Parler du Tour de France

F.	E.
le parcours	route, course
le peloton	lit. ‘herd’pack (of riders)
l’équipe	team
le coureur	rider
le sprinteur	sprinter
le grimpeur	climber
la tête de course	race or course leader
les domestiques	lit. ’servants’team riders who protect the leaders
l’étape	stage
l’étape de plaine	flat stage
l’étape de montagne	mountain climbing stage
l’étape contre la montre	timed sprint stage
les classements	standings, rider positions after each stage
le maillot jaune	yellow jersey – awarded to the leader in the general classification
le maillot vert	green jersey – awarded to the best sprinters
le maillot à pois	polka-dot jersey – awarded to the best climbers
le maillot blanc	white jersey – awarded to the best riders under 25
la côte	(uphill) slope
la descente	(downhill) slope
le faux-plat	lit. ‘false flat’deceptive, ‘hidden’ incline
le lacet	hairpin bend
le col	mountain pass
l’arrivée au sommet	arrival at the top
les graviers	gravel
la plaque de goudron	patch of tar(note: very hazardous for riders especially in hot weather)
descendre comme un fer à repasser	lit. ‘to cycle (downward) like an iron’,to take a wrong downward turn
être dans la pampa	lit. ‘to be in the pampa’to end up cycling on one’s own, lost behind the cars
ne pas passer un pont de chemin de fer	lit. ‘unable to cross a railway bridge’,to be terrible at cycling up hills
sucer les roues	lit. ‘to suck wheels’to stay at the rear of the break-away
tenir le gouvernail	lit. ‘to be at the helm’ to stay at the rear of the pack
finir sur la jante	lit. ‘to end up on the rim’to be completely knackered at the arrival
pédaler avec les oreilles	lit. ‘to pedal with one’s ears’to pedal without technique or style
terminer la course dans l’etc	lit. ‘to finish the race in the etc.’to finish at the bottom of the classification
la voiture balai	lit. ‘the broom-car’the car at the rear of the race that sweeps up exhausted riders