I always know that Summer is officially here when the Tour de France begins. There’s something about over hearing the commentary through an open window, the jangling cow bells and Phil Liggetts voice that just spells summer to me!

Bien sûr The Tour (or “The Toad of France” as my daughter used to thought it named) makes a colourful appearance in our French themed SS16 collection, Head to our Facebook page for your chance to win a Tour De France printed T-Shirt in our easy-peasy competition.

Here are some fun-facts about the tour; Did you know?

• The tour route circles France clockwise one year, and counter-clockwise the next. This year the tour will be clockwise.
• Cyclists on the tour will eat little and often to keep their energy levels high. They will consume 2-5 pieces of food and 500ml of water every hour.
• There are 4 special winners jerseys worn during the tour; Yellow for the over all leader, White for the youngest leader, Green for the stage winner, and, my favourite, White with Red polka dots for the best climber in the mountain stages.
• Traditionally spectators will hand newspapers to the riders at the top of the mountains to shove down their jerseys as insulation for the cold descents.
• It’s easier to ride behind another rider than in front. You can save 40% of your energy riding in someone else’s slipstream.

And we’ve searched the internet for some gorgeous tour themed cycling accessories for your budding racers:

1/ Make Pictures and Patterns with this easy, snap-on chalk holder 2/ Old-School handle bar streamers – The faster you ride the better they fly and dance in the wind! 3/ Stay safe with this fun bumble bee helmet 4/Beautiful flower and birds spoke decorations 5/ Tring-Tring-Tricolor bike bell 6/Classic first bike (available in an array of bright colours!) from Tokyobikes 7/ Keep bikes secure with this fun shark bike lock 8/ Tweeting bird bike light 9/Tootsa’s own ‘La Plage’ jacquard knit cloud jumper with beautifully embroidered cycling fox 10/What’s the tour without fields of Sunflowers? & what better way to showcase them than to wear them in your hair?! 11/ I first saw someone clip-clopping up Brick Lane with one of these and I’ve wanted one ever since. A Trotify really does turn your bike into a horse!