What is with the stuffed animal toys?

[doctornige]

Can anyone shed any light on the tradition of giving stage winners a stuffed bear*? Why? When did it start?

*Known in my home town as a 'cuddly futret'

 

[Angus444]

Can anyone shed any light on the tradition of giving stage winners a stuffed bear*? Why? When did it start?

*Known in my home town as a 'cuddly futret'

In the TdF, isn't it a stuffed lion, because one of the sponsors is Credit Lyonnais?

 

[Dilbert]

In the TdF, isn't it a stuffed lion, because one of the sponsors is Credit Lyonnais?

And a Yeti for the young rider sponsored by Skoda

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

It's because they can't give the podium girls away.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

It's because they can't give the podium girls away.

allegedly the podium girls do that themselves.

 

[ufkacbln]

allegedly the podium girls do that themselves.

Podium Girl Gone Bad - if you are not familiar with her, then you should be!

(Should I rephrase that?)

 

[ufkacbln]

Can anyone shed any light on the tradition of giving stage winners a stuffed bear*? Why? '

Allegedly?

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

It's to hold in front of themselves to avoid the more revealing pics of them in lycra making a scandal in the tabloids

 

[Noodley]

The UCI used to hide lance's supply of drugs inside them, and pass it to him in fornt of everyone just so nobody would suspect, they initially tried to use real stuffed dead animals but it made the children cry.