Three Thrilling Bike Races You Should Not Miss

Bike racing has gotten complicated with all the disciplines and events flying around. As someone who’s spent years glued to race coverage and dragged friends to watch stages in person, I learned everything there is to know about the races that actually deliver. Today, I will share it all with you.

There are a lot of races out there, but only a handful make me rearrange my entire schedule to watch. These three do it every single time.

Tour de France

I mean, you can’t talk about bike racing without starting here. Every July, the Tour turns France into the world’s biggest cycling stage for three weeks. Over 2,000 miles of racing through mountains, valleys, flatlands, and cobblestones. I’ve watched this race for years, and the tactics still surprise me. You’ll see riders sacrifice their own chances just to help a teammate gain ten seconds. It’s chess at 30 miles per hour.

The yellow jersey is iconic for a reason. Wearing it means you’re the best in the world at that moment, and the pressure that comes with it is something most of us can’t even imagine. I remember watching a stage finish where the leader cracked on the final climb and lost the jersey by two seconds. Brutal. That’s the Tour, though — it gives you everything and takes it away just as fast.

If you ever get the chance to see a stage in person, do it. Standing on the side of an Alpine climb while the peloton grinds past you is one of those things you don’t forget.

Giro d’Italia

The Giro doesn’t get the same mainstream hype as the Tour, and honestly, that’s part of why I love it. Held every May, the routes through Italy are absolutely savage — steep climbs in the Dolomites, technical descents, and weather that can turn a race upside down in an afternoon. I’ve seen snow on summit finishes in May. In Italy. That still blows my mind.

The pink jersey (maglia rosa) is the prize here, and the riders who chase it tend to be a different breed. More climbers, more risk-takers. The Italian fans are on another level too — they line the mountain roads with flares and flags and lose their minds when someone attacks. What most people miss is that the Giro often produces more dramatic racing than the Tour because the terrain is just that unforgiving.

Probably should have led with this section, honestly. The Giro is where I fell in love with pro cycling.

BMX Supercross World Cup

Okay, total gear shift here. No grand tours, no mountain passes. Just pure, chaotic, eight-riders-at-once madness on a BMX track. The Supercross World Cup travels to different venues around the world throughout the year, and every race is over in about 40 seconds. That’s it. Forty seconds of jumps, berms, and elbows.

I took my nephew to a round a couple years back and he was hooked immediately. The riders launch off jumps that are taller than most people’s living rooms and somehow land clean while going wheel-to-wheel with seven other competitors. It’s the kind of racing where you hold your breath the entire time.

That’s what makes BMX endearing to us cycling fans who grew up watching it. It strips away all the strategy and tactics and just gives you raw speed and guts.

Bottom Line

Whether you’re into the long-suffering beauty of a grand tour or the instant adrenaline of BMX, bike racing has something that grabs you. These three events have kept me watching for years, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Find the one that speaks to you and start following it. You won’t regret it.