Tour de France: Shift your language up a gear with our essential cycling vocabulary
Monday, 20th June 2011
From 2nd - 24th July, France goes cycling mad. Join the fun and impress your friends with our top French cycling words...
For many people France in July means only one thing: the Tour de France. Top cyclists and cycling enthusiasts from all over the world congregate on French soil for 21 days of gruelling, thigh-burning action that covers over 3,500 km of mountains, valleys, remote countryside and busy cities. Although the course route changes each year, the race always finishes in Paris, with riders cruising to the finishing line, cheered on by thousands of supporters, along the famous Champs Elysées.
It’s hard not to get into the spirit of things - even if you’re not a huge cycling fan - if you happen to be in a part of France where the race passes through. For the French the Tour can be an excuse for a great party, and the sense of anticipation is contagious. Families set up picnic tables at the side of the road to wine and dine, the adults sipping wine patiently in the shade whilst the children play happily around them, waiting for the riders to pass through. When the drone of the helicopter finally announces the arrival of the front riders, everyone jumps to their feet and prepares to applaud the multi-coloured lycra-clad bodies flying past - a true spectacle in itself, to say nothing of the countless publicity vans, police bikes, camera bikes and support cars that follow. You can support the race anywhere along the way by checking out the Tour map online.
Whether you’re watching the race live in France or on television at home – or even planning a cycling holiday yourself to France – you’ll impress your friends by picking up a few cycling terms to shout out at opportune moments.
Here’s our list of essential Tour de France vocabulary:
| Le cyclisme | Cycling
|
| Un cycliste | Cyclist
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| Un domestique | Support rider
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| Un échappé | Breakaway rider
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| Le peloton | Pack / bunch of riders
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| La tête de course | Leader of the race
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| Une équipe | Team
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| Une étape | Stage / leg of the race
|
| Contre la montre | Time trial
|
| Le parcours | Route
|
| La course | Race
|
| Une montée | Uphill slope
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| Une descente | Downhill slope
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| Changer de vitesse | Change gear
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| Ralentir | Slow down
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| Dépasser | Overtake
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| Un vélo de course | Racing bike
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| Un vélo tout terrain | Mountain bike
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| Une crevaison | Puncture
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| Un bidon | Water bottle
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| Un casque | Helmet
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| Le maillot jaune | Yellow jersey (worn by the overall leader) |
Get up close to the action by taking a language course in France this July! Cactus runs French language courses in 19 locations across France, including Paris and other locations near to the Tour route.
If you can’t make it to France this year, why not learn the language closer to home? Cactus also runs French courses in the UK (evening, weekend and daytime) and French courses in the US & Canada (evening and weekend).
Tags: tour de france, paris, france
Posted by Sarah Watkins 2011-06 under Destinations for you, Vocabulary,
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