Le Tour de France is one of the best known and most popular sporting events in the world, prompting thousands of spectators to line the streets of France as cyclists battle it out over 3,519 kilometres of challenging terrain.
Ahead of this year’s event, which takes place between 2nd July and 24th July, Bubbles has created an essential Tour language guide, so you’ll be up to speed every second of the way.
Le peloton
Le peloton is the name given to the main group of riders in each race. Originally, the word meant ‘little ball’, and was later used to refer to a small body of soldiers. By the mid-1800s it had developed into a term used to describe a group of sporting competitors, and by 1884 it was a term used almost exclusively for cycling.
L’étape
One of the most frequently used words during the event, étape is the French word for ‘stage’. During Le Tour de France 2016, cyclists will take part in 21 stages, including nine flat stages, one hilly stage, nine mountain stages and two individual time trial stages.
Un vélo
Crucial to the success of any cyclist is their bike, or vélo. The first recorded use of the word came in 1868 and originally referred to a two-wheeled velocipede, which is derived from the Latin velox, meaning swift, and pes, meaning foot. The term was later used to describe the predecessor to the modern day bicycle upon its invention in the late 1870s.
L’équipe
The French word for ‘team’. Twenty-two teams will take part in this year’s tour, and each will contain nine riders. The teams can come from a variety of countries but some of the best represented include France, Germany, Belgium and the US.
Maillot jaune
Possibly the most famous item of sporting clothing in the world, the yellow jersey or ‘maillot jaune’ is instantly recognisable as the symbol of Le Tour de France. Originally, the world maillot meant ‘swaddling clothes’ and was used to describe women’s swimsuits. However, the term was applied to the yellow jersey at the beginning of the 1900s and was quickly associated with the winning cyclist. The jersey is awarded to the leader of the general individual time classification at the end of each stage.
Hors categorie
Directly translated as ‘beyond category’, this term refers to the toughest climb in each mountain stage. In fact, these particular climbs are so tough they go without a traditional rating, which usually ranges from one to four. Although used in other circumstances, the term is now almost exclusively used to describe tour climbs.
