Are the Tour De France riders clipped to their pedals?

Question

I was watching the tour de france, and wondered if this was what it was.

Answer 1

The pedals used nowadays are known as 'clipless' pedals,

the older style of 'quill' or 'rat-trap' pedal, once in universal use, had a shaped metal cage, known as a toe-clip, that the toe of the shoe fitted into and the whole shoe was then secured in place by means of a grooved cleat on the sole and a leather strap which passed through the pedal cage, through a small loop at the top of the toe-clip and was then secured by tightening a 'quick release' buckle, the shoes used were special cycling shoes but were laced.  The pedals in general use now are of a platform construction, all the different makes vary slightly in design but all incorporate an integral spring loaded clip which, when the specially shaped cleat fitted to the sole of the shoe engages, it locks the shoe to the pedal, it is very easy to unlock by simply a slight outward movement of the heel, the shoes are no longer laced, but are normally secured by velcro. There is a danger that under extreme tension the foot will become disengaged from the pedal, which is why the old system is still preferred in track sprinting, with the added precaution of a second strap !

Answer 2

Yes indeed they are clipped to their pedals.  The clips add efficiency to the pedaling.