The best fans at the Tour de France, ranked

The 2023 Tour de France is in its final week, and as the riders close on Paris, it would seem the issue of general classification is all but settled. Thanks to a “time trial of destruction” from defending champion Jonas Vingegaard on Tuesday, followed by another impressive ride in the mountains on Wednesday, Vingegaard now has a lead of over seven seconds over his biggest rival, Tadej Pogačar.

While four stages remain, and even Vingegaard conceded that the matter is not decided, he is closing in on his second straight Tour de France title.

But that does not mean we are without things to discuss.

After all, the Tour de France is much more than a cycling race. It is an event. Part of what makes it one of the most fascinating sporting events in the world happens alongside the riders. As the peloton winds its way through France each July, thousands upon thousands of fans line the route, cheering the competitors on in their own distinctive way.

To pay tribute to those supporters — the good and the bad — here are the best spectators of the 2023 Tour de France, ranked.

It’s the cycling/basketball crossover we all didn’t know we would need but now can enjoy nonetheless.

Up until this moment, you never knew that you needed a Tour de France rider swishing a water bottle mid-stage.

Now you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Also, great job Guillaume Boivin for nailing this shot.

Dogs are the best.

Valentin Madouas, a rider for Groupama–FDJ, spotted a familiar face on the side of the road during the final week of the Tour de France.

His dog Perle:

Groupama-FDJ posted a longer video on Instagram, outlining how one of Madouas’s other dogs, Paquito, could not make the Tour de France this year, so Perle was called in as a substitute. Perle even managed to “growl” at Wout Poels, a rider for Team Bahrain Victorious who won Stage 15:

Fantastic stuff.

For many spectators, taking in the Tour de France means finding a way to help. Whether just offering support, or in the case of this fan, pizza.

Where does Pizza Guy come from? We don’t know! What is his purpose? To offer pizza to Australian rider Ben O’Connor! That’s it? You’re damn right that’s it. Pizza Guy FTW!

Let’s see. It’s mid-July in France, you’re getting ready to watch the cycling on Bastille Day, and you need to pick out the absolute perfect outfit.

Obviously the answer is Marge Simpson.

The Tour de France is one big party, just ask French rider Benoît Cosnefroy. He stopped midway through Stage 14 on one of the hardest climbs in the race to absolutely soak in the crowd. Man of the people.

The only reason we did not rank this higher is because it has more to do with Cosnefroy than the fans alone. But what a moment.

During Tuesday’s pivotal individual time trial, Pogačar made a fascinating decision mid-stage. After starting out on a time trial bike, he made the switch to a road bike to take on the final climbs at the end of the stage.

Switching mid-stage can be difficult and time consuming.

Unless some fans want to lend a hand.

This has us thinking, however. What other sports should allow spectators to help out mid-event? Imagine pulling a fan out of the stands to warm up a pitcher in the bullpen? Maybe letting fans change some tires as part of a NASCAR pit crew or during an F1 race.

If you have ever seen a Tour de France stage, you probably noticed that a significant portion of the roads, and virtually all of the major climbs, have been painted over. Names, motivational messages, whatever — fans have paint and they intend to use it. Representing all of them on our list are this father/son duo who were up at 8 a.m. to put names and smiley faces on the asphalt on Stage 14.

Bonus points to the son. He is all decked out in Team Jumbo-Visma gear and as such is probably rooting for Vingegaard, but it looks like he just painted “Pogi” for Pogačar, Vingegaard’s biggest rival in the Tour de France. You love to see it.

The French as a passionate, romantic people. It comes through in their food, their daily lives, and yes, through song.

While a Grammy might not be in the works, making this list is the next-best thing, right?

As we will see in a moment, fans have disrupted the 2023 Tour de France. During Tuesday’s pivotal Stage 16 time trial, one fan in a polka-dot jersey came dangerously close to race leader Vingegaard.

But another fan was not having it. Watch as this fan — and perhaps future race steward — prevents an excited supporter from not just disrupting the time trial, but perhaps changing the course of the general classification:

What makes it even better? Our hero accomplishes this despite holding a cell phone, bottle of beer and cigarette in his hands at the same time. A true Renaissance Man of our time.

Sometimes as a parent you make promises to your children as a means of avoiding difficult decisions. You give them a task that you can never imagine them accomplishing and tell them if they someone pull it off, then sure, you will give them what they want.

Like telling your daughter that if she gets her picture with Pogačar, she can finally have that rabbit she has been asking for. Rabbits can be mean, after all, and there’s no chance she’ll be able to ... wait what?

Hope she has fun with her rabbit.

This is the tenth — and final — Tour de France for Thibaut Pinot. The French cyclist is a hero in his home country, having finished third in the general classification in the 2014 Tour de France. He also has three stage wins in the Tour de France over his career.

So along the route there are many pulling for Pinot.

Including fish guy.

“Hey honey, I’m heading out to the bike race to cheer for Pinot. Have you seen my fish costume?”

Riders are not the only ones who come in (sometimes too) close contact with fans. Team personnel riding along in the support cars are no different, as this video from François Pervis from a Team Cofidis car shows.

There is a lot going on here, but one thing certainly stands out.

Cowbell dude.

It’s 90 degrees, and he has a humongous cowbell strapped around his body. That’s dedication to the craft. You, sir, are an inspiration to all of us!

Kids, do not try this at home.

Honestly, that might be enough to get any cyclist out of the seat and into high-energy mode.

This is so incredibly random, we just had to include it. It’s a guy, on a bike, on an excavator, on the side of the road.

Did they rent the excavator? Are these construction workers on a day off? You know what, we don’t want to know. We just want to appreciate the randomness of it all.

10/10, no complaints.

Attending the Tour de France is a bucket-list item for many. Spending a month working through the French countryside, seeing some of the best athletes in the world performing at the peak of their abilities? Seems like a fun time.

You might even want to take a photo or two. Of course you will.

Just, whatever you do, do not do this:

An estimated 10-15 million cycling fans line the roads during the Tour de France and as we’ve seen most of them are awesome. And then there is Mr. “I need to take a selfie with the peloton and take out several riders in the process of doing so.”

Not cool, dude. Not cool.