The Tour de France embraces the idea that "what matters is not only the planet we will leave to our children, but also the children we will leave to our planet." Children who know how to ride and love cycling are, without a doubt, a wonderful gift to our planet.
Since the launch of Riding in the Future in 2017, 428,000 children have already been introduced to cycling in the wheel of the Tour. Through the Little Riders initiative, the Tour has strengthened this commitment since 2021 with the goal of introducing 30,000 children aged 6 to 12 to cycling each year, with the educational content of the "Savoir Rouler à Vélo" program. We aim to reach this goal through three approaches:
- Before the Tour, organizing cycling mobility learning session in host-cities’ schools
- All year long, the French Cycling Federation trains 10,000 children in cycling mobility with the support of the Tour de France through a sponsorship agreement
- Directly on the Tour, through the Tour Workshops, on certain stages*, offering various activities in association with the French Cycling Federation and the French Federation of Bicycle Users:
- Learning to ride a bike
- 2 learning tracks (balance bikes, Savoir Rouler à Vélo workshop)
- Bicycle repair training
- Safety advice and traffic rules with the Sécurité Routière,
- Choosing the right bike workshop
Finally, in 2024, the Tour de France will offer 1,000 balance bikes to kindergartens in the host cities to provide as many children as possible with access to the best tool for learning balance on two wheels, facilitating a smooth transition to cycling afterward.
* In 2024, the Tour Workshops will be organized on the Grand Départ in Florence (from June 27 to 29 at Piazza Santa Croce) and the finish in Nice (from July 19 to 21 at Jardin Albert 1er).
