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 The Bike Race As A “Moveable Feast”
People have been racing bicycles for over 140 years, but those early cyclists could not have imagined the traveling spectacle that is the modern day Tour De France. All of those tired terms like “epic” that are used in relation to the race, really are applicable when you consider the sheer amount of effort annually put into play to bring the Tour to life. The equipment, the telecommunications, the hundreds of journalists, the millions of fans and…oh yeah, the world-class athletes who participate over three weeks all constitute a sporting “organism” of mammoth proportions. It is the sports There are many races today that use the Tour De France as its template, but when you hear someone in cycling circles mention “The Tour,” there is just one event they are referring to.
 “L’equipe…”
…which is French for “team.” Sure…towards the end of July, the sporting world normally features just one man’s picture beneath their Tour De France headlines, but behind that individual stands a miniature army of cyclists, tacticians, support personnel, engineers and corporations who are responsible for that victory. There can be no coronation on the streets of Paris each year without the well-oiled efforts of scores of people on the ground before, during and after the race. Sure, each nine-man squad on the road has one or maybe even two potential contenders for the overall individual victory, but it’s the team’s job to get them in position to take that prize. They do it by blocking the wind to help their “GC” (general classification) man stay fresh throughout the race, and riding as hard as they can to strategically control the pace of the race.
 The Peloton
At the beginning of each Tour, nearly 200 riders roll up to the starting line. And no matter how much the size of the field diminishes over the course of the race due to injury or exhaustion, it is always referred to as the “peloton.” The group may shed riders at any time along the day’s course, but the main formation of cyclists out on the road are always referred to as “the peloton.” Example: “That attack has shattered the peloton (the main field is no longer a cohesive unit because it is chasing a dangerous move and some riders can’t maintain the pace of the pursuit)!”
 “Water Boy...Over Here!“
Every rider on a Tour De France team has a role to play during the course of the race. Those deemed “domestiques” or “servants” are the worker bees of the squad. It’s their job to bring fresh supplies of food and water to other members of the team and to sacrifice themselves in any possible way to ensure their team’s objectives. Not at all to be looked down upon, a domestique in the Tour is still among the most elite cyclists on the planet and their role is an honored one amongst their teammates.
 "L’etape…”
…is French for “stage.” The Tour is broken up into 19 individual days of racing or stages. Each stage has a certain set of characteristics that favor different types of riders. Some teams arrive at the Tour with realistically very little hope of doing well in the overall classification, but being to win a single stage can elevate the global standing of team or rider with its sponsors or fans.
- Sprinter stages: These are the long, largely flat stages of the race where the truly fast men of any team are looking to win. Normally during one of these stages, teams attempt to control the pace (or “tempo”) of the race so that they can put their sprinters in an advantageous position towards the final few kilometers of the stage. Any attempted breakaways (getaway attempts by one or more riders to get to the finish line first…) are normally reeled in not long before the end of the stage. Then it’s up to those riders who are trained to deliver tremendous bursts of speed (sometimes near 50 mph…) to compete for that day’s victory. Stages 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 19, and 21 will all be good opportunities for the sprinters.
- Mountain stages: Some of the most exciting and memorable moments of racing in the Tour come during the stages of the race where the climbers have their moment in the spotlight. The Tour normally visits two mountain ranges during the course of the race – the Alps, and the Pyrenees. The Pyrenees line the border between Spain and France, while the Alps host the second set of peaks the riders will see in 2008. This year’s tour features the return of its most famous climb, L’Alpe D’Huez as well as other legendary efforts such as Hautacam, the Col de Peyresourde, Col du Galibier and the Croix-de-Fer. Mountains fall within five classifications numbered 1 to 4 with a Category 4 climb being the easiest to climb and a Category 1 the hardest. That is, apart from the HC or “Haut Categorie” (“Beyond Category”) climbs that pose the most challenging days on the bike.
- Time Trial: “The race against the clock” is a discipline that must be mastered by any rider who harbors serious hopes of the overall win. Known also as the “race of truth,” these events break down simply to just one man and one bike. This year the Tour only features 82.5 kilometers of time trialing over two stages (4 and 20). The first is a “pancake” flat effort of 29.5km and the second slightly hillier 53km TT comes just one day before the end of the Tour and may be the deciding factor in who will wear the winner’s yellow jersey in Paris.
- Rolling stages: These stages often provide some of the more unpredictable and exciting days within the Tour. Because of the nature of these hilly days out on course, those riders who hope to make a breakaway “stick” successfully will take their best shot here.
 “This Cyclist Is Brought To You By…”
 Sponsorship is a huge part of professional cycling. Apart from the muscles in the rider’s legs is the thing that propels cycling the most. Lance Armstrong’s Discovery Channel squad disbanded at the end of 2007 because the television network decided not to put in the millions of dollars a world-class professional cycling team requires to operate. Olympic athletes don’t display any advertising on their clothing. But because of all the media exposure that a successful team can receive, pro cyclists clothing are swamped with it.
 Are You International Like Me?
Teams are built according to their individual strengths and the goals of the team, so generally riders on a squad can come from anywhere. Where a team is based can have some bearing on the nationalities of the team, but unlike exceptions like the Spanish team Euskatel-Euskadi, (which only features riders from the Basque region of that country…), teams that participate in the Tour de France are internationally diverse.
 The Thin Man
Professional cyclists often look like lycra-clad sticks on two wheels. Burning tremendous amount of calories per day (approximately 3,000-4,000 per stage…), it’s unlikely that you’ll see any rider worth his salt carrying a few extra pounds. Thinner riders (like those “rails” who weigh 130-140 pounds at a height of around 5”9’…), make for better climbers obviously, while sprinters might be heavier percentage-wise but are still thin by most people’s standards.
 Races Within The Race
 Most people who know anything about the Tour, know that the yellow jersey is worn by the race leader throughout the race, but there are several other competitions with the Tour that are also hotly contested - each of those is also represented by a colored jersey.
 The green jersey that you’ll see throughout the race is the points leaders jersey, and is given to the rider with the most points at the end of each stage. Points are accumulated at specific “sprint” points during each day’s race route and on the finish line. This jersey, therefore, always winds up in the hands of a rider who’s known for his sprinting.
 The white jersey is awarded to the best young rider or the rider under the age of 25 with the lowest cumulative time.
 The polka dot jersey is held by the “King of the Mountains,” which is the rider who snared the most points; which are given at the top of most of the Tour’s climbs.
 The Rides
The bicycles used in the Tour De France span a range of high-end rides that go from the pricey machines you can buy in a specialty shop to exclusive, custom-made units that are have one goal in mind – win the Tour. While Tour bikes can be made out of a variety of metals and alloys, the current material of choice for most Tour bike is carbon fiber; which is the basis for a light, super stiff frame that will effectively transfer the cyclist’s energy through the bike. Every component, though costly, is designed for maximum efficiency while simultaneously being as lightweight as possible.
 How To Win
Team directors who are staring down a Tour De France, take on the race like a field marshall would any other battle. They know what’s in their arsenal and how and when to use it best. But normally the pathway to victory for those squads who hope to have a serious shot at the GC know that the two places they cannot afford to lose any time is in the time trials and the mountain stages. With the sprinters keeping their eyes on the daily contests across the flatter stages, you’ll often see the Tour leader tucked comfortably in the peloton until it’s time to separate himself from his main rivals. If a rider can compete during the race against the clock and then use his team to help him survive the mountains then he stands a good chance at the overall. All the Tour De France greats have this all-around quality: they are both good climbers, and fast time trialers.
 What are some Tour terms I need to know?
Ah, so you want to show off for friends while you watch the Tour de France on VERSUS? Sacre bleu! Click the link below for key words and phrases. If you really want to tick your friends off, use your best fake French accent on words like soigneur.
Click here for some Cycling Terms
Sources: Robbie Ventura (Coach of Floyd Landis); Tour de France Companion by Bob Roll and Dan Koeppel; VERSUS Editors.
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