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Framed by forest -

As the peloton made its way from Evaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran during this year's race, they passed through a lush area that made the perfect picture frame from the oncoming hoard of racers.

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Dust and dirt -

The Tour de France 2024 was truly a grueling experience filled with all possible types of weather. However, the worst obstacle the dust churned up from dirt roads, choking the airways of even the most hardened athletes.

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Cargo across the countryside -

While the cyclists made their way along Stage 9 of this year’s race, an entourage of cars could be spotted carrying bicycles along the French countryside. Whether to replace broken bicycles or prepare for the next stage, this cargo is the lifeblood of the entire race.

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Lonely landscapes -

Racing in a marathon of this magnitude can sometimes be a rather lonely experience, although the French landscapes along the route certainly make up for it. Just look at Fabien Grellier making his way along Valloire in 2024.

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A fiery backdrop -

As the racing group made its way through the Tour de France in 2023, a flare from a fan cast a magnificent glow on the racers. The photographer captured a scene comparable to a Renaissance painting.

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Practically a blur -

Frederik Frison of Belgium was pictured in 2023, racing along at an astonishing speed that made this picture stand out.

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Fanfare -

Contending with fans during the Tour de France is something that every racer must do, although the smoke and cheers interestingly make for good motivation.

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An emotional tribute -

Canadian journeyman Hugo Houle achieved his first-ever victory in Foix back in 2022, it was a decade after the tragic death of his brother, Pierrick, after a hit-and-run incident with a drunk driver. Houle’s raised arm to the sky was an emotional tribute to his brother that surely left every spectator blinking away tears.

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An aerial wonder -

During Stage 11 of the 109th Tour de France in 2022, this picture was snapped as the peloton made its way up the 2,543-foot (775-meter) Lacets de Montvernier.

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Flowers in the sun -

In 2022, the race was made even more beautiful by fields of sunflowers that grew near the track, allowing for this spectacular photo to be captured.

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A disastrous pile-up -

In 2021, an unidentified spectator holding a cardboard sign sent German cyclist Tony Martin tumbling at high speed on June 26, causing a pack of riders behind him to crash too. Dozens of bikes and cyclists quickly piled up in a tangled mess.

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One of the best parts -

The Alps provide a stunning backdrop to the race during the 17th stage of the 2008 edition.

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Marveling at the horsepower -

Cyclists pass a woman on a horse during the 13th stage of the 2012 Tour de France race.

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Wheel to wheel -

With every race, it's a marvel to see a gridlock of riders managing to cycle without toppling over each other.

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Helpings hands -

This is one of the many heartwarming moments that happen along the race, where riders support each other while still pedaling along.

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Look at that focus! -

German rider Marcel Sieberg gives us an excellent example of how much participants put into this race.

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Sunflowers salute -

The race takes a turn for the serene among sunflowers during the 10th stage of the 2017 edition.

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The pack in action -

It's quite an intimidating sight!

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Does it get more French? -

Riders pedal through the vineyards during the race stage from Saint-Paul Trois Chateaux to Gap.

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Dangerous tumbles -

Falling is more common than you might think in this unexpectedly dangerous sport!

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Through all sort of terrain -

Cyclists ride along the Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts, a periodically flooded causeway between the mainland and the Isle of Noirmoutier in the Vendee region, during the first stage of the 2011 race.

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Cyclist's view -

The finish lines of every stage are lined with dedicated fans cheering cyclists on.

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Nothing like a mid-stride toast -

Cyclist Carlos Sastre toasts with his team manager Bjarn Riis during the final and 21st stage of the Tour de France in 2008.

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Through the mountains -

Riders are treated to a stunning view of the Alps in the 16th stage of the 2006 Tour de France between Bourg-D'Oisans and La Toussuire.

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Through flames -

The peloton, the main group of cyclists in a race, passed through flaming hay bales during stage 6 in 2018.

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Through rain -

Even worse than fire is cycling under a heavy thunderstorm, which riders did during the 15th stage of the 2014 race.

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Unique paths -

Cyclists ride through what seems to be a path carved out from the rocky cliffs, and even in those huge groups, they get the chance to feel incredibly small in nature.

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That winning feeling -

German rider Marcel Kittel wins stage 2 from Düesseldorf, Germany to Liege, Belgium, and demonstrates exactly how he feels about it!

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Best seats in the house -

An old man watches the pack of riders fly by his house in Landujan village in Brittany during the 2002 Tour de France. 

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Beautiful scenes -

The only sad part is that the cyclists have to race past these gorgeous landscapes and sceneries, without getting to take them in!

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Horsepower -

A woman tests out her horsepower in comparison to the cyclists' legs.

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En route entertainment -

Fans of the race sit along the route and play instruments as riders pass by.

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Tight corners -

The pack parades through downtown Utrecht in the Netherlands before the start of the second stage of the 2015 Tour de France.

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Tight towns -

The peloton makes its way from York to Sheffield, England, through tight small-town lanes.

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Hugging the coast -

This aerial shot shows the riders racing along the coast on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica during the third stage of the 2013 Tour de France.

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A rare smile -

Usually the riders are completely focused, but they occasionally have a laugh along the way.

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The final seconds -

In this final squeeze out of stage 2, from Saint-Lo to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin in 2016, Slovakian rider Peter Sagan (left) just passes the finish line before his competitor.

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On second look -

Riders' bicycles are hidden among the wheat fields, creating what's surely a confusing effect for onlookers.

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2020's distinctive look -

Masks are on during the non-socially distanced parts of the race.

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7-time winner -

Lance Armstrong became an icon of cycling for his seven consecutive Tour de France wins from 1999 to 2005, the most in the event's history.

See also: The biggest doping scandals in the history of the Tour de France

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