The Tour de France is one of the most physically demanding sporting contests in the world.

It’s an event made up of many priorities. One of the most intriguing elements is the “peloton” – the main group of competitors riding closely together in a pack.

Riding in such a tight bunch helps reduce wind resistance for those in the middle or rear – but it’s chaotic and dangerous and involves plenty of cycling politics.

The races within the race

At the Tour de France, general classification contenders compete for the yellow jersey, awarded to the rider with the lowest cumulative time.

Sprinters target the green jersey through the points competition, while climbers pursue the polka-dot jersey. Teams also compete for individual stage victories and tactical objectives.

The 2026 men’s tour began with 184 riders in 23 teams of eight, while the Tour de France Femmes will feature 154 riders in 22 teams of seven.

All riders enter as members of a team – there are no independent competitors.

Only a handful of riders have a realistic chance of overall victory.

Different riders, different roles

Riders are selected and train for different tasks.

Sprinters develop explosive power and speed, climbers prioritise low body mass and sustained power on steep gradients, while time-trial specialists focus on aerodynamics and maintaining high........

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