As I write this, cyclists in France are on their way to Morzine-Avoriaz in Stage 8 of Le Tour de France. With 17 stages to go le tour will be ending July 25th which means you still have plenty of time to catch up and follow the rest of the tour. To help you catch up and stay updated with the competition, I’ve put together a list of online resources to follow the news, watch live feeds, and even follow teams real-time with maps from Google.
If you know of other websites, apps, or online resources not listed below, please post them in the comments section below.
1. Bing Maps
If you want to get a feeling as to how challenging and wonderful it must be to participate in Le Tour de France then you’ve got to check out the Tour de France Map App created by the Bing team. The map allows cycling fans to preview the courses, check player standings, and even see the elevation profiles for each of the stages…there’s a lot of climbing.
To use the map, click on the stage you wish to preview and use the slider on the elevation profile to move along the route. You can also use the Results and Stages tabs on the left pane to view player standings and results for each of the stages.
2. Google Maps
Not too far behind, the Google Maps team has attached Android powered HTC phones to the HTC-Columbia team competing in the Tour de France. They are using the MyTracks application on the phone to track real-time location, elevation, power, cadence, and heart rate information about each cyclist on the team. All of the information can be viewed real-time at the Follow Team HTC page. Similar to Bing’s Maps, the Google Maps tool provides users with an elevation profile of the stages.
3. The Official Le Tour De France Website
What better place to stay on top of Le Tour de France information than the official website. Visit Letour.fr for the latest information about the current race, previous races, cyclists, and a little bit of history.
4. Le Tour de France on Facebook
We couldn’t publish an online resource guide to the Tour de France without mentioning Facebook. Like the Le Tour de France Facebook page to stay current on the race when open your Facebook News Feed.
Tourist Guide – Official Tour de France Site
There are a ton of resources and information on the official Le Tour de France page, however one resource really stuck out, especially if you are there. The Tourist Guide from the Tour de France page has detailed stage information along with a listing of places to see (if you happen to be there), history of the Start and End places, and other resources that will guide visitors.
5. Le Tour de France iPhone App
If you are always on the go, then you might want to consider purchasing (£5.99) the Le Tour de France iPhone app to follow the the race. Here’s a listing of some of the things you will be able to view on the iPhone app:
- Highlight videos of every stage (streaming over 3G and Wifi)
- LIVE GPS Tracking showing the riders and breakaway time gaps
- LIVE Race Status and Twitter updates to follow the race when you can’t watch
- Customizable push alerts for Race Alerts, 25K to go to the Finish, and Finish Results
- Results and daily standings for each stage
- Photos from each stage.
- Rider profiles
- Detailed profiles of all stages and categorized climbs
Download the App from the iTunes App Store.
6. Bicycling.com Tour de France Page
Looking for commentary and great coverage of Le Tour de France? Then head over to Bicylcling.com Tour de France page. On this page you will find the latest news, player standings, videos, analysis, and opinion.
