The Tour de France, the world's most prestigious road cycling race, kicks off on July 4th with 184 riders starting in Barcelona, Spain, and finishing in Paris, France, covering a total distance of 3,321.2 kilometers. WOWOW will be live-streaming all 21 stages daily for 23 days until July 26th. Ahead of the start, Makoto Iijima of Bridgestone Cycle, who competed in cycling at three Olympic Games, spoke about the appeal and highlights of the Tour de France. Iijima will be providing commentary for stages 1 and 2, which will be streamed for free.
◇It's an individual battle, but the secret to victory is teamwork
The Tour de France is a special stage in which only a select few top professional cyclists can participate, consisting of 23 teams of eight riders each, totaling 184 riders. The course is set to connect World Heritage sites and historical buildings throughout France, and the cyclists race at speeds of 50 kilometers per hour on roads used daily by locals. Iijima says:
"Road racing is a grueling sport that involves running long distances day after day, but compared to marathons and other races, the impact from the road surface is less, so while muscle fatigue occurs, the physical damage is relatively minimized. Thanks to advancements in nutrition during the race, and recovery foods and massages after the finish, athletes can complete 21 stages (excluding two rest days). The required abilities are not only endurance, but also explosive power, adaptability to heat and cold, and a strong digestive system—in short, overall toughness."
Furthermore, Iijima wants people to pay attention to the unique competitive format of road cycling. Although the results are contested individually, the team aspect is actually very strong. "Support riders act as windbreaks or carry water and food to conserve the ace rider until the crucial moment. Only the winner's name is recorded, but that victory is achieved by the entire team."
◇The most challenging stage is the 20th stage in the Alps; comebacks are possible.
Each day's race is called a stage, and there are different types such as flat, mountain, and time trial stages, each requiring different strategies and abilities from the riders. In flat stages, there is a high possibility that a large group of riders will finish together, making it easier for sprinters and larger riders to win. In time trials, riders race individually, so time differences can easily develop, making it an important event that directly impacts the overall victory. In mountain stages, power-to-weight ratio is important, and the overall standings are likely to change significantly.
"This year's race kicks off in Barcelona, Spain, and the first stage immediately takes you past the Sagrada Familia. After that, it passes through diverse mountainous regions such as the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, the Jura, and the Alps, and the appeal of the Tour de France is that you can enjoy not only the race but also the scenery captured from the air and the feeling of traveling," says Iijima. Stage 20, which takes place in the Alps, is a stage that you absolutely must not miss.
"This is the most challenging stage, known as the Queen Stage, with a distance of 170.9 kilometers, an elevation gain of 5,450 meters, and a grueling course that includes the famous Col du Galibier. It could significantly impact the overall standings. There's a possibility of an unexpected comeback on the day before the final."
◇A rising star challenges the "two powerhouses" of Pogačar and Vingegaard.
The main contenders for the overall victory are Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) of UAE Team Emirates XRG and Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) of Team Visma-Riessabayk, both of whom have performed well in recent Tour de France races. Pogačar, the current world champion, is aiming for his fifth overall victory in three consecutive years. The record for most Tour de France wins is five, and this record is held by four cycling heroes, so all eyes will be on whether Pogačar can join their ranks this year. Vingegaard, aiming for his third overall victory in three years, has achieved the remarkable feat of winning all three major stage races, something even Pogačar hasn't accomplished.
Iijima describes Pogacar as having an overwhelming winning percentage, described as the strongest in the universe, and the top contender for the championship. He has given his rival, Vingegaard, the nickname "Strongest on Earth." He explains the reason for the nickname, saying, "He has a track record of beating Pogacar in the past, and his strength this year is that he has been adjusting well." He also adds, "Paul Sexus, the 19-year-old French hopeful from the Decathlon-CMA CGM team, is another rider to watch. He has the potential to bring France its first overall victory since 1985."
Iijima analyzes, "Pogačar's team has young Isaac del Toro (Mexico) who could become a backup ace, while Vingegaard's team is a one-man team centered around him." "Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe will field a double ace team, with Florian Lipovitz (Germany), who finished third overall in 2025, and Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), a two-time gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, aiming for their first victory."
Finally, Iijima spoke to viewers about how to enjoy the WOWOW broadcast.
"As a commentator, I want to convey what type of cyclist each one is and what their strengths are. It's also good to mention things like how incredibly handsome they are or how beautiful their physique is. If you're interested in a particular cyclist, you can search for their name and a lot of information will come up, so I want to focus on one cyclist and promote them. I want to convey things in a way that will get many people in Japan interested in the Tour de France."
◇WOWOW Live Streaming Schedule for the Tour de France
Stage 1: Barcelona to Barcelona / July 4, 11:50 PM - ▽ Stage 2: Tarragona to Barcelona / July 5, 9:10 PM - ▽ Stage 3: Granoliers to Les Angles / July 6, 8:10 PM - ▽ Stage 4: Carcassonne to Foix / July 7, 9:10 PM - ▽ Stage 5: Lanomezain to Pau / July 8, 9:05 PM - ▽ Stage 6: Pau to Gavarny-Gedre / July Getsuku, 9:10 PM - ▽ Stage 7: Agermeaux to Bordeaux / July 10, 9:10 PM - ▽ Stage 8: Périgueux to Bergerac / July 11, 9:10 PM - ▽ Stage 9: Marmor to Ussel / July 12, 9:10 PM - ▽ Stage 10: Aurillac to Le Riolan / July 14, 8:15 PM - Stage 11: Vichy to Nevers / July 15, 8:55 PM - Stage 12: Circuit Nevers-Magny-Court to Chalons-sur-Saône / July 16, 9:15 PM -
Stage 13: Dor to Belfort / July 17, 9:15 PM - ▽ Stage 14: Mulhouse to Le Marcstein-Ferlan / July 18, 9:15 PM - ▽ Stage 15: Champagnoles to Plateau de Solezon / July 19, 9:15 PM - ▽ Stage 16: Evian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains / July 21, 9:15 PM - ▽ Stage 17: Chambéry to Voiron / July 22, 9:15 PM - ▽ Stage 18: Voiron to Orcières-Merlet / July 23, 9:15 PM - ▽ Stage 19: Gap to Alpe d'Huez / July 24, 9:05 PM - ▽ Stage 20: Le Bourg-d'Oisin to Alpe d'Huez / July 25, 8:15 PM - ▽ Stage 21: Toily - Paris, Champs-Élysées / July 26th, 11:20 PM
