Definition

Proper noun 1. An annual long-distance professional bicycle road race: The Tour de France is a prestigious multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, also occasionally passing through neighboring countries. It is one of the three Grand Tours of cycling and is renowned for its extreme physical demands, covering approximately 3,500 kilometers (about 2,200 miles) over a three-week period in July.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Winning the Tour de France is considered the greatest achievement in professional cycling.
  • The mountain stages of the Tour de France are particularly challenging for the riders.
  • He has watched the Tour de France every summer since he was a child.

Advanced Usage

• "The Tour": Often used as a shortened, informal reference to the race.
  • He dedicated his entire season to preparing for the Tour.
• "Tour champion" / "Maillot Jaune": Refers to the winner of the race or the rider leading the general classification, who wears the iconic yellow jersey.
  • The Tour champion must excel in both mountain climbs and time trials.

Variants and Related Words

• Grand Tour (noun): A collective term for the three major European professional cycling stage races: the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, and the Vuelta a España.
• Peloton (noun): The main group of cyclists in a road race. The dynamics of the peloton are central to the strategy of the Tour de France.
• Stage race (noun): A bicycle race consisting of several consecutive races (stages). The Tour de France is the world's most famous stage race.

Synonyms

• Cycle race (general term): A race conducted on bicycles. The Tour de France is a specific, premier example of a long-distance cycle race.
• Stage race (categorical term): A multi-day race divided into segments. The Tour de France is a stage race.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "To wear the yellow jersey": To be the overall leader of the Tour de France. This phrase can be used metaphorically outside of cycling to indicate being in the leading position in any field.
  • After the latest product launch, their company is wearing the yellow jersey in the tech industry.
• "A tour de force": While not a direct phrasal verb, this idiomatic phrase meaning "a feat of great strength or skill" is linguistically related and often associated with dominant performances in events like the Tour de France.
  • His final climb was a tour de force, securing his victory.

Noun

1. a French bicycle race for professional cyclists that lasts three weeks and covers about 3,000 miles