picture of Petty Officer Esty taking the forward watch at five bells so Quartermaster Koji can have a short nap.

Stage 16: Pas de la Case – Saint-Gaudens, 169km

Tuesday, july 13.

What is it? A wake-up stage after the rest day. Apparently the Tour doesn’t think too much of it, rating it as “hilly” instead of “mountains”. The possibility of a breakaway succeeding is mentioned on the Tour official website, so I guess the peloton has the official blessing to let them go.

The most notable climb is the Col du Portet-d’Aspet, which has featured 32 times and will forever be remembered to cycling fans as the place where Italian rider Fabio Casartelli suffered a deadly crash in 1995. The site of this tragedy is marked with a beautiful sculpture.

Who does it favor? At the risk of repeating myself, this race favors a breakaway and the KOM guys, at the risk of repeating myself.

Why does it matter? The action should be lightly entertaining, if somewhat of an empty stage for anyone waking up and thinking “OMG FINALLY THE TOUR IS IN THE PYRENEES!!!”

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Getting a pandemic chicken flock. Once again, we did not do this exactly. But we did get a pandemic chicken flock expansion, adding four babies to our three older hens. Obviously this is not a good idea on most levels, except for egg supplies, though even there, trust me, the financial side does not support raising your own layers. But boy are they cute! At first.

All five survived (thank you!) although one got sent away for being a rooster, a no-no in urban Seattle. Yes, Seattle has finally reached a level of sophistication that livestock limits now need to be set.

Stage 17: Muret – Saint-Lary-Soulan, 178km

Wednesday, july 14.

What is it? The penultimate climbers’ stage, and the scene of a rather certain GC showdown, to some extent. The Tour being entirely decided on this stage is definitely in play. I’ll leave it to others to geek out on climbing metrics, but this final ascent, 16km averaging 8.7%, that’s a big ouchie. For reference, the supposedly deadly Bedouin ascent of Mont Ventoux is 15km at 8.8%. Given that the Col du Portet comes after another brutal grind, the 8.3% Col de Val Louron-Azet, we could actually be looking at the most challenging moment of the Tour.

Who does it favor? No mere mortals, that’s for sure.

Why does it matter? I won’t insult you by actually answering this question.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Zoom bar mitzvahs. Well, that’s on our end, but I suspect other rites of passage, religious or otherwise, found a way to carry on over the last 16 months. But I’ll stick to what I know. Bar mitzvot are a huge amount of work, years in the making, where (in the US) kids have to learn a complete foreign language written in a completely foreign script, and then basically sing the results in front of possibly every single person they know. Our youngest son had his right before the quarantine, but a lot of his friends (and of course kids around the world) were not so lucky and had to wait a while until their congregation figured out a way forward. That settled on Zoom bar mitzvot, which were very sweet, and a tremendous relief to the families who could see their child through this great moment. That’s a lot of excitement, but not sugar-high excitement; excitement earned through long hours of practice. Just like the experience for whoever wins this stage.

Stage 18: Pau – Luz Ardiden, 130km

Thursday, july 15.

What is it? Your last climbing event, last place to use the words “Queen Stage” (however dubiously), and last chance for the GC guys to get whatever position they need heading into the final time trial. All of this route is well-worn territory for the Tour, from the start in Pau (making its 73d (!!) appearance), the Col du Tourmalet (88 (!!!) appearances), and Luz Ardiden (9th appearance). A classic, classic Tour stage.

Who does it favor? Can we stop doing this?

Why does it matter? Honestly, why do I make myself walk through my paces like this?

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Zoom reunions. In a weird way, the pandemic, while severely limiting the volume of my social contact, ended up increasing the breadth of it. Once all connectivity was reduced to online, the difference between a neighbor and someone who you remember from decades ago and see occasionally on facebook became meaningless. Next thing you knew, people were suggesting getting together, gatherings that were nearly impossible to pull off in meatspace before things shut down. My college newspaper did a couple gatherings, which was pretty amazing, given that it consisted of people who I’d spent so many long hours with that the familiarity we shared couldn’t disappear even after a few decades had passed. Here’s to reliving old times! And a stage that has plenty of past memories as well.

Stage 19: Mourenx – Libourne, 207km

Friday, july 16.

What is it? The last transition stage, and another very familiar version of the typical ride to somewhere close to Bordeaux, vaguely in the direction of Paris, but with the dark cloud of a final ITT hanging over everyone. The course is a bit lumpy but won’t be raced by anyone besides some random adventurers and combatif prize hunters.

Who does it favor? Anyone with some juice left in their legs and no reason to save it for one more day. Not that many people, in other words.

Why does it matter? It really, really doesn’t. You could say it gives the GC guys a break before the ITT but things like this don’t matter to their bodies anymore.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Excessively gardening. Working from home means that instead of walking down to the snack machine or strolling outside my office, I can pop into the back yard and prune my tomato plants. They didn’t need it. They didn’t even really ask for it. But I am doing it anyway, because I have to, in some inexplicable way.

Stage 20: Libourne – Saint-Emilion, 30.8km ITT

Saturday, july 17.

What is it? The decisive time trial. Board flat, a bit meandering in direction but not very technical, and of moderate distance.

Who does it favor? The true cronomen. If a pint-sized climber is leading this Tour and he can’t muster much of a race against the watch, look out. But if the people we think will be involved are indeed involved, then this might not upend much of the standings. Should be tense, they always seem to be nowadays.

Why does it matter? Uh... it will decide who wins the Tour? Or not.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? Not so much a lifestyle choice but a moment in time, when the vaccines started to become available and the numbers went down and you could just start to see the end of this whole thing right on the horizon. And yes, I know, there may be no absolute “end,” but when your kids go back to in-person school and the restaurants open and you can say hi to neighbors because you can actually see their face now, that was an experience. A definitive one.

Stage 21: Chatou – Paris, 108km

Sunday, july 18.

What is it? The parade to Paris. Short and to the point.

Who does it favor? Everyone, to some extent. It’s time to be done.

Why does it matter? Apart from putting a bow on the Tour, the final stage sprint is very prestigious and just good clean fun.

What pandemic lifestyle choice does this stage’s excitement level resemble? The return of real cocktail parties! I’ve been to two now. I needed both of them. All is good.

10 Tour De France Facts You (Probably) Didn't Know That Will Send You Into A Spin

Life is a numbers game. We’re not talking Henry Hill and Goodfellas here, the mob-run racket that got you whacked for daring to miss a payment. No. The point here is that life actually does come down to numbers. Whether you win or lose, succeed or fail, the numbers never lie. We will be defined by the numbers that make up our life.

In honour of Monsieur Desgrange, and his life’s work, we give you the stunning stats you (probably) didn’t know about the Tour de France…

3.5 Billion

For starters, an estimated 12 million spectators are estimated to line up along the route every single year, but the figure pales in comparison to the television viewing figures. An incredible 3.5 billion people tuned into the Tour de France in 2018. Only two sporting events worldwide beat it, the 2018 World Cup, with 3.6 billion views and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, out in front with a whopping 4.7 billion viewers. But they only happen every four years, so Tour De France wins by default. Our decision is final.

The race, also known as La Grande Boucle, includes 21 stages and covers 3,470 kilometers (2156 miles) - the equivalent of riding from London to Syria. Just think about that when you next hear someone boast about their gentle evening bike ride.

Around 790 tyres will be used by each team, and 405,000 pedal strokes will be executed by each individual rider. That’s taking pedal power to a whole new level. And with all that pedalling comes sweat, a hell of a lot of it. 130 litres of perspiration per rider to be exact, each will sweat enough to fill two baths, or flush a toilet 39 times as they parade around La République Française (and a tiny bit of Spain). Take the bath, you need it!

Last year, Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia was crowned the second-youngest winner of the Tour. He was 21, but two years older than the competition's youngest ever winner.

Henri Cornet set the standard way back in the Tour’s sophomore season in 1904, and 116 years later he remains the youngest cyclist ever to win the Tour de France. Which begs the question - what had you achieved by 19? The oldest winner of the competition was Firmin Lambot in 1922, achieving the feat aged 36 years and four months old.

It took 16 years for the world famous yellow jersey, awarded to each stage winner in the classification, to be introduced into the race, making its debut in 1919. The chosen colour is likely due to L’Auto newspaper being printed on distinctive yellow paper. That canny Monsieur Desgrange never missed a trick! Since the competition began, there have been 2,163 stages and five-time champion, Eddy Merdyx, has worn the maillot jaune a record 96 times.

Americans dominate the global sports scene. They’re top of the pack at the Olympics when the Games roll around, and their athletes are perhaps the most celebrated and decorated of any nation. But only one American has ever won the Tour de France. The triple-champion Greg LeMond was literally on top of Le Monde after steaming to victory three times in four years between 1986 and 1990. Of course, you know where this is leading: Lance Armstrong’s turns-out-it-was-actually-impossible seven consecutive titles (1999 - 2005) have been scrapped from the record books, as has his compatriot Floyd Landis (2006). Naughty!

The short-lived winner of the first Tour de France, Maurice Garin

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Tour de France Femmes clocks up impressive viewership figures across Europe

Year one of women’s race generally deemed a success based on tv ratings..

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Asked at the end of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift what one thing she would take away as a memory from this year’s event, race director Marion Rousse gave a short, succinct answer. “That we succeeded.”

That conclusion has been reinforced by viewership figures for the first edition of the race which show very impressive numbers.

Organizers ASO reported this week that there was a peak audience share of 5.1 million viewers, or 45.6 percent of the audience, for the La Planche des Belles Filles finale of the race on Sunday July 31.

The company said that average daily viewership across the eight stages were 2.25 million viewers per day, a share of 26.4 percent.

These compare to a peak of 8.4 million viewers for the men’s race, plus an average 4 million viewers per day.

Given the men’s Tour de France is over a century old and is one of the most well-established events in the world, the figures for the first running of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift are very encouraging.

How the prize money adds up in the Tour de France Femmes
Tour de France Femmes: Race director Marion Rousse says it’s ‘time to savor’ inaugural success
Time trials, more prize money, extra stages, Alpe d’Huez: What the women’s peloton wants from future Tours de France Femmes

Rousse spoke on French TV prior to the release of the latest stats, and said she was very pleased with how things went.

“We have to savor what we managed to do,” Rousse said. “It was a great show every day, and the organization was also great. The ASO team really treated this Tour as being a real Tour de France.

“I think we don’t realize what we’ve done yet, it will take us a few days to realize,” she said. “I was backstage with Van Vleuten, Vos and other girls, and everyone, at all levels of the race, is happy.”

That feeling will be reinforced by the viewership figures.

In total 75 million hours of the women’s event were watched across seven European countries. There was a reach of more than 14 million viewers on Eurosport.

In the Netherlands the average numbers of those following the performances of overall winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) and double stage winner Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma) comprised 45 percent of the total audience.

The digital audience was also impressive. There were 1.2 million views of videos on the France.tv site, 22 million views on the various official platforms, and the LeTourFemmes.fr website had a total of 2.8 million visits plus 1.5 million unique visitors.

ASO added that the social media accounts @LeTourFemmes jumped 90 percent since the start of the race to 209,000 followers.

The endorsement by US First Lady Jill Biden of the race on Twitter helped boost its status, as did similar posts by French President Emmanuel Macron and French prime minster Elisabeth Borne.

“We’ll take stock in a few days, but the base is very solid,” Rousse said on French TV. “It was just great, we had an incredible week. Right now, I don’t at all want to think about what to change. We want to celebrate what we achieved.”

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\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/paris-roubaix-tech-gallery-big-tires-and-gravel-bikes\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"paris-roubaix tech gallery: big tires and gravel bikes\"}}\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\/paris-roubaix-tech-gallery-big-tires-and-gravel-bikes\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"paris-roubaix tech gallery: big tires and gravel bikes\"}}\u0027>\n paris-roubaix tech gallery: big tires and gravel bikes\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"paris-roubaix on gravel bikes factor gravel bikes to be raced this weekend","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/paris-roubaix-on-gravel-bikes-factor-gravel-bikes-to-be-raced-this-weekend\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": 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\n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/evenepoel-vingegaard-roglic-all-crash-in-high-speed-spill-at-itzulia-basque-country\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"evenepoel, vingegaard, vine, kras, quinn sustain fractures, rogli\u010d escapes with no broken bones\"}}\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\/evenepoel-vingegaard-roglic-all-crash-in-high-speed-spill-at-itzulia-basque-country\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"evenepoel, vingegaard, vine, kras, quinn sustain fractures, rogli\u010d escapes with no broken bones\"}}\u0027>\n evenepoel, vingegaard, vine, kras, quinn sustain fractures, rogli\u010d escapes with no broken bones\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the third generation bmc roadmachine is suddenly a lot more capable","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/bmc-roadmachine-more-capable\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/bmc-roadmachine-more-capable\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the third generation bmc roadmachine is suddenly a lot more capable\"}}\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\/bmc-roadmachine-more-capable\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the third generation bmc roadmachine is suddenly a lot more capable\"}}\u0027>\n the third generation bmc roadmachine is suddenly a lot more capable\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"bianchi says mechanics disregarded instructions in paris-roubaix bike issues","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/bianchi-issues-paris-roubaix\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/bianchi-issues-paris-roubaix\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"bianchi says mechanics disregarded instructions in paris-roubaix bike issues\"}}\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\/bianchi-issues-paris-roubaix\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"bianchi says mechanics disregarded instructions in paris-roubaix bike issues\"}}\u0027>\n bianchi says mechanics disregarded instructions in paris-roubaix bike issues\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"photo essay: the drama of paris-roubaix, by chris auld","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/photo-essay-the-drama-of-paris-roubaix-by-chris-auld\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/photo-essay-the-drama-of-paris-roubaix-by-chris-auld\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"photo essay: the drama of paris-roubaix, by chris auld\"}}\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\/photo-essay-the-drama-of-paris-roubaix-by-chris-auld\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"photo essay: the drama of paris-roubaix, by chris auld\"}}\u0027>\n photo essay: the drama of paris-roubaix, by chris auld\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>careers >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>terms of use >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>site map >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>my newsletters manage cookie preferences privacy request healthy living.

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8 facts about tour de france.

Written by Molly Lusk

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Athletic Competition Facts
Cycling Facts
Professional Sports Facts
Sports History Facts

The Tour de France is one of the most prestigious and demanding events in the world of cycling. With a history dating back to 1903, this annual multi-stage race captivates both cycling enthusiasts and casual fans alike. It is a grueling test of endurance, strategy, and skill, traversing through the picturesque landscapes of France.

In this article, we will explore eight fascinating facts about the Tour de France that make it an iconic and must-watch event for sports enthusiasts. From its challenging course to the legendary yellow jersey, we will delve into the history, traditions, and records that have made the Tour de France the pinnacle of competitive cycling .

Key Takeaways:

The Tour de France is a prestigious cycling race that covers over 3,500 kilometers and lasts for three weeks, showcasing the beauty of France through 21 stages.
The race attracts millions of spectators and legendary champions, with a global audience of millions tuning in to watch the thrilling competition unfold.

The Tour de France is the world’s most famous and prestigious cycling race.

The Tour de France is an annual multi-stage race that covers over 3,500 kilometers, attracting the best cyclists from around the globe. It was first organized in 1903 and has since become an iconic event in the world of sports.

The Tour de France lasts for three weeks.

The race is divided into 21 stages, with each stage covering a different distance and terrain. The cyclists ride through various cities, towns, and breathtaking landscapes, showcasing the beauty of France.

The yellow jersey is awarded to the overall leader of the race.

The leader of the Tour de France wears a distinctive yellow jersey, which symbolizes their position as the frontrunner. The yellow jersey is highly coveted, and cyclists compete fiercely to earn it.

The average speed of the Tour de France is around 40 kilometers per hour.

Professional cyclists push their limits during the race, maintaining an astonishing pace of approximately 40 kilometers per hour. This demonstrates their incredible strength and endurance.

The Tour de France attracts millions of spectators along the route.

Every year, enthusiastic fans gather along the route to cheer on the cyclists and witness the excitement firsthand. The lively atmosphere and passionate support make the Tour de France a truly extraordinary event.

The Tour de France has visited neighboring countries.

While the race predominantly takes place in France, it has occasionally crossed the borders into neighboring countries such as Spain, Belgium , and Italy. This adds an international flair to the event.

The Tour de France has crowned many legendary champions.

Over the years, the Tour de France has seen remarkable cyclists rise to fame and achieve greatness. Legends such as Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain , and Lance Armstrong have left their mark on the race.

The Tour de France is watched by millions of viewers worldwide.

The race garners a massive global audience, with millions of people tuning in to watch the thrilling competition unfold. It has become a highly anticipated sporting event, captivating fans across the globe.

In conclusion, the Tour de France is a thrilling and iconic event that captures the attention of cycling enthusiasts from around the world. With its rich history, challenging routes, and remarkable achievements, it is no wonder why the Tour de France has become synonymous with excitement and national pride. From its origins in 1903 to its status as one of the most prestigious races in the world, the Tour de France has continuously evolved and adapted, showcasing the grit, determination, and athleticism of cyclists. Whether you are a passionate fan or new to the world of cycling, the Tour de France is an event that should not be missed. So, mark your calendars, grab your cycling gear, and get ready to witness the incredible feats of endurance and skill that unfold during this legendary race.

1. How long is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France covers a distance of approximately 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) over the course of three weeks.

2. How many teams participate in the Tour de France?

There are typically 22 teams with 8 riders each, making a total of 176 riders competing in the Tour de France.

3. What is the significance of the yellow jersey?

The yellow jersey is awarded to the rider with the lowest overall time in the general classification. It symbolizes the race leader and is a highly coveted prize.

4. How many stages are there in the Tour de France?

The Tour de France consists of 21 stages, including flat stages, mountain stages, time trials, and rest days.

5. Who has won the most Tour de France titles?

Lance Armstrong holds the record for the most Tour de France titles, with seven victories from 1999 to 2005.

6. What is the route of the Tour de France?

The route of the Tour de France changes each year, but it always includes different regions of France, including mountainous terrains, scenic landscapes, and famous landmarks.

7. Are there any female riders in the Tour de France?

As of now, there is no separate Tour de France for women. However, there are separate women’s races, such as La Course by Le Tour de France, which takes place during the Tour de France.

8. How is the winner of the Tour de France determined?

The winner of the Tour de France is determined by calculating the cumulative time of each rider over all the stages. The rider with the lowest overall time in the general classification is declared the winner.

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Tour de France Femmes total viewership close to 20m viewers on France Télévisions

Average viewership per stage was down 11% on last year's edition..

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The 2023 Tour de France Femmes attracted a total viewership of nearly 20 million viewers on public service broadcaster France Télévisions.

Average French audience for each stage on free-to-air (FTA) channels France 2 and France 3 was two million viewers
The race gained an average audience share of 24.8 per cent on both channels
A peak viewership of 4.3 million was recorded during the seventh stage, which was a 34.6 per cent audience share
Race videos on France Télévisions’ streaming and online platforms gained 1.3 million views, up eight per cent on last year
Eurosport’s coverage of the race had a viewer reach of nearly 15 million, a 7.14 per cent rise on 2022
A 42 per cent audience share was recorded in the Netherlands during the seventh stage
The Tour de France Femmes’ website gained 2.7 million unique visitors, an 80 per cent jump on last year
About 4.5 million visits were recorded for the website, up 60.7 per cent on 2022
The race drew 74.4 million views on its social platforms, with half coming from TikTok (238 per cent increase on the previous edition)
The Tour de France Femmes’ social media accounts gained more than 100 million views for its posts

This was the second edition of the Tour de France Femmes, with the average TV audience for each stage down by 11 per cent on last year . However, its digital engagement has increased, with total video viewership on the race’s social platforms more than tripling the figures recorded for 2022.

Coming next:

France Télévisions will want the Tour de France Femmes to gain increased figures next year, having recently renewed its rights deal for the race until 2030.

Tour de France total viewership on FTV shoots up to 42.5m

2024 Tour de France Femmes Grand Départ heads to Rotterdam

Podcast | Reviewing ‘Tour de France: Unchained’ and is MLB making it work in London?

“We want to be catalysts for change”: Riding stage two of the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift and the women’s pel…

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Holmes Chapel, English village of Harry Styles' youth, needs fans to be tour guides

Many tourists visit sites such as a bakery where Styles once worked and a Chinese restaurant where he once dined with Taylor Swift. Tourism has been great for local businesses.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep.

Holmes Chapel, the English village of Harry Styles' youth, is looking for superfans to work as tour guides. The village gets a lot of tourists, Harries visiting sites like a bakery where Styles once worked and a Chinese restaurant where he once dined with Taylor Swift. The not-for-profit calling for tour guides says tourism has been great for local business, and now it wants to elevate its offerings.

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NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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2024 Masters live stream, watch online: TV coverage, channel, Tiger Woods in Round 2, broadcast schedule

Watch every single shot from the biggest names in golf throughout round 1 at the 2024 masters.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The second day of action at the 2024 Masters is ongoing, and three days of pristine golf at the nation's best course remain with the best hoping to play all 72 holes at Augusta National. With clear skies, all competitors should be through 36 holes by day's end with the cut being made entering the weekend, though difficult-to-manage breezes have created tougher elements for some of the best golfers in the world Friday.

The grounds are filled to capacity with patrons, and they are undoubtedly keen to see how Tiger Woods plays while taking the course for just his second professional event of 2024. Woods is just five years removed from winning his fifth green jacket, and while a sixth is certainly unlikely, counting Tiger out of anything is a foolish endeavor. Woods has played solid golf as he nears the completion of his second round, and barring a collapse, should continue his made cuts streak at Augusta National.

Far more likely to find the winner's circle is Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 green jacket winner seeking to win his second in three years. Scheffler entered as an overwhelming favorite and sat +140 to win the tournament entering Friday one back of Day 1-leader Bryson DeChambeau . Rory McIlroy, of course, is still one Masters title away from clinching the career grand slam, and he ended Thursday under par through 18 holes at Augusta National for the first time in six years.

Max Homa is seeking his first major championship, and a run Friday morning has boosted him near the top of the leaderboard with a chance to contend entering the weekend. You can follow Masters leaderboard updates and coverage all day right here on CBSSports.com.

There is so much to pay attention to this week that it can be overwhelming at times. No worries: We have you covered. On Friday alone, you can watch the entire first rounds from Woods, Scheffler, McIlroy, DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and others.

CBS Sports is offering live coverage of the 2024 Masters from start to finish Friday with our myriad of Masters Live streaming options. Hit the links below to tune into the Featured Groups channel and watch complete rounds from some of the best golfers in the game, spend your day surveying Amen Corner or view all the action at Holes 15 & 16. Masters TV coverage does not begin until later in the day, so this is the absolute best place to watch the Masters live on Friday.

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Round 2 -- Friday, April 12

Round 2 start time: 8 a.m.

Masters Live stream Desktop and mobile: Free on CBSSports.com , CBS Sports app Connected devices*: Available on Paramount+ , CBS Sports app *Paramount+ login required

Masters on the Range : 8:30-10:30 a.m. (CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ )
Featured Groups -- 10:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 10:18 a.m. -- Tiger Woods, Jason Day, Max Homa 10:42 a.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Ludvig Åberg, Sahith Theegala 11:54 a.m. -- Gary Woodland, Thorbjørn Olesen, Bryson DeChambeau 1:48 p.m. -- Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele
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Holes 4, 5 & 6 -- 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Masters.com)

TV coverage: 3-7:30 p.m. on ESPN TV simulcast live stream: 3-7:30 p.m. on Masters.com Post-round highlights: 11:35-11:50 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+

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A view of the third hole at Augusta National Golf Club. (Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR)

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Updated: Saturday, April 13, 7:15 p.m. ET: Mostly sunny skies and above-normal temperatures are forecast for Sunday and Monday with highs in the mid to upper 80s. The wind will remain light out of the southwest and likely average 7-15 mph each day as well.

Updated: Saturday, April 13, 10:00 a.m. ET: Sunny skies will see temperatures warm with highs reaching the mid to upper 70s this afternoon. Wind will not be as strong but remain breezy out of the WNW at 10-15 mph. Gusts to 20-25 mph can be expected between 11 a.m.-5 p.m. before decreasing this evening.

Updated: Friday, April 12, 8:10 p.m. ET: Mostly sunny skies are forecast for Saturday at Augusta National with temperatures set to reach the mid-70s. A few wind gusts to 20 mph may occur between 12-5 p.m. Saturday. Mostly sunny and warmer Sunday, with the temperature climbing into the mid-80s.

Updated: Friday, April 12, 9 a.m. ET: Sunny and dry conditions are forecast throughout the day with a high temperature in the low 70s. Breezy conditions this morning, turning windy by midday with westerly wind gusts of 30-35 mph. Isolated higher peak gusts between 35-40 mph cannot be ruled out between 3-6 p.m.. After a cool start Saturday morning, temperatures will rebound nicely this weekend with highs in the mid-70s Saturday and mid-80s on Sunday amid plentiful sunshine.

Updated: Thursday, April 11, 7:51 p.m. ET: The first round of the Masters has been suspended due to darkness. Round 1 will resume on Friday at 7:50 a.m. with Round 2 tee times beginning as scheduled at 8 a.m.

Updated: Thursday, April 11, 8:11 a.m. ET: First-round tee times are set to begin at 10:30 a.m. off the first tee due to overnight and morning rain.

After a morning of monitoring strong storms that have affected states from Texas to Florida, Masters officials announced the gates will open to the patrons at 9:30 a.m., and honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson will tee off at 10:10, followed by the first tee time in the 89-player field, Jake Knapp and Erik van Rooyen at 10:30.

According to weather.com, thunderstorms are possible around 8:30 a.m., with potentially strong, gusty winds.

Updated: Thursday, April 11, 7 a.m. ET: First-round tee times will be delayed at least an hour because of morning rain. "We continue to monitor the weather closely," read a post from the tournament on X. "Gate openings and tee times have been delayed until further notice. The first round will not begin before 9 a.m."

According to weather.com, it is expected to be cloudy from 7-8 a.m. but there is a chance of scattered thunderstorms from 8-10 a.m.

Updated: Wednesday, April 10 7 p.m. ET : The Masters has issued a weather update, noting that patron admission will be delayed Thursday due to adverse weather conditions expected overnight and into the morning.

"Due to forecasted weather on Thursday, we have decided to delay all gate openings in the morning," the Masters posted on X, formerly Twitter. "All Masters free parking will be closed until further notice while gate openings are delayed. Further updates will be shared no later than 5 a.m. via Masters.com and social channels."

Updated: Wednesday, April 10 10 a.m. ET: AUGUSTA, Ga. – The first round of the 88th Masters Tournament could be affected by inclement weather as dangerous conditions are predicted to arrive early Thursday.

There’s a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms prior to 1 p.m., with wind gusts of 40-45 mph between 8 a.m. ET and noon. That would create potentially dangerous conditions and push back tee times, possibly bringing Friday into play for the conclusion of Round 1.

Last year’s Masters was also affected by weather, with second-round play pushed to Saturday and third-round play pushed to Sunday, when eventual winner Jon Rahm and co-runner-up Brooks Koepka played 30 holes.

Severe weather began slamming the southern United States on Tuesday night, continued into Wednesday and was expected to reach the Augusta area first thing Thursday.

According to the Masters Tournament weather update:

“A cold front is forecast to bring a band of rain and scattered thunderstorms through the region between 6 a.m.-1 p.m. ET Thursday. Heavy rainfall and occasional wind gusts of 40-45 mph are anticipated over this period. A lull in precipitation should occur behind the cold front between 1-4 p.m. ET before scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms drift back into the region for the late afternoon and evening hours.

“Windy conditions persist Friday under mostly sunny skies as a dry and stable airmass settles into the area. Mostly sunny skies can be expected through the weekend with west to southwesterly winds in the 7-15 mph range.”

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms prior to 1 p.m. ET. Partly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Forecast rainfall: 1-1 1/2 inches. Wind gusts of 40-45 mph between 8 a.m.-noon. Low: 65F High: 77F Winds: S shifting SW 15-25; gusts 30-35 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny and windy. Noticeably less humid. Low: 54F High: 72F Winds: W 15-20; gusts 30 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny and warm. Low: 49F High: 78F Winds: WNW turning W 7-15 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny and warm. Low: 53F High: 84F Winds: W turning SW 7-15 mph.

The Masters has dealt with its share of weather conditions in recent years. The final round of Tiger Woods’ iconic 2019 victory came hours earlier than scheduled to avoid impending storms. Last year’s leaders played 30 holes on Sunday as storms wiped out much of the third round.

This year’s Masters is largely devoid of rainy conditions, with Thursday as the lone exception. According to the official Augusta National weather forecast, there is an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday, with an expected rainfall of 1.00-1.50 inches.

“Isolated light showers are possible Tuesday and Wednesday before rain and thunderstorms arrive early Thursday and continue throughout the morning hours. A cold front is expected to pass through in the early afternoon, with diminishing precipitation chances for the remainder of Thursday. Thunderstorm wind gusts of 40-45 mph will be possible,” the official forecast stated.

Conditions are expected to clear up by Thursday afternoon and stay dry through the rest of the tournament. Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of the official Augusta National weather forecast:

Monday: Mostly sunny. Low: 48F High: 79F Winds: S 7-10 mph
Tuesday : Cloudy with a 25% chance of light showers. Low: 58F High: 77F Winds: SSE 5-10 mph
Wednesday : Cloudy with a 20% chance of light showers during the day and a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Low: 62F High: 80F Winds: S-SE 10-15, gusts up to 20 mph
Thursday : Mostly cloudy with an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Windy. Forecast rainfall: 1.00-1.50” Low: 65F High: 78F Winds: S shifting SW 15-20 gusts up to 30 mph
Friday : Mostly sunny and windy; noticeably less humid. Low: 56F High: 73F Winds: WNW 15-20 gusts up to 30 mph
Saturday : Mostly sunny and warm. Low: 50F High: 78F Winds: WNW turning W 7-12 mph
Sunday*: Mostly cloudy. Low: 61F: High 82F Winds: SW 6-13 mph, gusts of 17 mph

*Official Masters forecast not yet available. Sunday’s forecast is via accuweather.com

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Tour de France viewership in the U.S. 2018, by age

Share of americans who watched the tour de france in in the last 12 months in 2018, by age.

Immediate access to 1m+ statistics
Incl. source references
Download as PNG, PDF, XLS, PPT

Additional Information

Show sources information Show publisher information Use Ask Statista Research Service

October 2018

United States

September 24 to October 24, 2018

4,180 respondents

18-64 years

U.S. residential online population

Panel survey

The original question was: Which of the following sports TV specials programs have you watched in the past 12 months? (check all that apply)

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France tells French citizens not to travel to Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian Territories

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An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon

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Iran launches retaliatory attack on israel with hundreds of drones, missiles.

Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation as the United States pledged "ironclad" backing for Israel.

Women´s Copa Libertadores - Final - Independiente de Santa Fe v Corinthians

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From Copenhagen where The Tour de France received one of its warmest welcome, to the Champs-Élysées after 21 exciting days of racing, the 2022 edition has thrilled millions of TV viewers on all continents. ... (41,3 per cent and an average of 4 million viewers every day with an increasing proportion among the youngest).
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This year's edition of cycling's Tour de France pulled in 41.5 million viewers on French public service broadcaster France Télévisions (FTV). The figure is the biggest Tour de France audience for the network's main channel since 2011. Four race stages on FTV exceeded five million viewers, compared to two in 2021.
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Tour de France. USA Network posted the two most-watched weekday stages of the Tour de France in more than 10 years. With 554,000 viewers, the Friday July 15 telecast was the most-watched weekday stage since 2009. The competition the day prior (Thursday July 14) averaged 510,000 viewers which was the best weekday delivery since 2010. Horse Racing
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Viewers of Tour de France on TV in the U.S. by age 2018
Team Lead at Statista Consumer Insights. Get in touch with us now. , Jun 28, 2022. This statistic presents the share of Americans who watched the Tour de France in in the last 12 months as of 2018 ...
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The Most Watched Sporting Events in The World

Our Methodology — Ranking the Most Watched Sporting Events Worldwide

What Are the Most Watched Sporting Events Around the World?

1. World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers

2. Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers

3. Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers

4. Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers

5. Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers

6. Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers

7. UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers

8. Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers

9. Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers

10. NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers

11. World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers

12. Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers

13. The Masters – 15 Million Viewers

14. World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers

15. NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers

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The Unquarantined Viewers’ Guide to the Tour de France

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Stage 1: Brest – Landerneau, 197km

Stage 2: Perros-Guirec – Mûr de Bretagne, 183km

Stage 3: Lorient – Pontivy, 183km

Stage 4: Redon – Fougères, 150km

Stage 5: Changé – Laval, 27.2km ITT

Stage 6: Tours – Châteauroux, 161km

Stage 7: Vierzon – Le Creusot, 249km

Stage 8: Oyonnax – Le Grand-Bounand, 151km

Stage 9: Cluses – Tignes, 145km

Stage 10: Albertville - Valence, 190km

Stage 11: Sorgues – Malaucène, 199km

Stage 12: Saint Paul Trois Châteaux – Nîmes, 159km

Stage 13: Nîmes – Carcassonne, 220km

Stage 14: Carcassonne – Quillan, 184km

Stage 15: Céret– Andorre-La-Vieille, 191km

Stage 16: Pas de la Case – Saint-Gaudens, 169km

Stage 17: Muret – Saint-Lary-Soulan, 178km

Stage 18: Pau – Luz Ardiden, 130km

Stage 19: Mourenx – Libourne, 207km

Stage 20: Libourne – Saint-Emilion, 30.8km ITT

Stage 21: Chatou – Paris, 108km

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