Quiz of the Day
Tour de France & Cycling
Sunday, 5 July 2026
Tour de France underway — cycling legends, race history, French geography
1. In what year was the first Tour de France held?
- 1913
- 1893
- 1923
- 1903
The first Tour was created by newspaper L'Auto to boost circulation in a rivalry with a competing paper. Only 60 riders started and just 21 finished. The winner, Maurice Garin, completed the 2,428 km course in 94 hours and 33 minutes.
2. What colour is the jersey worn by the overall race leader in the Tour de France?
- Blue
- Green
- Yellow
- Red
The yellow jersey (maillot jaune) was introduced in 1919 to help spectators identify the leader. It's yellow because the sponsoring newspaper L'Auto was printed on yellow paper. Wearing it is considered the greatest honour in cycling.
3. Which cyclist holds the record for the most Tour de France victories?
- All three are tied with 5 wins each
- Eddy Merckx
- Jacques Anquetil
- Bernard Hinault
Jacques Anquetil (1957-64), Eddy Merckx (1969-74), Bernard Hinault (1978-85), and Miguel Indurain (1991-95) each won five Tours. After Lance Armstrong's seven titles were stripped for doping, no one has surpassed the five-win record.
4. Approximately how far do Tour de France riders cover over the entire race?
- About 5,000 km
- About 3,500 km
- About 2,500 km
- About 1,500 km
The Tour typically covers around 3,500 km over 21 stages in 23 days (with 2 rest days). Riders burn roughly 5,000-8,000 calories per stage — that's the equivalent of eating about 15 Big Macs a day just to maintain their weight.
5. What is the polka-dot jersey awarded for in the Tour de France?
- King of the Mountains (best climber)
- Best young rider
- Most aggressive rider
- Best sprinter
The polka-dot jersey (maillot a pois) was introduced in 1975. Its distinctive design was reportedly chosen because the sponsor, Chocolat Poulain, had polka-dot packaging. Climbers must conquer passes over 2,000 metres in the Alps and Pyrenees.
6. Which famous mountain pass in the Alps is a legendary Tour de France climb?
- Alpe d'Huez
- The Matterhorn
- Mont Saint-Michel
- Mont Blanc
Alpe d'Huez features 21 hairpin bends climbing 1,071 metres over 13.8 km. Each bend is named after a past stage winner. On race day, up to a million fans line the narrow road, creating a tunnel of screaming spectators that riders must navigate through.
7. Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx earned what fearsome nickname for his dominance?
- The Bulldozer
- The Machine
- The Terminator
- The Cannibal
Merckx won virtually everything in cycling — 525 professional victories, including 11 Grand Tours and three World Championships. He was called 'The Cannibal' because he devoured all competition. A rival's daughter reportedly gave him the nickname after he beat her father relentlessly.
8. The Tour de France traditionally finishes on which famous Parisian avenue?
- Avenue Montaigne
- Rue de Rivoli
- Boulevard Haussmann
- Champs-Elysees
The final stage has finished on the Champs-Elysees since 1975. By tradition, the overall leader is not attacked on this stage — the yellow jersey winner sips champagne with teammates while sprinters contest the stage victory on the iconic cobblestones.
9. What innovation did the bicycle bring that helped the women's suffrage movement in the 1890s?
- Bicycle-powered printing presses
- Women-only cycling clubs
- Freedom of independent mobility
- Cycling fundraisers
Susan B. Anthony said in 1896 that the bicycle 'has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.' Cycling gave women independent transport, changed restrictive dress codes (promoting 'rational dress'), and symbolised self-sufficiency.
10. What is the 'peloton' in cycling?
- A type of bicycle
- The main group of riders
- A French cycling trophy
- The starting line formation
Riding in the peloton can reduce wind resistance by up to 40% compared to riding alone. The riders at the front do the hard work of breaking the wind while those behind conserve energy — teams take turns 'pulling' at the front in a carefully coordinated effort.
11. Which country other than France has hosted the most Tour de France stage starts?
- Spain
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Belgium
Belgium has hosted numerous Tour starts and stages, reflecting its deep cycling culture. The Tour regularly crosses into neighbouring countries — it has visited Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and even the UK.
12. What is the approximate top speed a professional cyclist can reach during a downhill descent in the Tour?
- 60 km/h
- 80 km/h
- 100 km/h
- 120 km/h
Riders regularly hit 90-100 km/h on mountain descents with only a thin layer of lycra and a helmet for protection. Some descents have clocked riders above 110 km/h. At these speeds, the slightest wobble or road defect can be catastrophic.
13. What is France's highest mountain, sometimes visible from Tour de France stages?
- Alpe d'Huez
- Mont Ventoux
- Pic du Midi
- Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc stands at 4,808 metres and is the highest peak in the Alps. While the Tour doesn't climb Mont Blanc itself, stages pass through its shadow. Mont Ventoux — the 'Beast of Provence' at 1,909 metres — is considered the Tour's most feared climb due to brutal wind and heat.
14. The Netherlands is famous for cycling. Approximately how many bicycles are there per person in the country?
- 1.3 bicycles per person
- 0.5 bicycles per person
- 0.8 bicycles per person
- 1.0 bicycles per person
The Netherlands has more bicycles than people — about 23 million bikes for 17.5 million residents. The country has over 35,000 km of dedicated cycling paths. In Amsterdam, more trips are made by bike than by car.
15. What is a 'time trial' stage in the Tour de France?
- A stage where riders race individually against the clock
- A shortened sprint stage
- A stage raced against other riders in elimination format
- A stage with a strict time limit
Known as 'the race of truth,' time trials strip away team tactics — each rider faces the course alone. Riders use specialised aerodynamic bikes, helmets, and skin suits. Time trials often decide the overall Tour winner by mere seconds after weeks of racing.