Tour de France Glossary
There are many terms that are unique to the Tour de France, or specific to cycling, that require this glossary to define them.
- Domestiques — usually young "up-and-coming" riders who are required to do the dirty work for the team.
- Drafting — when riders shelter behind each other in the other riders slipstream, which is called drafting. When behind another rider, less effort is required to maintain the same pace.
- flamme rouge (also red kite) — the red pennant hanging from an archway at the start of the final kilometer
- Grand Départ — the first stage
- Hors-categorie — mountain peaks where the difficulty in climbing is beyond categorization
- Lanterne rouge — the rider ranked last in the general classification. This translates as "red lantern" (as that found at the end of a rail train).
- Peloton — the main group of riders during ordinary stages
- Prologue — The time trial which is also the first stage of the tour.
- Red kite (also flamme rouge) — the red pennant hanging from an archway at the start of the final kilometer
- Teté de la course — the course leader or leading group
2019 Tour de France race car
Related Pages
- Tour de France home page.
- Dictionary of Sporting Terms
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