Headline: Tour de France: Cycling’s Showcase Event Remains Heavily Sponsored by Fossil Fuel
Paris, France – July 21, 2025 — As the 2025 Tour de France enters its final stages, environmental advocates and cycling fans alike are renewing concerns over the race’s deep ties to fossil fuel sponsorships, highlighting a growing contradiction between the sport’s green image and its financial backing.
Despite its image as an eco-friendly endurance sport—relying on human power and often held against the backdrop of natural landscapes—the Tour remains heavily bankrolled by companies linked to fossil fuels. Key sponsors of this year’s edition include major oil and gas firms such as TotalEnergies, which continues its long-running partnership with the race.
Critics argue that these sponsorships send a mixed message. “It’s troubling to see one of the world’s most prestigious athletic events so reliant on companies whose core business contributes to climate change,” said Jeanne Marchand, a spokesperson for French environmental group Les Amis de la Terre. “The Tour de France has an opportunity to lead the way in sustainable sports, but it needs to break ties with fossil fuel giants.”
Organizers, however, defend the partnerships, noting that these sponsors help fund the massive logistical and media operation required to run the three-week, 3,000-kilometer event. “We are committed to improving the Tour’s environmental footprint every year,” said a spokesperson for Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which runs the Tour. “But we also need to ensure the race’s financial stability and accessibility to fans worldwide.”
In recent years, the ASO has taken steps to promote sustainability, such as reducing plastic waste, improving recycling, and introducing hybrid and electric support vehicles. Still, activists argue that real change will only come when the Tour severs its financial dependence on fossil fuel money.
As cycling continues to grow in global popularity, the conversation around the ethics of sponsorship is expected to intensify—not just for the Tour de France, but across the entire sport.
For updates on the 2025 Tour de France and sustainability in global sports, stay with us.
