Whether
you love cycling or just watching competitions like the Tour de France, you'll
want to learn some French cycling terminology.
Here are the top French
cycling-related nouns, verbs and idiomatic expressions.
Essential
Tour Terms
le
cyclisme: cycling, biking
Le
Tour de France: the Tour de France (literally, "tour of
France")
Note that tour is one of those French nouns with two genders. Le tour means "the tour." La tour means "the tower." Using the wrong gender in this case could cause confusion.
Note that tour is one of those French nouns with two genders. Le tour means "the tour." La tour means "the tower." Using the wrong gender in this case could cause confusion.
La Grande Boucle: "The Big Loop" (French nickname
for the Tour de France)
Vive la France ! :"Go
France!" "Yay France!" "Hurray for France"
(roughly)
People
and Riders
- un autobus: a group that rides together to finish within the time allotted
- un commissaire: referee who travels by car
- un coureur: rider, cyclist
- un cycliste: rider, cyclist
- un directeur sportif: manager
- un domestique: support rider
- un échappé: breakaway
- une équipe: team
- un grimpeur: climber
- un grupeto: same as autobus
- un peloton: pack, bunch
- un poursuivant: chaser
- un rouleur: smooth and steady rider
- un soigneur: rider's assistant
- un sprinteur: sprinter
- la tête de course: leader
Cycling
Styles
- à bloc: riding all out, as hard and fast as possible
- la cadence: pedaling rhythm
- chasse patate: riding between two groups (literally, "potato hunt")
- la danseuse: standing up
Equipment
- un bidon: water bottle
- un casque: helmet
- une crevaison: flat, puncture
- un dossard: number on rider's uniform
- un maillot: jersey
- une musette: feed bag
- un pneu: tire
- un pneu crevé: flat tire
- une roue: wheel
- un vélo de course: racing bike
- une voiture balai: broom wagon
Tracks
and Courses
- une borne kilométrique: milestone (literally, a kilometer marker)
- un col : mountain pass
- une côte: hill, slope
- une course: race
- une course par étapes: stage race
une descente: downward slope
- une étape: stage, leg
- la flamme rouge: red marker at one kilometer from finish
- hors catégorie: beyond classification (extremely difficult)
- une montagne: mountain
- une montée: upward slope
- un parcours: route, course
- une plaine: plains, flat land
- une piste: track
- une route: road
Standings
and Scoring
- la bonification: bonus points
- une chute: fall, crash
- le classement: standings
- contre la montre: time trial
- la lanterne rouge: last rider
- le maillot à pois: polka dot jersey (worn by best climber)
- le maillot blanc: white jersey (worn by best rider under 25)
- le maillot jaune: yellow jersey (worn by overall leader)
- le maillot vert : green jersey (worn by points leader / best sprinter)
Cycling
Verbs
- accélérer: to accelerate
- s'accrocher à : to cling, hang on to
- attaquer: to attack, charge ahead
- changer d'allure: to change pace
- changer de vitesse: to shift gears
- courir : to ride
- dépasser: to overtake
- déraper: to slip, skid
- s'échapper : to break away
- grimper: to climb
- prendre la tête: to take the lead
- ralentir : to slow down
- rouler: to ride
