le tour bike park

© Graham Pinkerton

Mountain Biking in Le Tour

Do you only ride park? Chamonix's bike parks are open for buisness

Chamonix has a reputation for having some of the finest alpine singletrack in the world, and with such good natural trails, the purpose made trails have been overlooked by many and have lagged behind the standard of say Whistler or Les Gets .

However, just as eating in Michelin starred restaurants  every night might leave you wanting a simple greasy burger*, sometimes you just want quick and easy mountain bike trails. (*This might not be true, I've never tried, but if anyone wants to pay for me to eat Michelin starred food every night, please contact Chamonet!)

Les Houches  has seen the most bike trail development recently, with 2013's creation of the DH track from the Prarion gondola . The track's had no new features added, but some maintenance work has been done and it's riding well. Unfortunately the Les Houches trails take a good few days to dry out after rain, and it's rained this week. Not only that, but several of the world's top downhill riders, including world champion Manon Carpenter , have descended on Les Houches (presumably to test mud tyres!) so any illusions I have of riding fast are likely to be shattered by passing blurs.

Instead, now the Charamillon gondola has opened, I headed up to Le Tour . Compagnie du Mont Blanc is keen to encourage mountain biking at Le Tour and has built a third green trail this year for beginners on the hill to compliment the existing blue and red trails.

The gondola was the usual squeeze for me and my bike, owners of longer wheelbase bikes will struggle a bit to fit them in, but they do go.......just. After the greenhouse of the gondola, the open air of the Autannes chairlift was a welcome relief, and after a spring of pedaling up the hills, so was the 724m gained with no effort what so ever. Looking down from the chair it was clear that the Les Chevreuils blue trail running from the top had seen some work, and that lots of riders of all standards were out enjoying it.

Dropping into the trail from the top of the chairlift I discovered that not all the trail had been worked on! On the whole it's a good introduction to Chamonix biking for riders who've got a bit of experience on a mountain bike, but not much. The trail is fairly smooth without being completely flat and the corners and gradients are never that extreme. However, in some places the damage from winter and the spring storms hasn't been fully patched up and a few folk were struggling a little with the loose rocks. It's in better shape than last year though, with the corners being a bit less abrupt and easier to keep your flow on.

Down to the middle of the mountain and it was time to see what the brand new green graded Les Marmottes track was like. It's aimed at beginner mountain bikers and it was quickly apparent that ridden slowly and cautiously it should be a great introduction to the sport. With a smooth surface, wide track and gently banked corners and rolls it's never too intimidating, but has more interest than the 4x4 track next to it. More advanced riders shouldn't think that it'll be no fun though, as ride it fast and suddenly gap jumps appear between bends and the gentle rolls can be doubled up. Just watch out for the loose surface that's yet to fully bed in in the corners.....

If the green was good, how would the older red graded Les Cerfs trail down from the Charamillon gondola be? Closed was the answer. It turns out that the track suffered quite a bit of damage in the May storms and will take some time to re-open. Work is being done through, with some of the lower sections now completely re-built. Fingers crossed it gets finished soon.

Only two more lifts are left to open for biking in the valley, and both start this weekend [27th/28th June]. Grand Montets with its Lavancher trail accesible throughout the bike ban and, best of all, the Vallorcine gondola. Home of long singletrack descents and the infamous Vallorcine DH track. Can't wait!

Follow more of Graham's MTB trips in his  Chamonix Bike Blog .

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• Chamonix Mont Blanc

Mountain Bike Chamonix's 'Le Tour' Trails

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

Description

Added by Sean O'Brien

If you want breathtaking views of the French Alps while getting to enjoy the luxury and immense fun of a mountain bike, this is definitely a must visit destination.

Getting There

From Chamonix, it is very easy to get to Le Tour. You can either drive up the valley, bike up the valley or take a cheap shuttle that runs every 15 minutes up and down from Chamonix to Le Tour, and everywhere in between. I took a shuttle up the valley to Argenterie where I rented a bike from the shop,  Namaste, and biked myself the rest of the way (1.5 miles or so). If you are confused any local in town can explain how to get yourself there with ease.

Le Tour is a ski resort in the winter just outside of Chamonix that offers lift assisted mountain biking in the summer months. It is only 20 euros for a full day lift ticket with unlimited carries to the top with your bike.

There are two lifts operating in the summertime. Once you get off the first one you can either ride down, or opt to go higher up on the second one right in front of you. I recommend getting all the way to the top for the views. From there you have a multitude of options. You can begin multiple cross country rides which can take you into Switzerland and other Alp regions, you can keep riding up toward Mont Blanc or you can enjoy all of the fun downhill trails.

Since I was only here for the day and I was alone, I rode mostly the downhill trails and they were all phenomenally fun. I didn't specify a distance for this ride because it depends completely on what you make of your time here. If I had more time in this area it would be really cool to embark on a bike-packing trip through the Alps here, because these trails to connect you to many other systems in the area.

On the downhill trails there are a couple places to stop and grab a beer or a snack on the mountain. It was great taking a break and enjoying the views of Chamonix below me, the massive peaks above me and the rolling green fields full of wildflowers surrounding me. An absolutely gorgeous place to be able to ride a mountain bike! 

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Towns & Hamlets

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Le Tour is located at the north-eastern end of the Chamonix Valley past Argentiere near the border with Switzerland. Being at the end of the valley, it finds itself surrounded by mountains on all sides. There are many trails heading in all directions from Le Tour. On the eastern edge lies the Montagne de Posettes with its highest point being the crest summit of the Aiguillette des Posettes . On the north-eastern side lies the ski domain of Le Tour with its highest point being the Tete de Balme summit at 2321m right on the edge with Switerland. On the western side lies the Montagne de Peclerey with the hamlet of Le Planet located at a plateau below it.   The Petit Balcon Nord starts at Le Tour and enables you to visit all the hamlets and towns all the way down to Chamonix using a low altitude but very scenic and easy nature trail.

Le Tour is one of the main ski areas of the Chamonix Valley and in the summer the ski lifts are open for hikers, runners and mountain bikers. For mountain bikers there are marked trails of varying difficulties and the lifts enable you to bring your bike up. For hikers and runners the lifts enable easier access to higher altitude routes such as the trail taking you to the Refuge Albert Premier next to the Glacier du Tour . The glacier can be seen from the valley floor and the hamlet of Le Tour but the best views are definitely from the trail to the refuge and the refuge itself.

Le Tour has a Catholic Church and a beautiful little Chapel located very close to each other in the heart of the hamlet. Le Tour has a couple of restaurants located around the bottom of the lift station. There are no bakeries or super markets at Le Tour with Argentiere being the nearest town for those type of facilities. The nearest train station is Montroc-le-Planet from where you can either walk up to Le Tour or take the bus. Le Tour has a bus stop near the lift station. There is lot of parking around the lift station too in case you want to visit by car.

Nearest Town

Accommodation

Looking for more towns and hamlets?

Linked Trails & Points of Interest

These are the trails and points of interests linked to this Hamlet

Loop Trail:

A fantastic family-friendly loop between the hamlets of Le Tour and Montroc with a nice variety of forest, views and charming hamlets

End Apr - End Oct

Hiking Time

1.5 - 2.0 Hours

Elevation +

+226m / -226m

4+ Years old

Running Time

45 - 75 Mins

Technical Difficulty

Dogs Allowed

Low altitude, easy and family friendly trail that takes you from Le Tour, to Argentiere to Le Lavancher and ends up in Chamonix using the Petit Balcon Nord (PBN)

Mid Apr - End Oct

2.5 - 4.0 Hours

+226m / -683m

7+ Years old

1.5 - 2.5 Hours

Very Easy (1/5)

Exceptional

This route takes you from the village of Le Tour to the high altitude refuge Albert 1er, right next to the Glacier du Tour

Start Jul - End Sep

3.0 - 5.0 Hours

+862m / -862m

Above Average

Small Catholic Chapel in the heart of the hamlet of Le Tour

High altitude Refuge at 2702 meters right next to the Glacier du Tour

Mountain Ridge

Crest Summit above Le Tour on the crest towards the Tete de Balme

Small Hamlet on the road from Argentiere to Le Tour

Glacier above the town of Le Tour with the trail to the Refuge Albert 1er enabling close access

Memorial for Jean-Marie Blanc who died in a helicopter crash in 1977

Large snack with huge terrace in between the Charamillon and Autannes lifts

Location & Map

Below you will the location of this point of interest on the map. You can click the button to show the nearby trails and points of interests that are listed above on the same map. Another option is to visit our complete interactive map that shows everything that is listed on our website.

Le Tour de Shore

Come bike on the beautiful country roads of the Eastern Shore. The countryside features miles of farmland as well as flat country roads. The charming towns are sprinkled with historic homes, museums, art galleries and shops that you will want to come back and visit after your ride.  Choose from 4 routes: 100 mile (begins 7:00 am), 100k (62 miles begins 8am), 50k (30 miles begins 9:00 am), 25k (15 miles begins 9:30 am). Warm up with a Friday Night Fun Ride (15-18 miles).

This is a fully supported event – so visit the Easter Shore ! The Start and End in 2024 will be at Onancock Town Square at the corner of Market and East Streets .  

Jerseys are included for the first 150 registrants.

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Schwinn Le Tour Complete Guide

Last Updated on June 21, 2022 by FAB Jim The Cyclist

History of the Schwinn Le Tour

It’s the early 1970s and bicycles are booming.  Lightweight road bikes are becoming very popular, and Schwinn doesn’t have one that’s more affordable.  They have the Paramount, but it’s a very expensive bike.  The Varsity and Continental are close to 40lbs, but they still sell well.  Paramounts are made in Waterford Wisconsin and that facility certainly doesn’t have the capacity to start making budget road bikes.  Chicago was already very busy making their current models, and they didn’t make lugged frame bikes.  What did they decide to do? 

To get into the affordable lightweight market they decided to import from Japan like many of the competition.  They were very cautious about an import Schwinn because the first two bikes are the World Traveler and World Voyageur in 1972 and 1973.  Very nice bikes from Japan, but they barely have a reference to Schwinn on them and are not in the catalog.  They even use a different World badge.  This experiment must have gone well because in 1974 they introduce the Schwinn approved Le Tour, an affordable lugged frame bike that’s about 30lbs.  They are still cautious as it’s Schwinn approved rather than just a Schwinn, but it has lots of great Schwinn and Le Tour branding.  It must have been a pretty good seller as they go on to offer it through 1992 and brought it back off and on through 2011. 

It has had many variations during its long run including the Super Le Tour, Le Tour Luxe, and Le Tour Tourist.  The Super was definitely the most popular of the variations and ran from 1976-1985.  It started as an upgraded Le Tour with aluminum rims, downtube shifters, and only 26.5 lbs.  By 1985 the Le Tour and Super had gotten very close in quality, so I believe that is likely why they stopped the Super.  Both had alloy rims, downtube shifters, chromoly frames, and similar weights. 

Take a look at these great bikes:

1974 Le Tour

Schwinn started offering the Le Tour in 1974, and it was a little different for the iconic Chicago based bicycle company.  The Le Tour was made in Japan by Panasonic, with Schwinn approved branding.  So, it’s branded by USA Schwinn, made by Japan Panasonic, and it’s got a French name.  How cool is that?  Everybody should want to own one of these. 

Based on pricing it was 3 rd in the Schwinn lineup behind the Paramount and Sports Tourer with a suggested retail price of $159.95.  It was also quite a bit lighter than any of the cheaper Schwinn models.

What I love about these bikes is all the great branding.  The 1974 has Le Tour branded derailleurs and seat post, plus lots of other Schwinn and Shimano branding.  Its my only bike with model specific derailleurs. Later years have Le Tour branded saddles and cranks.

Here are some of the specs according to the 1974 catalog:

Lightweight, fully lugged brazes frame with butted top and bottom tubes.

Quick release aluminum alloy hubs.

Aluminum alloy crank set

Center pull alloy caliper brakes

27” x 1 ¼” gumwall tires

Only 30-32 lbs depending on the size and kickstand.  (some models at the time were around 40lbs)

The derailleurs are made by Shimano and are similar in quality to their 500.  These are Le Tour GT-400 for the rear and Le Tour GT-450 for the front.

Bars and stem are alloy.  Rims are steel.   

Came in 3 sizes:

LT1: 21” (31” standover height)

LT3: 23”

LT5: 25”

Colors: Opaque blue, Opaque red, and Kool Lemon.

1975 Le Tour

In 1975 a Le Tour for ladies was added to the catalog.  Rest of the bike stays mostly unchanged.  The rear derailleur changes to the GT-420 and the catalog changes from kool lemon to yellow.  I prefer calling it kool lemon.  Catalog notes that the saddle is Taihei racing style.

Ladies sizes:

L-69: 19”

L-72: 22”

1976 Le Tour

Remains mostly unchanged from the 75 model, except the saddle changes to Matex racing style. 

1976 Super Le Tour

This is the first year for the Super Le Tour.  An ultra-lightweight bike at a moderate price.  These had double butted chrome moly top and bottom tubes, alloy rims, downtube shifters, and Shimano 600 rear and 60 front derailleurs.  They took what was good about the standard Le Tour and made it a little better.  The 12.2 on the frame references the weight in kilograms. 26.5lbs.

Frame Finish: Sky blue, Flamboyant red or Silver Mist.

Same sizing as the Le Tour:

SL-1: 21”

SL-3: 23”

SL-5: 25”

Suggested retail price: $219.95

1977 Le Tour II

Most of the changes for this year appear to be visual with new decals and colors.  Catalog lists the weight as 29lbs. 

Colors are Scarlet, Violet, and Pearscent Orange. 

Suggested retail price is $164.95.

Le Tour II for ladies comes in the same colors and is listed as 31lbs.  Sizes are now L-89 for the 19” and L-92 for the 22” frame.

1977 Super Le Tour 12.2

The 77 SLT is mostly unchanged from the previous year, but now offers a SL-9 19” frame.  Colors are Sky blue, Silver Mist, and Full chrome ($50 extra)

Suggested retail price is $229.95

1978 Schwinn-Approved Le Tour III

A 27” frame is added, and the colors are changed.

L11: 21”

L13: 23”

L15: 25”

L17: 27”

Colors are pearl orange and pearl blue.

Ladies models:

L79: 19”

L82: 22”

Suggested retail price is $189.95

1978 Super Le Tour

Price is the biggest change from the 77 with a suggested retail price of $264.95.  Models also change slightly:

9SL: 19”

1SL: 21”

3SL: 23”

5SL: 25”

C is added to the end of the model to designate full chrome. 

Colors are Full chrome($50 extra), Scarlet, Black, and Silver Mist.

1979 Le Tour IV

Big changes this year as they started making them in Chicago.  They wanted to try and make an affordable road bike in the USA. 

Here are some of the specs:

10 speed 

30lbs with kickstand

18 gauge 1020 carbon steel frame

Rear derailleur: Shimano 400 

Saddle: Selle Royale suede finish

Sugine Super Maxi alloy cotterless crank

Men’s:

D11-9 21”

D13-9 23”

D15-9 25”

D59-9 19”

D62-9 22”

Suggested retail price $179.95

Colors: Frosty Blue and Strawberry Red

1979 Super Le Tour II

The SLT is also made in the USA and gets a little bit heavier as it no longer has a partial chrome moly frame, it’s all 1020 steel.  The derailleurs are also a bit of a downgrade from previous years.  It does change to a 12 speed. 

Here are some specs:

Altus LT derailleurs

Alloy wheels

D21-9 21”

D23-9 23”

D25-9 25”

Suggested retail price $249.95

Colors: Black Saddle, Frosty Blue, and Strawberry Red

1980 Le Tour

This year drops the numbers and just calls it the Le Tour.  Another year made in Chicago.  Specs and sizes appear to be the same as 1979. 

Suggested retail price $234.95

Colors: Cardinal Red, Frosty Silver, and Sky Blue.

1980 Super Le Tour

Made in Chicago with unchanged specs and sizes from 1979. 

Suggested retail price $296.95

Colors: Black Sable and Summer Cloud.

1981 Le Tour

Production moves back to Japan.  They also got a derailleur change:

Shimano Altus ST derailleurs

Shimano Stem Mounted LE gearshift levers

1020 carbon steel frame

Sugino Super Maxy crankset

KKT Rattrap pedals

Ariake Touring Saddle

Suggested retail price $254.95

Colors: Frosty Silver and Sky Blue

1981 Super Le Tour

Production moves back to Japan for the SLT also.  Not much changes from the 1980 model.  It’s now listed as 27lbs. 

Shimano Altus LT derailleurs

Shimano Altus Shift Levers

Sugino Super Maxy crank

SR LaPrade seat post

Ariake Jaguar II saddle

Sakae handlebars and stem

Gran Compe 500G brakes

Suggested retail price $319.95

Colors: Black Sable and Summer Cloud White

Check out my White Summercloud Super Le Tour

1981 Le Tour Tourist

This is the first year for the Tourist.  A modified Le Tour with touring handlebars, upright saddle, and fenders.  29.3lbs. 

Ukai Chrome Plated Steel rims

Sugino Super Maxy Crank

Kashima Touring saddle

SR Alloy touring handlebars

D311-9 21”

D333-9 23”

D355-9 25”

D791-9 19”

D821-9 22”

Colors: Spicy Chestnut and Sky Blue

1982 Le Tour

1982 Super Le Tour

1983 Le Tour

1984 Le Tour

1984 Super Le Tour

1985 Le Tour Luxe

1986 Le Tour

1987 Le Tour

1988 Le Tour

1989 Le Tour

1990 Le Tour

1999 Le Tour

This was Schwinn’s entry level road bike for this year. 21 speed drive train. Schwinn road design 7005 TIG welded aluminum frame with forged dropouts and cro-moly fork with forged dropouts. Shimano RSX downtube shifters and rear derailleur with T300 front derailleur. Nexave triple crank. Tektro 420AG brakes with Shimano levers. 32 hole Araya SP-30 rims with alloy hubs and 700×23 tires.

Suggested retail price: $499.00

Color: Metallic Silver

2011 Le Tour Classic

This looks to be kind of a neat bike.  The paint scheme with the brown bar tape gives it a bit of an older look, maybe that’s how it got the classic name?  The original saddle would have also been brown, but it’s been replaced on this one.  Frame is actually Reynolds 520 chromoly which I wasn’t expecting.  Shifters and derailleurs are Shimano Sora.  I believe it came stock with 28mm tires so this should be a really comfortable ride. Check it out:

Here is some marketing info from Schwinn:

Experience the great ride characteristics of steel aboard Schwinn’s Le Tour Classic. Whether you are just getting into road riding or are an experienced roadie, you’ll love the agile ride of the Reynolds steel tubes and the comfort of the Le Tour’s slightly more upright riding position. Together they give you a ride that is silky smooth, easy on the back and simply sublime. Plus, this ready roadster boasts a hill-topping 27-speed FSA/Shimano drivetrain, powerful dual-pivot brakes, a fine Schwinn Bio-Tuned saddle and easy-rolling 700c wheels with choice Continental tires.

2011 Le Tour Sport

This model had an aluminum frame with a carbon fork. Shifters are Shimano Sora with a Tiagra rear derailleur and a Sora front derailleur. FSA Vero triple crankset and SRAM 9 speed cassette completed the drivetrain. 700×25 Kenda Kriterium tires mounted on Xero Shawla 220 wheels.

Suggested retail price: $899

Serial Numbers

Decoding the serial numbers of the Japanese made Le Tours is covered in the imported section below. The US made models use the limited production section. It is found on the rear dropout:

This example was made in November of 1974.

What are they worth?

The good news is that you should be able to find them rather affordably.  I’m in southeast Wisconsin and they can be had for $50-500 depending on the condition and model.  Most models in pretty good condition you should be able to get for around $100.  If you are picky about year and color, you might have to pay a bit more.  Nice Super Le Tours I often see for around $300, but if you aren’t picky and take some time looking can be found for much less.  The Le Tour Luxe however seems to be very rare and I usually see those more for $500.  The market on Ebay is usually quite a bit higher especially after shipping.  These are pretty common bikes so you will likely find a pretty good selection locally.  The value will vary a bit depending on where you are.  The above is true for the older steel lugged frame bikes.  For the newer ones into the 2000s I guess you should just check bicycle blue book for an idea as I rarely see these for sale. 

Most collectable

I think the Le Tours are really great as they are beautiful vintage bikes that can still be gotten for a good price. Here are some of my favorites, and those I think should be most collectible:

1974 – as this is the first year, all colors.

Yellow – Kool Lemon and Yellow were only offered for the first 3 years. And it’s a great yellow.

1976 Super Le Tour – this is the first year for the super. Really great bikes for the time, and still very fun to ride.

12.2 – all the 12.2 supers are really great bikes. Chromoly top and bottom tube, downtube shifters, alloy rims…

Chrome Supers – the all chrome supers were an additional cost. I haven’t seen many of them.

Le Tour Luxe – neat looking touring version made only from 1983-1985.

1985 Super Le Tour – 25lbs with all chromoly frame and Suntour Cyclone derailleurs. Last year for the super.

Years the Le Tour was made:

Le Tour – 1974-1992, 1995-1999

Super Le Tour – 1976-1985

Le Tour Luxe – 1983-1985

Le Tour Tourist – 1981-1982

Le Tour GS and GSX – 2007-2009

2010-2011 – Le Tour Classic, Le Tour Sport, Le Tour Elite, Le Tour Legacy, Le Tour Super

Schwinn Le Tour 1974 to 1988 catalog info

What year bike do I have? Dating a Schwinn Le Tour

Schwinn Le Tour Serial Number guide and Country of Manufacture

Schwinn Bicycle Company History and Facts

Note: Many of the bikes pictured above are no longer stock, but are a good examples of what you will see out there in the market.

More info coming soon….all years will be covered.

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Published by fab jim the cyclist.

Jim has over 40 years of experience with bicycles and loves road and mountain biking and just going for calm cruises. He is a mechanic who has built custom bikes and is also very interested in bike history. View more posts

18 thoughts on “ Schwinn Le Tour Complete Guide ”

I always thought it was interesting that Schwinn bought enough to put “Schwinn-approved” on components rather than the manufacturer’s name (Huret derailleurs on the Varsity, Weinmann brakes on most bikes). I’ll still take my 1974 Motobecane Grand Jubilee over the Le Tour. $208 and Huret Jubilee derailleurs, aluminum rims, Reynolds frame. I had a friend with a chrome Paramount of that vintage – Campy Record-equipped. The spirit of Paramount lives on at Waterford Precision Cycles, founded by Richard Schwinn.

There are lots of great vintage bikes out there.

Awesome post!

You bet. Nice work.

Beautiful 🤩

they are some lookers.

Heel knappe fietsen

Good information.

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Always fun to see old bike pictures! 😊

I agree completely.

I once owned a metallic blue 1980 Le Tour. Seeing these photos makes me wish I would have had room to keep it.

I own a Schwinn ATB (MTB) that is date as 1981 by the serial number on the underside of the BB. The serial number is BS367823 as fitting into the Schwinn Chicago SN format. The frame is a lugged Ishiwata tubing and looks very much like the first Specialised MTB frame. I can post photos etc if required Regards Les

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Le Tour de Shore

Le Tour de Shore is 2-Day bicycle touring event from Millennium Park, Chicago, IL to the Indiana Dunes, (61 miles); and then, on day 2, to City Beach, New Buffalo, MI (45 miles). Explore dedicated lakefront and duneland bike paths, and scenic Harbor Country secondary roads.

Proceeds to benefit Maywood Fine Arts, Maywood, IL, a not-for-profit organization providing programs in art, dance, drama, music, tumbling and voice to children in the Chicago area. The mission of Maywood Fine Arts Association is to provide a safe and nurturing environment in which children can develop skills and appreciation of the arts that will enable them to succeed academically and socially and obtain higher educational opportunities.

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10 Lesser-Known Things About Le Tour

Check out these facts about the biggest bike race on earth.

The Tour de France is in full swing and it’s already been one of the most entertaining races in the event’s 109-year history. This year’s race is already proving to be a battle, with several big names vying for the yellow jersey. But there’s so much more to the world’s greatest cycling race than just the bikes.

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Slower crashes hurt more, more than 40,000 water bottles will be used, riders can burn 7,000 calories a day, riders pee a lot, there are 15 million spectators, the average speed is about 23 mph, the commentary is golden, yes, they race on cobbles.

Le Tour is appealing on many, many levels. For starters, it’s shot beautifully, offering sweeping views of the French countryside. Armchair travelers are wise to tune in as they can be whisked away to the Alps, French wine country , and every beautiful spot in between. There’s also all kinds of drama, with riders engaging in strategic attacks during just about every stretch of each stage. Plus, it’s just really cool to stare at a peloton for a while. It’s like a flock of birds gliding across the asphalt.

So whether you’re just getting into road biking or are a seasoned rider, there is a lot to love about Le Tour. It’s well underway, but there are several stages left. If nothing else, you can catch the triumphant finish as the riders head into Paris for the final stage, often with Champagne in hand.

Here are 10 amazing things you almost surely didn’t know about the Tour de France.

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It’s Bigger Than the Super Bowl

That’s right, Le Tour is bigger than the Super Bowl . The planet’s grandest bike race carries a viewership of roughly 1 billion people. That’s almost 10 times more popular than our highest-profile football game of the year. While a decent number of Americans watch the race, as you might imagine, it’s vastly more popular elsewhere, especially in Europe.

The reward for the king of the mountains, aka the best climber during the Tour de France, is the polka-dot jersey. It was first awarded in 1975, and the dots are because of a main sponsor at the time. Turns out Chocolat Poulain had a popular candy bar at the time that had a polka-dot wrapper. It’s since become an iconic garment given to the rider with the quickest runs through some of the most demanding terrain in the race.

This one doesn’t make a lot of sense upfront, but once you watch the Tour a bit, you start to get it. Slow crashes can be very dangerous, as riders often have enough time to try to pad their fall. In doing so, they run a very high risk of breaking any number of bones. Also, the slow crashes tend to take place in the thick of the peloton, where it’s all-too-easy for a downed rider to get run over repeatedly by other riders unable to steer out of the way. Faster crashes, while dangerous, can be better, as the riders tend to slide out of them. Additionally, the higher speeds tend to come away from the pack, so there’s usually a smaller chance of getting struck while down by another rider.

Riders go through a lot of water, which is no surprise, given they travel about 140 miles a day on average. The water bottle is everywhere, stuffed in the backs of jerseys, tossed from assistants on the side of the road to riders, and delivered from team cars to cyclists as they go. Many fans try to collect the discarded ones as they’re often tossed to the side once empty. There are some great rumors surrounding water bottles, too, like how in the early days of the Tour some riders would allegedly fill them with lead in order to descend hills faster.

This stat is all the more impressive when you realize the typical size of a pro cyclist. These guys are by no means large, just well-trained machined that can pedal like crazy for 5 to 6 hours at a time. Burning so many calories means replenishment is a top priority. That’s why you see riders eating often, even mid-ride. Watch as they knock down several bananas, energy pouches, caffeine bars, and more over the course of any given stage.

While the camera crews try to film around this simple fact, viewers are going to see some peeing. These racers have to stay supremely hydrated, which means fairly frequent pullovers to the side of the road to answer the call of nature. Some intrepid riders will even do so while riding, often shielded by teammates while they go. This is one of those overlooked things from a viewing standpoint that once you notice, you can’t really un-notice.

Millions show up for the race, crowding the sides of the road and shouting and waving flags as the riders dart by. With a total course length of more than 2,000 miles, that’s a lot of area for fans to show up and catch the action. It’s a sight to behold and easy to see why enthusiasts might build a whole vacation on tracking the Tour up close and in person. It’s one of few scenarios in sport where you can get so close to the athletes (sometimes to a fault, as we’ve seen crashes, dogs being run over, etc.) and the spectators take full advantage.

It can be hard to get a sense of how fast the pace is but rest assured, it’s incredibly fast. To average 23 mph is remarkable, especially considering the many obstacles at play, from blistering headwinds to steep mountain grades. How fast do they go? Well, the fastest recorded speed during the Tour de France is 63.1 mph, set by Nils Politt while bombing down the Col de Vars.

Known as the voice of cycling, Phil Liggett is the commentator for Le Tour and has been for a couple of generations. He’s joined by Bob Roll, and the two simply do wonders together. While on the older side, the two possess genuinely youthful energy toward the Tour and rattle off all kinds of great factoids, from the historical pedigree of certain buildings to old race stats. With so many hours of coverage, you might expect some dead space (like golf) or boring content, but the duo manages to entertain from start to finish.

Most of the Tour takes place atop fairly smooth asphalt, but because the riders cover so much ground and the course changes every year, other road surfaces enter the picture. Riders navigate cobble, dirt roads, and more, not to mention the many medians and various other objects that dot the streets of villages and small towns throughout the region. Moreover, the size of the road itself is always changing, stretching out in the open country and becoming dangerously narrow in cities.

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25 years after The Talented Mr. Ripley turned Tom Ripley into a household name, Netflix is getting ready to bring the character back, just the latest in a long slate of revivals. Ripley, a new miniseries from the streaming juggernaut, will debut soon. The series, which will star Andrew Scott in the titular role and be filmed entirely in black and white, has been eagerly anticipated by TV lovers everywhere. And, hot on the heels of Saltburn, it will be an important reminder of where so much of that movie's plotting and style come from. Here's everything we know about the upcoming miniseries (which could eventually run for more seasons): What is Ripley about?

Ripley is adapted from Patricia Highsmith's novels about her most famous character. The first, The Talented Mr. Ripley, begins when a wealthy industrialist hires Tom Ripley to help bring his son Dickie home from Italy. As Tom becomes more and more involved with Dickie's life, though, he becomes obsessed with him, and it isn't long before things take a dark and sinister turn.

Later this month, the Ghostbusters will be back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And while three generations of the team are coming together, there is a big addition to the crew: The ECTO-Z. At an event in New York City, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the Ghostbusters' new ride, which is a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that follows in the footsteps of the iconic ECTO-1 from the first three films.

Given the larger size of the second and third-generation Ghostbusters team, it was only natural that they would need a vehicle that could carry all of them to the scene of a haunting anywhere in NYC. As for the name, it comes from original team member Dr. Winston Zeddemore, as played by Ernie Hudson. Ghostbusters: Afterlife established that Zeddemore is now the financial backer of the Ghostbusters and the de facto leader of the team.

After making an Oscar-nominated turn as Ken in Barbie, Ryan Gosling is starring in one of this year's biggest action movies, The Fall Guy. The film is based on the 1981 TV series of the same name, which featured Lee Majors as Colt Seavers, an aging stuntman who worked on the side as a bounty hunter. Majors, who was best known at the time for his legendary five-season run as The Six Million Dollar Man, used The Fall Guy to reestablish himself as a leading man, and he even sang the show's theme song, Unknown Stuntman, which is incredibly catchy.

The Fall Guy intro (1982)

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The majestic capital of Russia , Moscow is the perfect destination for those seeking to explore the culture, history, and architectural heritage in the country. An extensive Moscow tour is arguably the best way to get acquainted with the one-of-a-kind city, as there is an abundance of sites to visit, such as the Kremlin, the Red Square, the State History Museum, Zaryadye Park, numerous churches and theatres and more! Don't miss the chance to enjoy Moscow sightseeing and explore the bustling hub yourself! Below we offer a list of the best places in Moscow not to miss.

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Luke Bryan slips and falls during concert, but laughs it off

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Gray News) – Luke Bryan slipped on stage during a concert in Canada on Saturday night.

Fans in the audience captured the fall on camera.

Video shows the singer slip and fall backward, landing on his backside, during a performance of his song “I Don’t Want This Night to End.”

Bryan pops back up quickly, laughing it off. Fortunately, he wasn’t injured.

Bryan is in the middle of his Mind of a Country Boy Tour .

Copyright 2024 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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