Tour de France glossary

Published: Wednesday, 25 June 2008, 4:44PM

New to the Tour de France for 2009? Never fear. Here's your guide to all the most important terms associated with the world-famous race ...

l'étape
the stage

le parcours
the route

l'équipe
the team

le peloton
the pack

les domestiques
team riders (whose job it is to help and protect their team leaders)

le coureur
the rider

le sprinteur
guess what ... the sprinter!

le grimpeur
the climber

la tête de course
race or course leader

le maillot jaune
yellow jersey

le maillot vert
green jersey

le maillot à pois
polka-dot jersey

le maillot blanc
white jersey


Some fun phrases in Tour terminology:

descendre comme un fer à repasser
lit. 'to cycle (downward) like an iron'
to take a wrong downward turn

être dans la pampa
lit. 'to be in the pampa'
to end up cycling on one’s own, lost behind the cars

ne pas passer un pont de chemin de fer
lit. 'unable to cross a railway bridge'
to be terrible at cycling up hills

sucer les roues
lit. 'to suck wheels'
to stay at the rear of the break-away

finir sur la jante
lit. 'to end up on the rim'
to be completely knackered at the arrival

pédaler avec les oreilles
lit. 'to pedal with one’s ears'
to pedal without technique or style

la voiture balai
lit. 'the broom car'
the car at the rear of the race that sweeps up exhausted riders