PHOTOS: The colourful Tour de France fans

The fans are as much a part of the Tour de France as the race itself.

The flawless air, scenic beauty adds to the backdrop.

Rediff.com brings you the wild and colourful fans that uplift the mood of the cyclists over the gruelling course.

Millions of fans throng to the toughest stages of the Tour de France in the French Alps. They camp out for days in the hope to get a glimpse their favorite cyclists.

Cycling fans pose while waiting for the riders climbing the Alpe d'Huez mountain during the 172.5km eighteenth stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Gap to l'Alpe d'Huez, in the French Alps.

Didi Senft, a cycling enthusiast better known as 'El Diablo' (The Devil), jumps as the pack of riders cycles during the twelfth 218km stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Fougeres to Tours.

Cycling fans Laetitia and Franck wave to riders from a window of their house decorated with a tandem bike during the 242.5 km fifteenth stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Givors to Mont Ventoux.

Cycling fans Thomas and Sjoerd from the Haag in the Netherlands pose during the 242.5 km fifteenth stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race.

Fans encourage the pack of riders as it cycles along the coast during the 213 km first stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Porto-Vecchio to Bastia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Young fans encourage a group of riders who cycles on its way during the 228.5 km fifth stage of the centenary Tour de France cycling race from Cagnes-Sur-Mer to Marseille.