Vejrpigerne (The Weather Girls) sculpture on top of the Richshuset building in City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark

Perfect day for a ride. Tour de France

As the Tour de France kicks off in Copenhagen today, riders in Stage 1 will fly past iconic landmarks of the Danish capital, like Tivoli Gardens, the Little Mermaid Statue and the Vejrpigerne sculpture, also known as The Weather Girls, featured on our homepage. Created by painter-turned-sculptor Einar Utzon-Franck in 1936, the girl on the bike used to spin out on a rotating disc if fair weather was in the forecast. But if rain was expected, she would emerge with an umbrella.

The sculpture no longer works as a barometer, but it reflects the Danes in general - always out cycling, rain or shine. The country’s heavy investment in cycle lanes and cycling-friendly infrastructure makes it the perfect starting point for the world’s most famous bike race. From here, the racers will hurtle through Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland and France before tearing down the the Champs-Élysées in Paris for the final stage on 24 July.