From polka dots to time-trials — some Tour de France fundamentals for novices.
STRUCTURE
The Tour comprises 21 daily contests: a short time-trial called a prologue, 10 flat stages, six mountain stages, two medium-mountain (hilly) stages and two individual time-trials. There are two rest days.
STAGES
The riders race up to 150 miles a day (one mile equals 1.6-km) in a roughly clockwise direction around France, though not all stages begin where the previous day’s finished. This year’s race starts in London and goes into Belgium and Spain, too. Many stages end in a mass sprint with all riders given the same time. To separate and reward the first three, their time is reduced — by 20 sec, 12 sec and 8 sec respectively on a standard stage.
POINTS
The first 25 riders across the line on a regular stage gain points — from 35 to one. Points may also be picked up from intermediate sprints during a stage. Similarly, there are categorised climbs with points available. Climbs are categorised in ascending order of difficulty from four to one with a special hors categorie for the hardest. The harder the climb, the more points are available.
JERSEYS
Four jerseys are at stake, changing torsos throughout the race. The yellow jersey is worn by the overall leader at the start of each day. The green jersey goes to the rider who has accumulated most points, rewarding consistent prominence at check points. The polka dot jersey is worn by the rider with most climbing points and the white jersey by the highest-placed young rider (born in 1981 or later).
TEAMS
The 21 teams are named after sponsors who pay to have their logos on clothing. Riders are, in effect, adverts on wheels. Each team has nine cyclists: a leader, domestiques, climbers and sprinters. Some teams seek stage wins, others pursue jerseys, while some come for the exposure by launching solo breakaways where cameras will focus on their rider emblazoned with logo.
TACTICS
Strategy is decided daily by a team’s directeur sportif. Riders communicate by radio and team tactics play a significant role. Domestiques protect their leader and shield him from the wind by riding close to him, fetch water and chase down breakaways that may contain a rival rider.
TIME-TRIALS
Time-trials are a solo race against the clock and, by starting at fixed intervals, riders have a better chance to take time off rivals. Slip-streaming is not allowed. Riders use streamlined bikes that average up to 30-mph.
DRUGS
Riders were asked to sign a document before the race confirming they are clean. Each day the yellow jersey rider and others selected at random, whose names are announced 20-30-km from the finish, are tested.
On the eve of last year’s Tour the Operation Puerto doping case — a Spanish doctor, Eufemiano Fuentes, and others were accused of administering banned substances to more than 200 athletes — led to the removal from the race of leading riders including Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich. Floyd Landis finished first but tested positive for testosterone; the validity of his victory is still the subject of a legal dispute.