What The Tour De France Does To A Rider’s Body - Cheddar Explains

As far as feats of physical endurance goes, the Tour De France has to be way up there at the top of the list. Pushing your body to the limit for over 2,000 miles across 21 stages, only the fittest athletes make it through the brutality Even the ones who finish have scars to prove it. It’s no surprise many have doped up to get ahead in the past. We’re breaking down what happens inside your body as you compete in the legendary Tour De France.
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[@serendipity9defined]

The bicycle is the most efficient machine ever made by man. In order to make cycling difficult you have to make it last 2000 miles and climb through literal mountains. Meanwhile a marathon is ~1/100 the length, covers 1 day and is typically flat. The tour de France is really a love letter to the bicycle, thank you for your efficiency and simplicity

[@OwnD1]

Love letter? More like torture race

[@matprlz]

Indeed, originally designed as a “Last man standing/cycling’ style race!

[@ThisIsANameBruh]

And to think that biking up a climb is way more inefficient than walking/running up it...

[@The_CrackedPot_Christian]

It amazes me that pedal power can get someone to 40mph on the flat and 70mph downhill, and cover 400miles in a day. Truly the greatest invention

[@yadavadvait]

@@OwnD1 The pain is what makes it worth it

[@_ben_sweet]

People don’t race the Tour de France for the health benefits, it’s about dedicating your life to the sport and seeing just how far you can push your body before it breaks on you

[@charmsly9506]

Oh yeah man, I would die like not even fourth of the way through 😂

[@ross-morozov]

Well thank you cap:) It’s not that every other professional sport is out there for health benefits😅

[@Rusty1756]

Most of these guys are adults that got a bodyweight of 50kg, theire body was already broken before the tour de france

[@jean-charles6255]

@@Rusty1756 average is 70kg amongst pro cyclists.

[@Rusty1756]

@@jean-charles6255 im sorry for talking trash

[@lgwappo]

I once rode 40 miles as fast as I could to see if I could beat 2 hours on a mountain bike. I was tired for 3 days. How these guys go faster & further daily with no rest is miraculous.

[@alaefarmestatesllc]

Mountain bike are way more taxing to ride in the road compared to a road bike. And a lot slower, and a lot heavier.

[@rutad363]

@@alaefarmestatesllc As an mtb focused driver I once tried to do a bike marathon without a roadbike and it was hell, can confirm. Roadbikes are made for that stuff.

[@telmolicious]

@@alaefarmestatesllcPlus.. doing it on ur own vs sitting in a Peleton.. Though obviously these guys do a lot on their own too.

[@OURWORLD4EVER]

Drugs 💊 💉

[@lavishsingh8981]

What was your timing ???

[@letsgo_inc]

My first criterium (CAT 5). Averaged 184 bpm over 30 minutes. Final 10 minutes I held 195 bpm, 207 bpm peak. Absolutely felt like death. I repeated it later that morning in my second ever crit with similar data. Absolutely the hardest physical effort I have ever undertaken and I was dead last...even the last rider in the TdF peloton has god-like form.

[@kpblasko]

To be fair, that kind of effort is nothing like what the TdF riders are doing. The guys at the front of the race (the breakaway) or the GC contenders putting in massive efforts on 30-40 minute climbs might be holding 160-180bpm for extended periods, but the large majority of the 21 stages comprises sitting in a bunch, averaging probably 120-140bpm. Not minimizing the monumental effort that is completing the TdF, but your analogy isn't really valid.

[@letsgo_inc]

@@kpblasko my point was less the apples to apples comparison but rather the level of fitness required to do the tdF well is massive. I thought I was hot stuff, pulling hard on my group rides and killing my climbs. Then I gave it my all just to get destroyed by CAT 4/5 racers who did my race as a warm-up. I learned there was a whole other realm of fitness above me just to get competitive at such a low level. Pro racers are in a realm even above that... regardless of the type of effort, the base fitness of a tdF caliber rider is high. Let alone that of a GC contender

[@guitarrerist698]

@@kpblasko i dont think he meant to compare his effort to the TdF effort as a whole. You just didn't fully understand what he said. Obviously, crit races regardless if its Cat 5 or Cat 1 is not comparable to a 3 week stage race with hills, mountain passes, gravel, cobbles, and extreme weather.

[@erikvanderveken1408]

all riders in the World Tour are freaks, the top 1% of the World Tour is absolutely god-mode.

[@alexyamrani5400]

that's an incredible effort, you day deep!

[@marsrover001]

I'm still in favor of a clean class and a full doped class. Just how far can a human go?

[@I_AM_HYDRAA]

oh that would be awesome

[@CocoCapitainePoulet]

Probably much faster, but at the expense of the rider's lifespan

[@matprlz]

It’s called the Haute Route

[@1911Zoey]

Lmao. I like the way you think.

[@timbroski4487]

Honestly. They need to have a doping Olympics, for everyone stupid enough to drug themselves to the maximum level and achieve things no mortal has ever done

[@christianchandralim]

The fact that these athletes cycle 100+km for 3 weeks with only a few days off is amazing. Here I am calling it quits after 50km of 'easy' group ride and resting for a week after that.

[@KeVIn-pm7pu]

Just daily riding to work is a good start to Improve your Fitness. Thats how i started. Do that for 2 months then add longer Tours in an easy pace like 15 kmph.

[@hendipray1016]

Its all about repetition.. Try cycling everyday.. 1st week 30km/day 2nd week 40km/day 3rd week 50km/day 4th week 60km/day And so on.. You’ll find out that you will be able to do what these athletes done, even if its not on same speed.. But we can do 100km/day & and not feel fatigued the day after if we do it repetitively

[@GGWP-nx3kn]

Inject PEDs bruh. Never forget those.

[@HazardousMoose]

The key about pro cyclists is not the absolut distance or altitude they cover. It's the speed at which they do it! TV audiences want to watch the races, but they can't watch 8-12 hours of just racing. So the actual races are usually 3-4 hours for 150-200km. The same athletes could likely cover twice the distances they do on tour, if the objective was to cover as much as possible over a given number of days. If you can't believe that, look up what people manage during ultra endurance races, where this is the exact goal: Defined route, defined start time, and the rest is up to you: The breaks, the riding hours, etc, all up to the rider. Just get to the finish in as little time since the start as possible. An example would be the trans continental race. I'm moderately fit, but nothing crazy, but I do cycle regularly. Last summer I did 1600km in 16 days, with 3 resting days and carrying my own clothes, tent, sleeping bag and even a air mattress. That does mean I typically spend ~8 hours a day riding, not counting breaks. But because I can take my time and average below 20 km/h the demand on my body is much much lower. Especially since air resistance is the biggest factor at higher speeds and increases exponentially. So riding 40+ km/h like these pros do is around twice as fast (correcting for bike type, luggage, etc), but closer to four times the demand on your body per hour. Delivering peak performance is much harder to maintain, than doing the same work over a longer time. All to say: If you're healthy, give yourself time to train up and plan your route well, then 100-150 km per day is achievable for most people (obviously less in difficult terrain, e.g. mountains, dirt trails). Well, if you are okay with riding most of the day and spending less time sight seeing, etc. An what you can maintain for two weeks, you could mostly maintain for months, barring injury. But that doesn't mean doing 30, 50, or 70 km a day is bad. If it's healthy for you body, then it only matters what you enjoy the most, that's the right number for you. Unless you're winning races, there will always be people better than you, focusing on that is pointless.

[@DanielSong39]

Even doing 50km on a pan flat course seems like a lot That's like 2-3 hours for mere mortals

[@Reticulosis]

I used to do long distance running in my early 20s. Unfortunately, that along with the military, destroyed my body. I can’t run without pain, but luckily I found road cycling, and all I can say is it’s just about as addicting as running, I love the feeling of what some refer to as “toy” (like runners high). I find I get the bike feeling like toy faster than I did runners high. I have also bonked more than I have hit the wall.

[@tktspeed1433]

I'd say as an average peraon that cycling is more addicting because not only do you get "toy", you also get to go fast as fuck and also rest while still going fast as fuck. Running, or for me, jogging, always seems too slow and sluggish in a sense, since I can't roll nearly as well. Though I guess that is because I've never ran much but I've cycled to everywhere ever since I learnt how to, except the past few years because I had a need for even more speed. But I've come to realize 40km/h on a bike feels as fast as 80km/h on a motorcycle while being cheaper, safer and also making me fitter and better looking.

[@alpha-cf2oi]

@@tktspeed1433 lol same about jogging, I hate that in the distance u see a line of trees and after 10mins u still see the same trees, but closer.

[@pareshdubal113]

@@tktspeed1433 i agree you

[@foxtrotknowsbest1804]

Absolutely agree. Getting to the top of a bicycle means you get to zoom down it and relax whereas with running you have to slow down and figure out how to get down without hurting yourself

[@jason200912]

You need some milk!

[@brianmcg321]

Taylor Phinney described a grand tour as like going through reverse puberty. The intense mileage just wastes away your muscles and you lose so much weight even though you're eating 7,000 calories per day.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

I have done a few TDF stages. I am a good club rider but couldnt even get within 40 minutes of the pro cut off time. Even the spinters and lantern rouge are superhuman.

[@bmp713]

What kind of training on an indoor cycle do you recommend to get in good enough shape for completing a stage?

[@howdyl6456]

They take advantage of drafting

[@howdyl6456]

@@bmp713 I didn’t write to you

[@Real28]

​@@howdyl6456 drafting isn't producing 40min worth of gains. It's some but ultimately, it's the difference between peak athletes + PEDs. If you aren't in both categories, you'll be far behind.

[@howdyl6456]

@@Real28 drafting doesn’t produce 40 mins on a 4 hour stage at 45 km/h, it produces much more. I doubt you have much cycling experience with a claim like that

[@sreallybrah]

Elevation changes in ft are one thing, the road gradients are a whole different thing. Some climbs can be 10 km at 5%, and 4 km at 13% while achieving the same elevation gain. The distance and percentage matters in the immediate picture, the elevation change in the longer picture.

[@martin3203]

Which climbs are 13% over 4 km?

[@sreallybrah]

@@martin3203 13% is an exaggeration, but the point stands. Col de Neronne is 3.8 km at 9%.

[@martin3203]

@@sreallybrah no, that’s a huge difference, and something you would be well aware of if you were riding yourself.

[@ph4zm743]

@@martin3203 Jalabert climb in stage 14 this year was something very similar at 3km 10.2%. Otherwise in the vuelta coming up this year has Sierra de Penamayor which is 4km 12.5%

[@tommunyon2874]

It's beyond all imagining! The physical fitness tests that I had to endure while in the Navy included a 3 mile run. That was about the only running I did, but somehow I managed to finish 2nd or third out of a group of three dozen, or so--some of whom trained all the time. I always got the dry-heaves at about the 2 mile mark, but I kept moving. I was also rewarded with a day-long migraine, afterward. I just don't know how these people can put their bodies through even one day of this grueling competition. The house I grew up in was 7,600 ft. above sea level, so the one advantage I had was lung capacity of about 120% of normal (sprirometry tested), which came in handy since most Navy installations are at sea level.

[@tonyderechte3928]

Damn that's sick, Hamburg, Germany is a complete flatland (3m above sea level on average around 9ft) which is probably part of the reason why I only had 70% lung capacity as a kid, it's interesting how much of an effect thinner air has on the body over longer periods of time.

[@tommunyon2874]

@@tonyderechte3928 The 1968 US Olympics women's decathalon team trained for the games in Mexico City at my hometown track. I got to see Wyomia Tyus and Cathy Hamlin on a near daily basis. I nearly jumped out of my skin while stretching on the infield when I heard this unearthly scream. It was just one of the women putting the shot. Now they grunt and scream like that in tennis as well.

[@sodhog6311]

Some of these guys don't like having the rest day in the middle and they will go out and ride a few hours on the rest day. This helps flush out the lactic acid etc. and helps with recovery. And while you do need sleep for recovery, don't forget you are traveling and sleeping in a new hotel every night. I was a Cat. 3 for some years and when i overtrained i slept terrible at night.

[@kylestewart4444]

There is definitely such a thing as taking fitness too far. It is certainly possible to cross over into a realm in which the intensity and duration of your training is actually taking years away from your life, rather than adding years to it. Cycling is very healthy. Grand touring seems to be pretty unhealthy. But obviously these guys aren’t training for and competing in these insane endurance races for the sake of health and wellness. They’ve chosen to wreck their bodies in pursuit of glory and excellence.

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

... and money.

[@v.dargain1678]

It's very competitive bike tour . Only the most stubborn finish it .

[@cycleoflife565]

Consider that some of these guys do back to back grand tours.

[@akyhne]

I followed the Tour de France from the 80s,to the middle 2000s. Then I got tired of the continuous doping scandals. This year was my first return to the TdF. And I think I can clearly see a difference. Riders are just looking more exhausted. They also look like they are spending more time to recover, after a stage. And I heard the other day, that the winner on the final climb, yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard, took 2 minutes longer, to climb the mountain, than Bjarne Riis in the midt 90s. Riis was doped.

[@brianmcg321]

Hate to break it to you, they are all still doping. All pro athletes in all sports are doped. Don't be so naive. The lead rider in the second Tour de France was disqualified for taking too much cocaine. Not because he took cocain, but the organizer thought he was taking too much. LOL.

[@DavidJones-bl2yz]

There all still doping my friend riis wasn't the only doper wout van aert in the green jersey dropping pogacar on hautacam was the pinnacle of doping to the max

[@jerzybaszak9212]

@@DavidJones-bl2yz Even if they still are, it's definitely not to the extent they used to. If you actually look at their times up to some of the climbs, they're nowhere close to the likes of Pantani or Armstrong. Bicycles, clothing, nutrition and training are way better than they were in late 90s, yet guys back then we're significantly (5-8%) faster up some of the climbs.

[@willprytz]

Yeah exactly 2 minutes.... And also keep in mind that the bikes today are several kilos lighter and how much things has developed - and still 2 minutes slower. That for sure shows that things has changed today compare to 15-20 years ago.

[@desertrainfrog1691]

@@willprytz 6.8kg race bikes existed back in the Armstrong days. Many disc models are more like 8kg. Definitely not any lighter today.

[@robinbauer1975]

I got a resting heart rate of 41 and I really cannot imagine doing that. Though I am a mid-long distance runner I gotta say it is insane how long they do the exercise, cycling is a completely different type of strain on your body

[@brunoheggli2888]

I have very high bloodpressure and a heardrate around 80!I started 2 weeks ago with cycling and already feel a lot better!My plan is to drive every morning around 80km and in the evening weighttraining!

[@bmp713]

What kind of training got your heart rate down to 41? Which heart rate ranges and duration?

[@jordanfrazin6650]

@@bmp713 Mine's been 40 in the past as well, but prob closer to upper 40s right now. All ranges, varying durations. For me it was running and cycling - mostly easy/endurance pace, with a bit of intensity whenever I felt like it. Consistency over years pays off :)

[@bmp713]

@@jordanfrazin6650 Thank you. Relative "Intensity" is different for everyone.There is endless debate on what training intensity most efficiently builds the heart size and stroke volume but a low resting HR is an almost certain indication of a much stronger heart. Thats why I am so curious asking people with really low resting heart rates. Did you spend the most time near your maximum sustainable pace around 70-80% or slower Zone 2

[@supersmoothify]

@@bmp713 I am also in the low 40s to high 30s of resting heart rate and I never ever trained with any kind heart rate supervision, I am more like a free spirited hippie when it comes to working out. I have been running, cycling, swimming and heavy weight lifting lifting for the past 18 years, but always for fun. If it is a sunny day, I might as well stop running and sit on a bench for 30 minutes before finishing my run. I always run, lift, bike and swim as fast or slow as my body feels like, but I have no idea how fast I am. But since I kept the fun aspect my priority, I am able to be consistent and I think that is what made my heart so strong over the years.

[@channingtaintum]

Somehting else to consider during the Swiss portion of the race is the oxygen density at that altitude. You will tire much, _much_ quicker than you would if you were at sea level. I've personally experienced the drastic difference in physical performance; I live at sea level elevation and went to Philmont in the New Mexico mountains for two weeks when I was in Boy Scouts. The first few days are brutal, but your body adjusts to the oxygen density after a few days. When I got back home, for about a week I was astounded at how I simply could not get tired no matter how much I ran. This is exactly the reason why the US Olympic training facility is on a mountain in Utah.

[@liamday453]

this is also related to lance and cycling training in general. pros will go to week to two week long training camps at altitude in the mountains to help their bodies adjust to the lack of oxygen. lance would just do that, take a pint or two of his own blood out with they much higher levels of red blood cells, and then reinject it into himself on rest days to help with recovery

[@Oi_Imagine]

Wrong....the training center is in Colorado. And not at the top of a mountain because that's ludicrous.

[@liamday453]

@@Oi_Imagine what

[@Oi_Imagine]

@@liamday453 training at the top of a mountain would be a logistical nightmare. Unless you consider the ~7,000 foot elevation of Colorado Springs a mountain? 🧐

[@liamday453]

@@Oi_Imagine i mean is that not in the mountains? i would absolutely consider that at altitude, would you not?

[@didybopintitys]

It’s always astonishing to see the extent our bodies are able to take us

[@OctogonOxygen024816]

The ending was pure gold.

[@CeriStone]

This is really fascinating. Especially as an average cyclist who cycled the route clean in 2019. Without PEDs. There's a brilliant book about that tour LE LOOP, HOW TO CYCLE THE TOUR DE FRANCE. Great video. Thanks

[@brianmessemer2973]

Did you ride it in the same number of days? Regardless of your schedule, that’s very impressive.

[@CeriStone]

@@brianmessemer2973 thank you very much. We cycle the full route exactly one week before the pros. Just a lot slower. Are you tempted?

[@brianmessemer2973]

@@CeriStone Haha not really to be honest. I’d be miserable by day 5 or so. I know my limits. I’m not that fit. I’d love to do SOME stages, absolutely. Just not the whole thing.

[@joco8587]

2:58 It's not actually 210 big macs. That 5500 calories is only what you burn on your bike, you also need to add the ~2000 calories you need to eat to just exist.

[@ilFreg]

In fact they said 8K calories a day.

[@calebmhorvath]

like she said towards the end, to pull of something like this you almost have to shrink your world down to just you and what is in front of you, and keep moving forward

[@timdowney6721]

Unfortunately, the organizers of the TDF and Giro seem to be intent on making every year’s race harder than the year before. That this will foster more doping seems to be of little concern to them.

[@maartendetemmerman393]

untill you actually look it up and see that Tour de France has become alot shorter over the decades, 100 years ago it was 50% longer then today with less stages

[@ioplup]

One doesn't necessarily equal the other. With stricter controls, more testing, and better regulations, cycling should be able to rid itself of the spectre of doping. Yes, people will, and people will be caught. But making races harder doesn't 100% guarantee more doping. The younger crowd, who grew up seeing the devastation caused by Armstrong, Pantani etc, know the damage caused by doping, and I believe that they are clean as they want to promote a safe, clean sport that is all about the human condition and endurance, not who was the best doctor with the best methods of hiding their drug use. Harder races make for more exciting racing. This year tdf is by far the best tour in recent history, and the parcour was hard as fuck. Admittedly it was raced from the outset at 100% pace, but that is the nature of modern cycling. Cycling is about endurance, who takes yellow on the final day should be the person who can endure the most and keep going. Harder races do this.

[@peterfireflylund]

@@ioplup what? Do you seriously believe Pogačar, Vingegaard, Van Aert, etc are clean? Of course they aren’t. Remember that not all doping is necessarily all that dangerous. Taking too much EPO or blood doping too much is dangerous - as is getting too dehydrated. It is t particularly dangerous if you keep your haematocrite levels below the levels mandated by the UCI and the Tour arrangers. Many other kinds of doping actually make the body heal faster.

[@agnidas5816]

@@ioplup that's a pipe dream. Sports where people think like this suffer greatly from it. Like the Olympics..

[@brianmcg321]

@@ioplup They are all still doping. LOL.

[@The_CrackedPot_Christian]

Quick note, was listening to the David Arthur channel yesterday where he interviews an ex pro rider (4th in a previous tour) and he asserts weight gain is the norm in a tour, not weight loss. This is due to inflammation i.e. water retention, which is difficult to manage (through massage and diuretics) but necessary.

[@sandgroper1970]

Yes they have rest days but most riders will go out for like a 100 km lazy ride, just to keep things moving. You have to remember yes they do eat , but it is mostly easily digested energy gels, rice cakes and formulated energy bars. Along with the water, sports drink, oh and maybe a small can of Coca Cola or similar, all whilst travelling along about 40kph. After the end of the stage you see a lot of the riders have some sort of shake product. Plus the omelettes, pasta, etc that is consumed every day at the evening meals and in the morning at the breakfast table. Yet with all of the eating and the fact they will come to the start lean, they will lose weight over the course of 3 weeks…

[@official_polle239]

they go on like a 1hour ride that's 30-32km

[@official_polle239]

and the most riders in good teams have a nutritionist that keeps track of their weight, so the riders that are already very lean dont lose weight over the course of the 3 weeks. The riders that aren't as lean mostly are managed to lose weight during the 3 weeks.

[@DjDolHaus86]

Pro cycling - one of the few sporting disciplines where you can be so fit that you might die

[@stanlee-eq7lu]

What's so insane is the fact even after bicycles had gears, the Tour De France didn't originally allow them. That was even more demanding.

[@jsacodes916]

And A LOT slower.

[@guidonagle5075]

I wish everyone who's cynical about pro cycling (and who's probably never rode 100 miles in a day) could see this. Great video.

[@MikeK6046]

These riders are a special breed, and very impressive!

[@v.dargain1678]

Indeed ! I couldn't handle anything that rigorous .

[@ChrisBKurimu]

Back in the day they used to say that you take some years off your life for each TdF finish

[@ricecrash5225]

For non cyclists, Just get on a bike and try to ride 200 meters (650 feet) up a 9 degree incline. You will get the picture.

[@anjacoetzee9327]

Very true, when it gets too tough my husband has to help me by pushing me up the hill. What these people do is next level crazy and amazing

[@seanmccuen6970]

this.

[@akshayde]

Man i should do this race. Ill be last, finish the race in 50 days but I'll finally reach my goal weight and that makes me a winner!!

[@teacherhomieg]

Anytime I crack 20 mph average per ride (25 to 35 miles long rides) I’m extremely sore for two to three days. In order to recover faster, and ride after one day rest, I keep my hard fast days between 19 to 19.5 mph. It’s taken me years to figure out what works for my body training wise. I stopped doing long rides, >40 miles and over two hours because I saw no added health benefit. And the additional issues, hard to rehydrate, vertigo sometimes, longer days sore, just didn’t make sense. I see folks doing crazy rides on Strava, century rides with climbing in it, and wonder how they can keep themselves from breaking down. I guess people are built different. I know it makes no sense for me to breakdown tissue and potentially injure myself rising that long. Still I average between 100-110 miles a week but I do it in 4 rides. That’s my threshold. The Tour is insane. This video was enlightening. Cycling is life! 🚴‍♀️

[@boahnation9932]

I cycle pretty often and have cycled several 100mile+ rides. It honestly boggles my mind the level that these guys are at. Not only cycling these distances every day... But at the pace they're doing it... They average over 300 watts. That is INSANE! Absolutely insane. Just... Incomprehensible.

[@kurthasedd7923]

Concerning PED's, I think they just need to be transparent. These are top level athletes who are always looking to push the envelope further and further and the amount of physical stress is just inhuman in the tour de france, but also many other sports, namely body building. I think with transparency we can separate these events and those who want to test themselves cleanly can do so and those who want to push themselves inhumanly far can do so as well. I don't think any less of Lance Armstrong for taking steroids, a little bit for lying about it, but he's in it to keep going

[@alaefarmestatesllc]

The problem with that is, not enough honest people would be in the natty class. There will always be cheaters as long as any money is involved

[@TasmanianTigerGrrr]

Nothing like a good smoke before a long climb, smooth and mild

[@kevinholden4595]

Oh my, that’s the first time in years I have heard the term ‘bonk’. We would carry a bonk bag with grub in it when out for a longer ride. Going back now to the late seventies in the UK.

[@twaynemalcolm8448]

This is another good one very eye 👀 opening. You would think their would be a lot of benefits. But obviously your body can only take so much.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... there* would be

i've tried to talk about these top performing athletes aren't about health, but about getting the absolute maximum performance out of their body...and i keep getting shot down, like are you dumb? do you not understand they are on a different level than your average gym bro...where health isn't the goal but actually winning is?

[@Julien_Virgin]

Sensational journalism. Respect

[@lgarcia67]

There will always be PED’s in the Tour de France. It is too grueling. Even with the rest days, the cyclist don’t have enough time to recover. In those rest days they actually ride or they may get hurt the next day. On top of that they have to do press, team meetings, preparation and so on. There is no way the body will recover with all that stress. So who knows how they do it now so they don’t get caught; but it happens.

[@teddansonLA]

They don't dope because it's grueling, they dope because they need to find a performance advantage, and because everybody else dopes.

[@JayB2]

They said after a tour de France race many athletes have heart damage. Now fortunately with rest they can recover. But imagine doing that over & over year after year. And keep in mind some riders do more than just the Tour de France in a year. Then add in the stress from training to get ready for these sadistic torture events. That's alot to ask the human body to take.

[@darrellgrant7615]

So one of my best friends was a cyclist. They’re different categories and category 5 is the noob bottom level. My friend was a Cat 1. He knew guys as low as Cat 4 taking EPO. The sport is basically bodybuilding on a bike.

[@CoreyGolphenee]

Taking EPO to race at cat 4 level is the most dentist shit I’ve ever heard as a cyclist lmao.

[@Hamsteak]

The vascularity is amazing 👏

[@fumanpoo4725]

IFBB bodybuilder.

[@dowtie1997]

​@fumanpoo4725 body builders aren't athletes.

[@Limestiff]

I am pretty sure, that the tour de France isn't the "most watched sports event in the world", because the football world cup, the superbowl and the olympic games have more viewers.

[@chuckduzzie8529]

The Tour de France is like running 21 marathons in a row, and some of those runs are up hill.

[@brianh6]

This isn't accurate. A marathon is significantly harder on the body than a single stage of the TDF. They wouldn't be able to do 21 days almost in a row (they have a couple of rest days) if cycling had the same physical toll that running does. They also have a couple of time trials which can be significantly easier than other stages. On flat stages they can stay in the peloton and conserve a lot of energy. Marathoners don't get the opportunity to conserve a bunch of energy that way. I've ridden over 100,000 miles in my life and am in awe of what TDF riders do, but gotta keep it real.

[@bri1085]

Running is straining on the body, the impact does a number on you.

[@LászlóLovass]

@@brianh6 One hour time trial might be more demanding than a flat stage of 4-5 hours.

[@decoherence926]

@@brianh6 If you're talking about the pounding of your joints, yes, running is more difficult (as well as holding your weight up while doing so). But in terms of cardiovascular fitness, cycling is tops. Even riding a single stage, the effort and bpm is the same if not more than running.

[@QuirkyAvik]

Not the most watched sports event in the world by a long shot but I like watching.

[@Mark1JT]

I would like to see a non tested i.e. fully doped class. You could have a tested class as well. Allow the athletes to use what they want for the performances they want. As of now it is those that can beat the testing and those that cannot, thinking otherwise is simply naive.

[@CoreyGolphenee]

Much like this sentiment in motor racing, this is just watching more people die.

[@kevinmartz3082]

Wow- I met John Eric Goff at a conference years ago, when he shared his early modeling efforts for the Tour de France!

[@ReconMan8654]

This is EXACTLY why I’ve decided to not race and win the Tour de France!!!

[@Bob_Shy_132]

SLAYER!!!

[@seanmccuen6970]

hardest 'sporting' event/physical endeavor in the world, by far. period. these guys are quite literally another breed. only thing they have in common with the average person is they have two arms, legs, and a head. that's where the similarities end.

[@reddiver7293]

44 years of cycling. Now I have bradycardia along witb A Fib. Common with both older cyclists and marathoner runners. Would do it all over again.

[@BigL.10]

What is that and why does it happen to cyclists

[@channingtaintum]

@@BigL.10 Bradycardia is a heart rate that's too slow. What's considered too slow can depend on your age and physical condition. I'd imagine it happens to cyclists and marathon runners because their hearts are so used to beating at a low resting rate for so long that it doesn't adapt years after they've retired from their marathoning or cycling.

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

​@@BigL.10"A Fib" is Atrial Fibrillation. You can now look it up online.

[@BRIANDER100]

@@channingtaintum how do you treat bradycardia ?

[@mg0109]

Have you thought about an ablation? Both my siblings have A fib and it wasn't exercise induced....their sinus rhythm is perfect now after having ablations. I've been racing/riding for 40years now and have a "lupe" implant just to monitor for A fib...so far, no issues. But I know a ton of cyclists that have tachycardia/A fib... which is mostly exercised induced. A couple of them are on Multaq which has stabilized they HR. Good luck!

[@jsacodes916]

I think what's changed, and will continue to change, is the science of nutrition and training. What they eat, how much they eat, when they eat is so dialed in these days that there's no comparison to even 10 years ago. The world of tech is changing things, a lot. Same thing goes for training.

[@bigfletch8]

This is why, as a life long fitness coach for over 50 yrs, I rank Lance Armstrong as the fittest and most mentally powerful athlete that ever walked ( or rode lol) the planet.

[@Deanmiller-t4h]

A career doper.

[@fishfoolishness4222]

Yes he was a career doper, just like the rest of them at the time. Things haven't changed the drugs now are not as good maybe but are harder to detect.

[@davidgivins4203]

Your on Crack 😊😅😂 stay on it!

[@bigfletch8]

@@davidgivins4203 Close. The high without the need for artificial stimulants. I assume you are speaking from experience.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

@@davidgivins4203 You're* on crack*

[@brycebonilla4288]

I’m a professional cyclist and I used to run professionally. A 100+ mile ride is every bit as bad as running a marathon. RACING 100+ miles at the speeds these guys are going is absolutely mental. Doing it for literal weeks on end with some of the biggest climbs in France and the entire world watching you, can’t even comprehend.

[@Knautschfriese]

I made a 155 km tour last month. I drove it with a non electric singlespeed bike, that alone was an exhausting experience for me. Thousands of km? unimagible for me

[@thegt]

Beautiful movie. Thank you so much

[@KenZy812]

Damn it i never tried my Tour de France at home but since you said don't try it at home i will try it

[@OMNI-Infinity]

gl doing like 1000000 laps around your dinner table, not even mrbeast would attempt this

[@KerriRusnak]

Longest ride was 125km and I suffered. These guys are mind blowing.

[@hiedla6590]

just my two cents: the veins you showed in the beginning carry oxygen deprived blood BACK to the hear,t. The veins which carry oxygen to the tissue lie deeper and are called arteries.

[@jono1457-qd9ft]

There are lots of Tour de France stars from the 60s and 70s who are past 80 years old and doing fine. Some from earlier made it to their 90s.

[@isaacasimov3846]

They are not finding the longest and most dangerous route. Anymore. The tour has been much longer in the past. Each state has been much MUCH longer on the past. The materials used today has been much more low tech in the past. So objectively speaking the race has become more easy over the time Why the race has then become much harder over the last 20 years is down to how the riders has decided to race. I like that in the video they talk about a new culture towards doping amongst younger riders. Still never has so many young riders becomes stars and winners. I know that the explanation why they turn pro so young, is bc they do pro training from a younger age. But does that explain why they also win so much these days, or is the reason that the young generations new culture is the old doping culture?

[@thomaswarfel4006]

I've heard that it is partially because teams have much more data on their riders now. In previous decades, it was typical for younger riders to support older more experienced riders in their team. Nowadays, teams are more willing to have old guys supporting youngsters if the data suggests that the young rider is stronger.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... each stage* / the materials have* been ... / has young riders become* stars

[@DrunkieCat]

Honestly I can't seem to mention any other sports as brutal as cycling is. How fit you need to be, how painful it could be and how dangerous it could be. The level of dedication you need to have is just insane. Away from families through out the season just for training and putting yourself in pain after pain. And there's the racing part where you push yourself even further and at the same time keeping your eyes on the road through it's twist and turns, ups and downs, centimeters away from other riders, fueling on the bike, thinking about strategies. Crashes also a thing during the race. Most of them might be safe from the crash unharmed. Those involved in the crash need to chase the group in front of them while the pace is still high cause the race isn't stopping. If you're unlucky do it with broken bones and scars because somehow you feel obligated to help the team as if your body isn't broken enough. Some might have to retire from the race and went straight to the hospital, then do rehabs for the next few months and then putting themself through more pain because they lost their fitness from months off the bike. Some godlike riders win races but 95% of the peloton is there only to dream one day they can have the chance to go across that finish line faster than dozens of rider behind them. Even if it's once in their whole career, it's more than enough for most of them. Those sentences to me speaks how high the ceiling is in pro cycling scene. In the meantime, your role is to help the best rider in the team achieving the win. Rinse and repeat.

[@ElSantoLuchador]

You know who never has a bad day in the 2024 TDF? Tadej Pogacar. His performance is off the charts. It definitely makes you wonder. He’s like Lance 2.0 in terms of Tour domination.

[@jsacodes916]

I was just now going to say the same thing.

[@axelxd3333]

Honestly niether did Jonas, just couldn’t match Pogacars extreme form

[@SemiAnon]

7:41 The "NO HEALTH BENEFITS" caught me unware.🤣🤣

[@dfelekiddfelekids8644]

I find it kinda impressive that riding for 2081 miles in 24 days is undisputably an accomplishment. To put that into perspective Yannis Kouros has run 1000miles, so about half of tha, in 10d 10h 30min 36s, so in less than half the time.

[@grintalcycles8266]

The TDF guys do it in 4 to 5 hrs per day most days. The Race Across America is 3k miles and done in around 10 days

[@dfelekiddfelekids8644]

@@grintalcycles8266 I don't disupute that. Bear in mind that I'm talking about actually running with your feet, not cycling, so not an apples to apples comparison.

[@karl8805]

These boys do that mileage in 4-5hrs per day..with 2 rest days.... Your runner ran 24 hrs constant

[@letsgojim]

It's actually healthier for the athletes to use PEDs. If riders could use insulin and GH it would dramatically increase their health and longevity. I'm not saying abuse them likes there's no tomorrow hut therapeutic amounts would definitely do more good than bad

[@sepg5084]

I think they should allow more rest days for the cyclist in the TdF. This would reduce the destruction that they put their bodies to, and maybe reduce dope usage.

[@ElderStatesman]

As someone who travels by bike in a rural area, I think Le Tour is a bit too intense for even the most dedicated athletes. Barely completed 41 miles in a day last week and that gave me leg cramps that lasted three days. (My longest ride was 85.5 miles over 10 years ago) I think adding more rides, having fewer stages could at least ease the strain these cyclists go through. 2,000 miles in 22 days or so is grueling to say the least. 🙁

[@bobby-joemountrushmore3618]

I appreciate the big mac comparison.

[@andrewa9700]

These calorie totals are insane but the calories burned by the expedition team of Shackleton makes it look like a walk in the park. Which is just nutty because obviously they were running a massive deficit calorie intake.

[@princemishkin1601]

The description of muscle catabolism is incorrect. Muscle catabolism happens to preserve glucose levels in your blood, not as a response to "needing amino acids" post exercise (as the lady claims).

[@juanl.burlew5370]

And to think, when I was 13-17 putting in 600 to 800 miles per week during the school year only to ramp it up to 900 to 1200 miles per week during the summer, often times more during the school year amd summer... I wished I would have had more resourcefulness to have gotten to that level... Becoming a professional cyclist and living in Europe, that was my dream!! Room posted full of posters of Eddy Merkx, Berhnard Hinault, Leraunt Fignon, Janques Anquitille, Raul Alcala, and the likes... I dreamt, breathed, encoated my life and lived cycling!!! I also love motorcycles!!! I tell people, i was conceived on 2 wheels... lol Simply because my preferred method of transport to this day at 52, is on 2 wheels, whether that be bicycle or motorcycle.😂

[@Maverick56912]

what're your doing now?

[@exolve7873]

Since when and how does aldosterone induce aggression?? I found one Master thesis on some link between them but nothing else…

[@lalalakachow316]

i’m sorry but i love that woman u got to interview, so real not beating around the bush about things

[@liamfoxy]

This actually helps make sense of why Armstrong did what he did. I didn't realize that your blood cells literally get destroyed in this. Looking at it that way, his 'doping' method of infusing himself with blood siphoned off before the race actually makes a lot of sense, and in a way, kinda seems like a healthier thing to do, given the amount of abuse you are putting your body through

[@jamesrobert4106]

He just did it more efficiently than the other 90% doping in that era.

[@stewroo]

He was made a pariah because America conflates what he did with drug use and we all know how sanctimonious Americans are when it comes to "drugs."

[@Richie-C]

Ya it make sense but it is still doping.

[@zachrichardson7099]

Fantastic video, here's a comment for the algorithm

[@moreseun]

It seems to me that it would make more sense to have the tour de France be a consistent length and elevation change each year that way you can compare riders' performances more easily over time without having to resort to complex metrics. Make it more like an ultra difficult bike Marathon.

[@SamDy99]

But I want to know what kind of diet they follow throughout the year, before the race, during the race and after. At least that can give us some idea about how their metabolism works to supply necessary protein and hydration.

[@gur262]

I seriously doubt there's a miracle about it. When you burn 5000+ kcal, getting protein in isn't difficult. The important Bit is probably to actually digest it all. I bet it's pretty calorie dense stuff n high carb.

[@ISI.O]

I didn't even know human hearts can do 29 bpm! Wth

[@sebastianballestas778]

Yea, my lowest bpm (sleeping) is 31bpm

[@TheRock-xj7hs]

Working as a nurse for 24 years in the emergency room and in the recovery room I have seen heart rates to drop to frightening levels even on people that were not fit at all… Being a mid packer all distance triathlete if I saw 50 beats a minute in the morning when I woke up I would be impressed but then there were times I would have unhealthy people with heart rates in the low 30s come in to the hospital… And no, these people were not on any kind of beta blockers or medication’s to slow the heart rate…I think genetics has something to do with it as well… Just part of my opinion. Great video and I like the wine collection behind Dr. Stacey‘s right shoulder…

[@hendman4083]

I hear it can go down to zero bpm ..

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

@@TheRock-xj7hs medications* (plural, no apostrophe). And one fullstop to separate sentences is perfectly enough.

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

There is a point where the length of an event makes it less competitive not more. Cycling is already less competitive of a sport than running due to the higher barrier of entry.

[@timw4369]

the top levels of sport are all dirty. It has to do with one thing. MONEY!!!!! even the sponsors are okay with it as long as you dont get caught. Sports will always push the limits to gain that edge. Thats just the way it is Before the wall came down the east germans and russians were guilty of having full on doping labs. The athletes paid the price and many of them have passed or look at the east german swimmers who now have become men. This game will never end its like trying to wrestle gumby.

[@geektarded]

Blood doping helps immensely with the problems you mentioned 😎

[@charlieforster9910]

If you ask any competitors at high level sports they don’t care about the health benefits of the sport they care about the competition the win the drive the accomplishment

[@nazmi3635]

Can someone explain why at minute 6:52 the commentator says the rider can’t take a break or get penalized? What if the rider purposely drops back behind the peloton to get hydration from his team car without dangering the peloton, will he still gets penalized?

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

He says "he can't take a drink" (from a spectator, that is) and he can't take any new food or beverage within the last 20 km of a stage. Both would be penalized. In this phase of the competition you would not drop behind the peloton.

[@timefortjer6705]

My toxic trait is thinking I could do this after a few just months of training

[@yengsabio5315]

0:55 "...doping... is so prevalent in the race." Like how prevalent? For every 100 cyclist that joined the race, how many of them doped? I only read about Lance Armstrong & some of his team mates did it. But I don't know of any other. Thanks in advance!

[@dannyh8288]

I think they mentioned around 97% didnt they? Read what Armstrong did, if those on his team refused to dope, he had them fired from the team. Other teams then had to dope or there was no use riding since they could not compete against the Armstrong doped team. The best thing to happen to the sport was Armstrong getting caught, it really seemed to have cleaned it up quite a bit since then. People can say "they all dope" but the reality is they cannot actually point to PROOF that riders are doping. No doubt there are some, but the sport has really seemed to clean itself up from the before mentioned 97% to a certainly much much lower number now.

[@honeybunch5765]

Someone once said that the cyclists can't do the Tour De France without doping, it's impossible.

[@ioplup]

Someone doesn't know what they are talking about

[@cacagagksjs]

Entonces el que dijo eso no sabe de ciclismo

[@pmbboc]

This was great thanks !

[@The2014engineer]

You may want to include someone who has actually finished a tour in the thumbnail 😃 Cheers

[@CorruptdKetchup]

You didn’t need to specify that they went through hell, the name of the tour already tells us

[@richardmiddleton7770]

They aren't burning 5500kcal during a stage! They probably average more like 3500kcal and they don't have to match it! They are incredible fat burners and even the leanest rider has thousands of calories in stored fat.

[@CoreyGolphenee]

You are very wrong, any team that has tried to run on “fat” has had disastrous results from it, it doesn’t work in this sport.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Up to 8000 calories on a mountain state is realistic. After Week 1 most of the guys in the peloton have dropped to under six percent body fat. There is no fat to fuel the body left, all of that is needed to hold organs in place. One thousand calories equal roughly 1100 grams (2.3 lbs), where would you store that, especially if you are lean?!

[@mtb5778]

the osteoporosis is a side effect of certain banned performance enhancing substances aka anabolic steroids. it is important to replace electrolytes as you race. iv drips have been banned but where used in the past to provide essential vitamins and minerals.

[@daniluis7777]

This video is clearly bias. The author most probably did not see the Jumbo Visma article on how much they feed they riders when and how with different nutritions. This video trying to make believe in other to ride and finish the Tour de France once has to be duping. Clearly a bias video.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... is biased* / to be doping*

[@mb5970]

I'm pretty sure its not the most watched event on the world cuz i'm around the internet all the time and I had to go through some shit to get this in my feed

[@matrinoxtm]

What if it turns out Chris Foome also dopes?

[@guymorris6596]

If ? He was burning hot from PEDs.

[@ioplup]

salbutamol or whatever its called. It is argued that he did, with a legal "asthma" drug

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Chris Froome*

[@honestreviewer3283]

Professional road cycling is the toughest sport there is, period. Anyone who contests this doesn't know what they're talking about.

[@nogames8982]

They blame Lance Armstrong for doing whip every single other elite racer does. That's not quite fair. I think they were just jealous because he was better at it than them.

[@liamday453]

lance was also a gigantic manipulative asshole so theres that

[@wizmanballin8498]

Same reason they went after Ben Johnson when competing against Carl Lewis. They were all doping. Ben's body just responded to the drugs better than everyone else.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Every rider who gets caught doping gets banned. Period. LA also did not only take drugs, he ran a full scale doping racket, including bribing officials and bullying everybody around him and badmouthing and threatening riders who left his team to pursue their own chances. He was the Tony Soprano of the peloton, so to say, a genuine sociopath who would have sold his best friend to Chechen slave traders if it had made him only one second faster.

[@newyardleysinclair9960]

Give lance back his titles. Everyone was doping. He was the best. That shoukd matter. Plus he was doing it all with one ball

[@wisdomadingo2844]

well even as a non athletic I can complete the tour dr france if I took forever to do it

[@jayaybe1]

Not necessarily.

[@justinn8410]

I doubt it.

[@wisdomadingo2844]

Oh yeah I can, I used to use bicycle to deliver foods with Glovo. I cover 500km even with that in 3 weeks

[@luke1835]

@@jayaybe1 Sure you can. Would prolly just take a year rather than a few weeks..

[@jayaybe1]

@@luke1835 Don' forget those time limits 😃.

[@TravisLawrence12]

I think a mic stand would really do you well. Enjoyed the vid!

[@stevecarnie2752]

video lost all credibility at 0:59 when you said "is prevalent" and not "was"

[@peterfireflylund]

It obviously still *is* prevalent. Have you ever talked to a young (teenage) amateur rider?