The Tour de France has always felt like a celebration of simplicity: a rider, a road, a bike — powered by legs, lungs, and grit.
But when the 2025 Tour came through my hometown of Caen, I noticed something different. It wasn’t just a race. It was a high-speed travelling machine — with helicopters, sponsor caravans, generators, and plastic swag raining down on the crowd.
Yes, it was exciting. But also, a little overwhelming. And as someone who believes in cycling as one of the most sustainable forms of transport, I had to ask:
Is this the price we pay for spectacle?
So I made a video. A reflection, a question, and maybe a challenge — to rethink how we run global sporting events in the age of climate urgency.
In this short commentary, I look at:
- What I saw in Caen that raised red flags
- The contradiction between the bike and the logistics behind it
- What sustainable Tour de France solutions might look like
- Why this matters far beyond cycling
Watch the Video Here
and leave a comment on your thoughts in the YouTube comments section
Thanks for watching and contributing
Phil