Is there an Idiots Guide to the Tour de France?

[Mice]

Perhaps I should be posting this in Beginners. or General Cycling Discussions or Racing. I'm sticking it in the cafe in hope of an answer and if its moved by the mods that's mighty fine.

I'm looking for a short (one page) guide to the TdF? It seems to have started but I dont understand how or where. Do all the cyclists do all of it? How many areas are there? Is it one race and some are ahead of others. Is it in sections. All I know is that it ends in Paris and I hope to be there to see it. If anyone has a link or knowledge that would be great.

Then I can try and get my ahead around the jerseys.....

Big thanks

Mice

 

[StuAff]

Wikipedia page is a good little primer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France
In short:
It's one race. Apart from time trials, where the starts are staggered, everyone starts at the same time. Generally, the majority of riders will aim to complete the lot- in the past sprinters have often ducked out before the going gets tough for them, Mario Cipollini was particularly noted for this but these are the exception (you can't win a title unless you finish the race, for one thing). 22 stages (today is stage one- the prologue time trial yesterday does count towards the overall standings, but is largely ceremonial & to determine who wears the various jerseys for stage one proper).
Main jerseys:
Yellow: General classification i.e. the overall race leader. Combined time for the whole event determines the winner.
Polka-dot: Mountains classification aka King of the Mountains. Points awarded for placings at the summit of climbs, which are graded in categories according to steepness, length, and position on the course (categories 1-4, 4 being toughest, then HC- hors categorie- for the most severe of all, like Mont Ventoux, Alpe d'Huez and so on). If the finish of a stage is a summit the points are doubled.
Green: Points, aka the sprint title. Points (separate from the mountains ones..) given for final stage placings and intermediate sprints during the stage. More points given for flat stages than mountainous ones. Mark Cavendish won this one in 2011.

 

[Dayvo]

Yes - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/6253890.stm

 

[Aperitif]

I have a map of Belgium if you want it.

 

[Mice]

Thank you Stuaff and Dayvo, that's great. Teef - I nearly spat my tea all over my keyboard! So just too more questions - is there a map of the route somewhere and why is User1314 wearing a polka dot cycling cap?!!

Mice

 

[StuAff]

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/overall-route.html

 

[Mice]

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/overall-route.html

Brill! Thanks Stuaff that's fab!

Mice

 

[ASC1951]

Is there a separate page for Phil Liggett-isms? There he was today ...

"Yes, Paul, that's because Dave Zabriskie is a Vegan. He doesn't eat meat. Or anything else for that matter."

 

[Nihal]

Don;t bother looking for it,all you have to know is that are four main jerseys:Yellow,Green,Spotted Red and White,luckly they could'nt find more colours to confuse us
The nthere are the differten stages of races
1)Prologue(TT)
2)Flat routes
3)Semi mountain thingy
4)Full on mountain thingy
After this some stupid idiot clad in lycra whose team has the highest points wins and is given the yellow jersey(or so i think,but i actually wonder WHY yellow)
Oh and apart from that THEY PEDAL

 

[Noodley]

Is there a separate page for Phil Liggett-isms? There he was today ...

"Yes, Paul, that's because Dave Zabriskie is a Vegan. He doesn't eat meat. Or anything else for that matter."

There is. In Racing.