How do Tour de France riders celebrate their birthday at the race?
Cycling Weekly chats to some of the people who have their special days throughout the Tour


Almost every morning at the Tour de France, if you listen carefully to the unmissable podium presentation, there's usually, at one point, a diversion from the ordinary schedule. Amid the usual fluff - the interview with Peter Sagan, the roar for Thibaut Pinot, and the Tour's catchy announcement music - if you listen carefully, you might just hear the strains of Happy Birthday To You.
It's not a nice rendition, it should be said, with the Tour composers trying a bit too hard to tie it in with the race's usual jingles, so it comes out sounding electronic and strangled.
Birthdays are not unusual at the Tour; 176 riders start and the race happens over 23 days, so the odds are not low for an individual to have their special day while racing. Essentially, if you are a July baby and a professional cyclist, the chances are you will have a bemused crowd in a random French town, at a stage start, singing happy birthday to you at some point of your career.
For Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe), the 1 July was not only the first ever time the German had pinned on his race numbers at the Tour de France, but it was his 25th birthday. Some day.
"It's super special," Meeus told Cycling Weekly. "It's my first Tour, so to already be here it is super special, and yeah, first Tour stage on my birthday, makes it even more special. I had a cake, it was pretty nice.
"I think for my first Tour, I couldn't think of a better birthday than yesterday. We will see in the future if I keep thinking like this, but I enjoyed yesterday a lot."
He was not the only man to have his birthday on stage one, that was shared by Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar), who turned 24.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"It's nice, it's awesome," the American explained. "They sang happy birthday to me after the presentation, it's a good vibe." However, unliked Meeus: "No, definitely no cake."
For some, having a birthday at the Tour de France is a life goal realised. That was the case of Lars van den Berg (Groupama-FDJ, who also turned 25 this year, on stage seven.
"It's special, riding the Tour is something you dream of and to have your birthday too, it's something really special," the Dutchman explained. "I would rather be doing nothing. If you're doing the Tour de France... you only have a few opportunities in your life, so I'd rather be here. That would be great if I could have a few more, I would sign for that right now."
Unlike any normal person, however, professional riders can hardly celebrate their birthday. There's no party, no beer, no gathering with your family and friends - unless your friends are your teammates.
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) has experienced quite a few birthdays at the Tour over the years, with 10 editions under his belt, and so is a bit tired of the very average celebration he experiences on the roads of France.
"I'd prefer if I was at home," the Norwegian explained. "No, you can't celebrate at all. I will get a cake after dinner, not for dinner. It's not a big celebration, in the mountains. I don't think I ever did really well on my birthday, so I cannot pick out one.
"I've had no great results either [on my birthday]. Maybe the first time I had a chance, but I got dropped. Before I turned pro I had some good memories, but not after. After I retire it will be better, with my family. At least I got a song this morning from my kids."
One also had to feel for Chris Juul-Jensen (Jayco-AlUla), who has had two of the hardest days he has experienced on his bike over the last two years, on his birthday.
"Last year it was the cobbled stage, this year it's a mountain stage," he said. "If it wasn't for seeing it on social media, and my family, then I probably wouldn't have given it too much thought this morning, especially given we have three massive mountains to get over.
"Any birthday surrounded with all my mates, if I can't spend it with my family... it's the next best option. Regardless of what kind of stage it is, it's enjoyable. I expect a cake."
Given the relentlessness of the Tour, it escapes some rider's minds. "I don't know what day it is, but it's on 8 July. To be honest, I don't care at all," Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) said. "I think it's a possible sprint day, but it's the same motivation.
"Of course, you like to get messages from your family or friends, but for me it's more important that they will congratulate me on a result. It's hard work, so I won't be able to enjoy it that much."
Philippe Gilbert celebrated 12 birthdays at the Tour de France over his career, but thanks to his work with GCN+/Eurosport at the race, still hasn't made it home for one, despite rertiring.
"It's always special, you get a lot of attention," the Belgian said. "It's a special day because everyone wants to celebrate your birthday. I would say it's an extra stress but it's a nice moment. But in the end, you try to focus on those moments and also to try and enjoy your job.
"Yesterday, I was on the motorbike, so it was more relaxed, a lot of sport directors came and wished me something. I enjoy it more, but at the end of the day I would prefer to be with my family now. "
It is not just current and former riders who have their birthdays on Tour. Another lucky man is Ned Boulting, the ITV commentator. The nature of the Tour means that his experience of the special day is also disrupted.
"I almost forgot in the morning, I always require someone to remind me," Boulting said. "On this occasion, it was Eurosport's Laura Meseguer, who came out of a lift and said happy birthday to me. She has a birthday on Tour as well, it's lodged in her memory for some reason. For 21 years she's told me happy birthday.
"I'm embracing it, but my youngest kid is 20 and has never been with me on my birthday, ever. I've been at it for so long, I've probably had another birthday in Issoire."
"We may be on the same race but we live in different worlds," he said of the difference between himself and the riders. "The whole thing about celebrating a birthday on the Tour de France is quite mad, because it just flips past, it just happens. It happens so often, so many of us celebrate our birthdays on the Tour, because it's so flipping long."
It's not all bad; Boulting can actually have a mini party and drink. "Early on, I had a rest day on my birthday, when Chris Boardman was still quite new to ITV, and we were in Chamonix," he said. "We had a big, slightly boozy lunch, with culminated in Chris Boardman ringing up my parents to berate them that they'd forgotten. Olympic medallist Chris Boardman."
Just remember, next time you switch on the Tour de France, that it is more likely than not that one of the peloton will be celebrating their birthday. It probably won't be fun, though.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling, he's happy. Before joining CW in 2021 he spent two years writing for Procycling. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds.
Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to riding bikes.
-
Tadej Pogačar wins the Criterium du Dauphiné’s queen stage 7 to lead Jonas Vingegaard by 1:01 going into the race's final day
Pogačar's second successive stage win, the 98th of his career, saw his tighten his grip on the yellow jersey going into the final day
-
'The kebab was a bad idea' - how I fuelled for a 24-hour time trial
Everything you should - and shouldn't - eat on an ultra-distance road ride
-
Michael Matthews puts career on pause after signs of a pulmonary embolism
Australian will miss Tour de France with all physical activity stopped until further notice
-
'Getting to Paris is like that moment you're told you're in remission' - Geoff Thomas to attempt Tour de France route for seventh time with Tour21
Former professional footballer Thomas getting set to tackle the 3,000 plus kilometre route to raise money for Cure Leukaemia
-
Mathieu van der Poel fractures wrist in MTB crash, puts summer of racing in doubt
Van der Poel diagnosed with minor avulsion fracture of the scaphoid bone after two crashes at MTB World Series event in Nové Město
-
'I feel pain in my sprinter's heart': Marcel Kittel reacts to Tour de France final stage shake-up in Paris
Retired German sprinting great says inclusion of cobbled climb to Montmartre before Champs-Élysées finish will be 'very stressful' and would leave him 'disappointed as a rider'
-
Will the sprinters make it to the Champs-Élysées? Tour de France 2025 final stage places Montmartre climb 6km from the finish
ASO confirms punchy race finale with three ascents of the Butte Montmartre
-
'They never once checked me for concussion' - Jonas Vingegaard calls out head injury protocol after Paris-Nice crash
Two-time Tour de France winner says he was 'completely dizzy and nauseous' in days after crash
-
'When everyone starts to panic, you just need to breathe deeply': Fearless approach key to success on Giro d’Italia gravel stage
Pello Bilbao expects Strade Bianche-style stage on Sunday to be both a physical and mental challenge
-
Tour de France Champs-Élysées stage to include cobbled climb in Montmartre, copying Paris Olympic road race
Route change confirmed to mark 50th anniversary of first ever finish on the Champs-Élysées