ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE

Although glory is reserved for the yellow jersey winner, the 3,404km stage race requires concerted team effort; every team comprises nine riders, who are drawn according to their strengths, doing their bit to ensure that their team and star rider are atop the podium on the ChampsElysees.

CLIMBERS: The smallest and lightest guys in the peloton who excel in the mountains. They take advantage of their impressive power-toweight ratio and tend to save their energy for the key climbs.

SPRINTERS: Each team typically has one powerful rider who has the ability to produce a quick burst of speed at the end of a race. On flat courses, teams protect their sprinter from the wind so they can conserve as much energy as possible until the final few hundred meters of the race.

LEAD-OUT MAN: Often an up-and-coming or veteran sprinter, this rider has the key task of preparing a star sprinter for a bunch sprint by keeping the pace high at the front of the peloton and sheltering his teammate from the wind.

DOMESTIQUES: A French term for the team’s “helpers”, they are young riders who visit the team car to collect extra water bottles and musette bags from ‘feed zones’, and chase down breakaway groups. If a leader suffers a flat tyre, they will even stop and surrender their wheel.

ALL-ROUNDER: Team’s star rider who would compete for the best overall time in a stage race. These well-rounded riders are typically strong climbers and time trialists who are protected by their teammates.