To the casual observer, the Tour De France is just a bicycle race, a feat of strength and endurance, participated in by teams of men from around the world. But winning this almost century old race has more to do with mental toughness and team strategy than one would imagine. Lance Armstrong recognizes this better than anybody, as evidenced by his long string of consecutive Tour De France victories. Of course, to win, you also need incredible strength and stamina, several high dollar touring bicycles, a multitude of bicycle accessories, months of course preparation and the work ethic of an eighteenth century immigrant.

To really have a chance to win the Tour De France takes more than a many years subscription to the Cycling News. You need more than just the incredible strength of Lance Armstrong the leader of the Discovery Pro Cycling Team, the ultra-rare combination of slow and fast twitch muscles and an incredibly expensive performance touring bike. You absolutely need to understand the peloton and the role it plays in supporting the leader. You must understand the importance of the time trial. You also have to understand and embrace the chivalrous code of racing practiced by these incredible athletes.

Limits of this Article

To cover bicycle racing strategy completely would fill volumes. Bicycle racing is a science that has been researched for over one hundred decades by thousands of dedicated enthusiasts. Therefore, to conform to the space and measure constraints of this article, Ill mention just a couple of the major points.

Peaking at the Right Time

Pre race strategy is probably the most important ingredient in the formula to win a Tour de France. Competitors arrive in France weeks, sometimes months in advance to train on the course. For them, this is no casual European bicycle tour. Riders and coaches evaluate every variable. Heart rates are measured and recovery rates are scrutinized. Blood samples are taken on training days and then again on days off to measure glycogen and lactic acid. Nutrition is a science for these dedicated athletes and their coaches. Food is analyzed at the molecular level; menus are planned decades in advance and adjusted according to humidity and temperature. All the while the athletes and coaches are trying to accomplish one simple desire. They want the competitor to be at his physical peak on the day of the initial of the Tour de France.

Race Strategy

The first race strategy you will probably witness in the Tour De France is the Peloton. Peloton is a French term that means rolled up in a ball. In a mass-beginning race, most of the field winds up in one or two large pelotons for a large part of the race. The drivers use the Peloton to shelter in each others draft. Weaker team members sometimes bolt to the front of the Peloton to shelter their team leader from the headwind.

In the measure trials, the competitors beginning separately, usually at 30 second or one minute intervals. Drafting is not allowed in an individual instant trial so there are no team tactics. Its just the cyclist against the clock. Hence, measure trials are referred to by the competitors as the race of truth Racing strategy reappears during the team trials. Competitors take turns leading the pack and drafting off of each other. This complicated dance requires grand precision in rotating position within the team.

This Years Tour de France

The 2005 Tour de France is made up of 21 stages and covers a total of 3500 kilometers. These 21 stages include 9 flat stages, 3 medium mountain stages, 6 mountain stages, 2 individual measure trial stages and1 team measure trial stage. Some of the targeted aspects of this, the 92nd running of the Tour de France include 3 mountain finishes, 2 rest days, 74 kilometers of individual instant trials, 66 kilometers of team instant trials, a transfer by plane and another by train. This year 20 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes will be climbed. There are nine new stop over towns, including Fromentine, Noirmoutier-en-Ile. Les Essarts, La Chataigneraie, Chambord, Gerardmer, Miramas and Agde et Lezat-sur-Leze.

Its elegant to see, especially in this years 2005 running of the Tour de France, that strategy will play important part in determining the Champion.