If you happen to find yourself in a French supermarket this July and you bump into a men’s cycling team buying dozens of pairs of women’s tights, don’t be too concerned. There is – honestly! – a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Tights are filled with a handful of ice cubes, knots are tied every 20 centimetres, and then they’re cut into their own individual ice packs, ready to be placed under the collars and stuffed down the backs of the 170+ riders racing the Tour de France.

This do-it-yourself hack in the back of an estate car on top of a cool box is all part of WorldTour cycling teams’ elaborate cooling strategies, with ice products just as crucial on hot summer days as high-carb drinks.

On stage nine of the 2025 race, Cycling Weekly spent the day with Dan Guillemette, Jayco AlUla’s head physiotherapist, who is one of many staff members who drives ahead of the race each day to keep riders fuelled, hydrated and cool.

This article was published by Cycling Weekly during the 2025 Tour de France. You can read the full article here.