Tour de France Stage 3 "SPOILER"

[Keith Oates]

Today should be a sprinters day and so hopefully Cav will get another TdF win under his belt. However this is The Tour and the pressure on everyone will be 'heavy' so no doubt there are a few other sprinters with ambitions and ideas on how to get the win as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Having watched it for years and years, I have a few (probably rather thick) questions, but here goes anyway:

When the riders 'discard' their bottles/musettes, are they just left for specators to collect, or do people come along afterwards and clean it all up? and if so, do they sterilise and reuse the bottles?? (I realise the teams probably have enough money to use new bottles each time, but it does seem such a waste)

Secondly, what do AG2R La Mondiale actually do??

Seriously, I mean, they never seem to win anything much TDF wise except for the odd stage every so often (http://en.wikipedia....g2r-La_Mondiale), but you always see their cars and filming motorcycles featuring prominently, regardless of what team or teams are riding nearby, and their logo seems to be everywhere, so do they actually have some sort of capacity when it comes to organising it regarding the filmbikes etc?

I am asking as I actually quite like them (am I allowed to admit that?) - they are always there, plugging away in the background not getting much mention, but their colors are so distinctive that you can spot the riders a mile off.

This is where someone posts telling me how awful they all are or something (I don't follow the racing scene much so I am probably missing something).

 

[Keith Oates]

The water bottles and musettes are discarded and any 'fan' who finds them can keep them. I think the teams consider them disposable items.

They are not the most sucessful team in the peleton but they are French and so will always get a chance to ride in the Tour. Both companies are in insurance and pensions so they must think the exposure they get is worthwhile.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The water bottles and musettes are discarded and any 'fan' who finds them can keep them. I think the teams consider them disposable items.

You see the riders throwing them away and they must end up in some rather odd places, I agree, but surely the tour must be duty bound to at least tidy up after themselves, after all, when you see the number that are discarded, it must be a serious problem at certain locations.

They are not the most sucessful team in the peleton but they are French and so will always get a chance to ride in the Tour. Both companies are in insurance and pensions so they must think the exposure they get is worthwhile.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

All cynical advertising, ah I see!

 

[raindog]

I've got a nice little collection of bidons that've been chucked at me when spectating races, I even use a couple of them. A good way to get them is to be at the end of a race when the mechanics are loading the bikes into the buses and just ask them for one. They go through hundreds of the things. On the Tour, the riders are actually asked to try and throw them at groups of spectators if they can, and you'll often see them doing that. Also, the race has been trying to improve it's environmental image in the last few years, and these days there's a big clean up team following every stage clearing up bidons, musettes, gel-wrappers etc etc.

AG2R? They're a great team, and I think most teams entered in the Tour would be more than happy with the odd stage win.

 

[moxey]

This year Team Sky have printed a codes on the bottles and any fan that finds them can enter a comp to win a tour jersey.
I think it's a great idea.

Just wish I was out there to try and get my hands on one

 

[Crackle]

Don't think Cav is firing yet if that intermediate sprint is anything to go by. Farrar for me. I'll go for Cav on the next flat stage.

 

[Joe]

The latest Elite and Tacx bottles are apparently biodegradable (though I wonder how quick the process is?). Probably some others too. Still a massive waste as I'm sure a fair number don't get found but an improvement at least.

 

[Keith Oates]

I get that feeling as well Crackle but I hope we are both wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jezston]

I've been ordered to actually pay attention to the Tour this year as I've generally been disinterested in watching sports my entire life and been told I may be missing out.

Is there a source somewhere online that will give me a good explaination as to how it all works and who is who and what team is what? The wiki page seems to be more about the history than whats going on.

I hope the ITV player works at work! Is there an online radio channel that broadcasts it?

I also quite like the AG2R kits. A bit more subtle and sophisticated than the emblazoned circus of the other teams kits.

This year Team Sky have printed a codes on the bottles and any fan that finds them can enter a comp to win a tour jersey.
I think it's a great idea.

Considering how much they charge for them I'd imagine it's the only way most of us would be able to get hold of them!

 

[TVC]

Well, that sprint clearly shows Cav has decided he wants to play.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Don't think Cav is firing yet if that intermediate sprint is anything to go by. Farrar for me. I'll go for Cav on the next flat stage.

I don't think the intermediates are any guide to the what will happen at the finish. Cav said the other day that he is finding it hard to work out how to play the intermediates, and that they simply aren't anything like the finales.

In any case, today he cruised the intermediate and still won it.

 

[User482]

As I recall, Cav doesn't have much of a record in the intermediates? So I doubt that they're much of a guide to his prospects...

 

[perplexed]

As I recall, Cav doesn't have much of a record in the intermediates? So I doubt that they're much of a guide to his prospects...

I'd imagine that's because compared to a stage win, he wasn't losing that many points in persuit of the green jersey in previous races. The points allocated this year in the intermediates are much more valuable, and could make a big difference in the end.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I think Cav feeds off the energy and the sheer thrill of the final sprint. The intermediates just don't have that and he has to find some other motivation.