What is the Tour de France? - CBBC Newsround What is the Tour de France? 21 July 2013 The Tour de France is the world's biggest annual sporting event. Nearly 200 riders cover over 2,000 miles in just 23 days. It's fair to say it's a good way to keep fit. If you finish the gruelling Tour, you could burn off up to 118,000 calories. That's the equivalent of 26 Mars bars per day. Martin finds out how tough the Tour is But do you know your yellow jersey from your polka dot? Your prologue stage from your flat? If not, Newsround is here to help. What is it? Basically, it's a huge bike race that takes place every summer. It goes right around France. Millions of people line the route that's made up of 21 stages raced over 23 days - that means they only have two days off to rest. Ouch. Twenty-two teams from right across the world are involved in the Tour, each has up to nine riders.

The riders average around 25 miles-per-hour over the entire course but at some points they'll go a lot faster than that. Play CBBC's Sport Superstars cycling game! The Stages The race is broken up into 21 different parts or 'stages'. It's not just flat roads, the Tour takes the riders up into the mountains too. The stages have different names: Prologue: Each rider races against the clock in a short (usually under six miles) time trial. Flat: Despite the name, it doesn't necessarily mean it's perfectly flat. Usually it's big packs of competitors riding together in a big group or 'peloton' for around 125 miles. These end in one of two ways; a 'breakaway' victory by an individual or small group; or typically with a hair-raising bunch sprint. Individual time trial: Every man against the clock. Similar to a prologue but a little longer. These are shorter stages of around 30 miles (as opposed to 100-125 miles). Mountain: These come in all shapes and sizes. Climbing from sea level to 2,000 metres sometimes more than once in a day. Tough.

Image copyright Getty Images How did it start? The race was started by Henri Desgrange as a publicity stunt back in 1903. He came up with the crazy idea of a bike race around France in order to raise the profile of L'Auto, the newspaper he worked for. The first race was a huge success with 60 riders covered an amazing 1,500 miles. What are the jerseys all about? The Green Jersey is given to the best sprinter. Britain's Mark Cavendish is one of the world's best in this category, reaching speeds over 40 miles-per-hour. But the tour isn't just about reaching the highest speeds - it's also known for its uphill struggles. The riders climb thousands of metres up Alpine mountains, with the best rider on those stages winning a snazzy red and white Polka Dot Jersey. The White Jersey is given to the best young rider - that's someone who's under 25 years old. But the prize everyone wants is the Yellow Jersey. If you are in it, you are the overall race leader on total time since the start of the Tour. Tour champions are often good at climbing, sprinting and time trialling.

Image copyright Getty Images Is it all about individuals? No. It's a big team event but the team leader is very important. He's usually the stronger rider. The other team members are traditionally called domestiques, from the French word for servants. These riders work hard in every stage to protect their team leader. If he gets a puncture, they will wait while the team mechanic changes his wheel. The star-man will ride behind his team mates to get into their slipstream- that means there's less air resistance for him and it's easier to go fast. Their reward is a share of the prize money and the glory of contributing to a successful team. It's called the Tour de France but has it ever left the country? Yes. It regularly nips into other countries that border France. The first two days of racing, the Grand Depart, are held in a new location every two years. It was in London in 2007.

Tour de France glossary | Cyclingnews.com Tour de France glossary A quick guide to some of the Tour's more significant jargon 1 / 6 The Tour de France peloton on another lap of the Champs-Élysées (Bettini Photo) The French flag waves behind the Tour de France peloton. (Getty Images Sport) Luke Durbridge drives the stage 10 breakaway at the Tour de France. (Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) A BMC soigneur in the feed zone (Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Nacer Bouhanni played domestique today (Getty Images Sport) New directeur sportif Sean Yates watches his riders from the road side (Bettini Photo) Skip Ad To the new cycling fan, the sport can be overwhelming with a multitude of rules, riders and teams to become instantly aquatinted with to make sense of the action or simply give into the colourful blur and scenery. Compared to game of football for example, cycling is a complicated sport that requires an investment from its audience with no race day like another.

Related Articles Tour de France 2017 route presented The Tour de France is the biggest race on the cycling calendar with the three-week grand tour taking place each July. For many fans, the Tour is the gateway to cycling and often their first contact with the sport. Part of understanding the sport of cycling is knowing the language of cycling which includes French, Spanish, Italian, and Flemish phrases for example that signify its history. What does a domestique do? And how do you spell peloton? Our guide to cycling jargon answers these questions and more in our Tour de France glossary. Autobus - Also known simply as 'the bus', this is the group of riders at the back of the race in the mountain stages. The bus mostly consists of sprinters and other non-climbers, and the aim is simply to finish within the day's time limit. Bidon - French for water bottle. Breakaway - A rider or group of riders who have a lead over the main bunch during a stage. Bonking - A rider who has completely run out of glycogen, the carbohydrate that fuels the muscles, is said to have bonked.

Bunch sprint - The mass dash for the line at the end of a stage when the whole race is still together. Despite the name, a bunch sprint isn't contested by the whole field - the riders at the front are the specialist sprinters and their lead-out men. Cadence - The rate in revolutions per minute at which the rider turns the pedals. Cadence is a matter of preference, comfort, efficiency and, to a certain extent, fashion. Classic - The one-day races at the beginning and end of the season, such as Paris-Roubaix and Giro di Lombardia . Combativité - Literally, aggressiveness, but the award for combativité doesn't go to the rider who threatens to punch out his rivals, but to the rider who shows the most sporting aggressiveness by being involved in attacks, chasing down escapes and so on. Daily points are awarded according to how riders conduct themselves. Contre-la-montre - A time trial, AKA race of truth or race against the clock.

Directeur sportif - The term more or less translates as 'team director', but the directeur sportif's role includes management tasks such as selecting which of a team's riders will ride a particular race; directing the day-to-day and hour-to-hour tactics and strategy on the road; ensuring the riders get the coaching and other physiological help they need and so on. In short, the DS takes care of all the team's sporting activities, while a general manager looks after issues such as sponsorship and salaries. Domestique - Domestiques are the worker bees of a team, responsible for looking after the team leader and the other stars. Domestiques ferry food and water to their team leaders, provide a wheel for the leader to follow and in extreme cases even surrender their bikes if the leader has a mechanical problem. Grand Tour - The highest category of stage race recognised by the UCI. There are three Grands Tours: the Tour de France, Spain's Vuelta a España and Italy's Giro d'Italia . Each one lasts for three weeks. The Tour was the first and is generally regarded as the most important, but a win at the Vuelta or the Giro is still a major honour.

Lanterne rouge - The last rider on GC. The term means 'red light'. There's no dishonour in being the lanterne rouge. Merely to reach the standard as a pro cyclist where you are selected to start the Tour is a substantial achievement, and to finish it, even dead flat last, is no trivial feat. Lead-out man - A rider who specialises in providing a wheel for a sprinter to follow in the final stages of a race. Nestled in the lead-out man's slipstream, the sprinter waits for the final possible moment, then accelerates for the line as the lead-out man pulls to one side. Pairings of sprinter and lead-out man often travel together from team to team, but not always. Musette - The little cloth shoulder bag handed up to riders at feeding stations, containing food and water bottles. Parcours - Simply meaning the race route; the literal translation from French is "course". Peloton - This French word simply means 'group'. It's also perhaps the most frequently misspelled piece of cycling jargon there is. 'Peleton' is not an alternative English spelling of the word, it's simply a flag that the writer is missing a clue.

Piano - Riding at a gentle pace, as in the less rushed parts of a stage. Often used as a gentle admonition to a rider who is going hard for no good reason - "Eh... piano!" Radio Tour - The broadcast station that keeps the whole Tour caravan and spectators informed of what's happening out on the road in the Tour de France. Rouleur - A rider who specialises in steady, consistent riding. Rouleurs are often 'super-domestiques' able to provide a wheel for the team leader for hours at a time. Slipstream - The still air behind a rider. At racing speeds most of a rider's effort goes into overcoming air resistance, and it's therefore significantly easier to ride in the slipstream of another rider than to break the air yourself. Soigneur - A member of team staff who looks after the riders, performing duties such as giving massages, handing up food and water bottles, seeing that riders get to their hotels and so on. Sprinter - A rider who is capable of accelerating very quickly at the end of a race.

Sprinters are born, not made: you need a high proportion of 'fast-twitch' muscle and steely nerve to go shoulder-to-shoulder with a dozen similarly gifted riders at 70km/h. Stage race - A multi-day race such as the Tour, in which each section of racing is a smaller race in itself. Stage races usually have just one stage per day, though 'split stages' comprising, say, a short road race stage in the morning and a time trial in the afternoon, are common in less important stage races. Team car - The car that the team's directeur sportif, a soigneur and a mechanic ride in. The team car is the team's mobile base on the road and from here the directeur sportif dictates strategy and the mechanic and soigneur look after the riders. Team leader - The team's best rider, for whom the rest of the team is working to achieve a goal like the overall victory, or the points jersey. Team captain - Sometimes but not always the team leader. The team captain is in charge of what happens out on the road, relaying information and instructions to and from the directeur sportif.

If the team captain is not the team leader, then a very experienced rider will take the role. Tempo - 'Riding tempo' means setting the pace for the peloton or for another rider, usually at a high but not excessive level. Time bonus - Time bonuses are awarded in some stages for the top finish positions, and for intermediate 'bonification' sprints in stages. Time bonuses are generally only on offer in the first week of the Tour and the idea is to generate some more exciting racing, giving the sprinters a chance of wearing the yellow jersey even if they are a few seconds behind after the prologue. Time limit - Riders in each day's stage must finish with a certain percentage of the winner's time or they are eliminated from the race and not allowed to start the next day. The exact percentage varies according to the type of stage, the terrain and the speed. For a fast, flat stage it can be as low as five percent, while for a slow, mountain stage it can be 16 or 17 percent. In certain circumstances the race organisers have discretion not to eliminate riders, for example if doing so would eliminate a very large part of the field.

Time trial - A race against the clock, either solo or in teams. Known as the 'race of truth' the time trial is the most powerful test of a riders' ability simply to ride as hard and fast as possible. UCI - Union Cycliste Internationale - the world governing body of bike racing, based in Switzerland. Share on Facebook Best Bikes of the 2015 Tour de France | The Huffington Post Best Bikes of the 2015 Tour de France 07/07/2015 05:32 pm ET | Updated Jul 06, 2016 Max Gladwell The Nexus of Entrepreneurship and Adventure Sports The cutting edge in cycling technology is on display at the world's greatest bike race The Tour de France , which kicked off on Saturday, is arguably the most significant sporting event of any year that doesn't include World Cup soccer. This year's Tour, the 102nd annual, covers 3,360 kilometers over 21 stages and is ridden by 198 of the world's top athletes representing 22 teams and 31 different countries. It's big. And it's brutal.

One aspect of cycling that sets it apart from other sports is the unique role equipment plays. The bikes are every bit as important as the riders and teams. Unlike football, F1 racing, or even soccer, a large portion of cycling fans participate in the sport on a weekly basis. As a result, we tend to geek out about the gear. Which makes the Tour that much more interesting given that the pros are riding the new 2016 models that bike manufacturers reveal just before the race begins -- bikes that everyday amateurs can purchase soon thereafter. The following are four new bikes that four top riders from four different teams are riding in the Tour de France as you read this. If there's a consistent theme for 2016, it's that the bikes are quantitatively lighter, stiffer, more aerodynamic, and more comfortable than what we're currently riding. Cannondale Supersix EVO Hi-Mod Team Refinements on the already super-light EVO frame include greater compliance (comfort) at the fork and seat post, which should smooth out the ride. Yet a new tube design around the drivetrain is 11% stiffer for more efficient power transfer i.e. speed.

MSRP: $10,660 (as pictured) Team: Cannondale-Garmin Rider to watch: Andrew Talansky is one of three American hopefuls riding the Tour this year. He currently sits at 23rd in the general classification (GC). Shaves 181 grams off the previous TCR frame, a 12% reduction, and adds an integrated seat post and proprietary wheel system (called the WheelSystem) with enhanced lateral stiffness. Giant claims the greatest stiffness-to-weight ratio of any production road frame. MSRP: $9,000 (as pictured) Team: Giant-Alpecin Rider to watch: Germany's John Degenkolb is currently 7th in the Green Jersey sprinter's competition. Look for him at the front of the pack on flat days when sprint finishes are all-but guaranteed. Pinarello worked with the Jaguar automotive group to optimize the F8's aerodynamics, thus reducing wind drag by a whopping 47% over the previous model. It also saved 120 grams and boasts 12% greater rigidity without sacrificing comfort.

MSRP: $5,750 (frame, fork, seat post only) Team: Sky Rider to watch: Chris Froome is the 2013 Tour champion and is favored to win this year. He took the Yellow Jersey in Stage 3 after several crashes disrupted the peloton and caused a rare "time out" while the race sorted out the injuries. Specialized S-Works Venge VIAS Di2 From mounting the front brake behind the fork to routing all of the cables inside the frame and an innovative stem/bar design, this bike was designed to slice through the atmosphere like nothing that's come before it. All told, Specialized claims it will save you 120 seconds over 40 kilometers. MSRP: $12,500 (as pictured) The Tour de France: a guide to the basics - Telegraph Tour de France The Tour de France: a guide to the basics Confused by the cols? Puzzled by the peloton? The Tour de France is more popular than ever in England but it hasn't got any easier to understand.

For all of you who find yourself a little confused as the world's biggest bike race winds its way around France, here are a few basic pointers to guide you... Safety in numbers: Team Sky's Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe and Wout Poels protect their leader, Chris Froome Photo: EPA Follow There are some sports you can switch on and grasp what's going on within a few seconds. They've scored more goals, she has more points, he's in front of him, etc. The fact that a tennis game went against serve or that one Formula 1 driver's had more pit stops than another is about as complicated as the tactical situation gets. Not so the Tour de France . The most famous of cycling's grand tours is, for many, about as easy to understand as it would be to win on the clapped-out, rusted old Raleigh in the shed. How can a rider win it without winning a single stage? What do all the different coloured jerseys mean? And just how do they go the toilet? Terminology is presented here both in English and, for those out to impress, en Français.

The race and its various stages The Tour goes on for three weeks, during which the riders cover about 3,500km in a rough circuit of the country. It is divided into 21 days of racing, with each day's stage lasting up to five and a half hours and covering up to 225km. Some stages are relatively flat, some torturously mountainous. Each stage has its own winner and offers points for the first 15 riders across both the finish line and and intermediate line around halfway through. The Tour comprises five competitions in total: the general classification, points classification, mountains classification, best young rider, and team classification. The rider that completes all the stages in the lowest time over three weeks comes top of the general classification and wins the Tour. The points and mountains classifications are won on points, the general, young rider and team classifications on time. More on that later. Teams and riders A total of 198 riders start the Tour in 22 teams of nine. Each team is followed around the course by a support car, from which a sporting director (directeur sportif) can give instructions over the radio, refresh water and supplies, and give mechanical help and replacement bikes during the race.

Riders can also get mechanical help from a neutral service car in the event of a puncture or other failure, and treatment from the medical car. Each team of nine riders will have a leader, with the remaining riders – known as domestiques, literally 'servant' riders – responsible for supporting him in doing what he does best, whether that's getting stage wins, accumulating points, or going for the overall win. In the case of British Team Sky, they have an overall contender in Chris Froome and the team's job includes protecting him, setting the pace for him, and chasing down attacks by other contenders. If the leader of the group were a good sprinter say, not in contention for the overall win, the team focus would be getting him near the front of the bunch on stages with sprints, where points can be won toward getting the green jersey. The different competitions and jerseys The yellow jersey (maillot jaune): the most important one, as we all know. The famous yellow jersey is worn by the rider at the top of the general classification, meaning they have completed the stages so far in the least time. Wearing yellow in the Tour for just a day or two can be the highlight of a cyclist's career.

At the end it goes to the winner. Contenders for the yellow jersey don't worry about winning every stage, or maybe even any. As long as the riders in front of them on the road are a good way behind them in the overall standings, they will concentrate on where the other yellow jersey contenders are relative to them. The green jersey (maillot vert): goes to the rider with the most points overall, leader of the points classification. Points are given for the first 15 riders across an intermediate sprint line about halfway through the race and the finish line. It is sprinters like Mark Cavendish and Peter Sagan who tend to aim for the green jersey. The polka-dot jersey (maillot a pois): a prestigious garment, this is also known as the 'King of the Mountains' jersey. The red polka dots go to the rider who has won the most points in the mountain sections of stages by reaching the top of categorised climbs first. Like the green jersey system, but specifically for the climbers. The white jersey (maillot blanc): a junior yellow basically. Given to the rider under 26 with the lowest overall time.

Those are the four main jerseys, there is also the rainbow stripes on white worn by the world champion, currently Michal Kwiatkowski, and jerseys with nation colours are worn by the champions of individual countries. Last (and probably least), the team classification, which goes to the fastest team. Measured by the times of the top three riders, the team classification is rewarded with a yellow race number and the opportunity to all wear yellow helmets. A red race number is awarded to the most combative rider of the previous day's stage - someone who has put in a decent attack or two during the day. Sprints and 'lead-out trains' Teams built around sprinters often create a lead-out train in the run up to the finish or intermediate sprint, guiding their fast-man through the front of the pack where he can break out from behind his final lead out man and make a dash for it. Going solo and piggy-baking on other teams' wheels is known as 'freelancing'. Time trials The vast majority of the stages of the Tour are long road races, but there are also two or three time trials.

Often called the race of truth ('you can't hide from the clock'), they see the riders set off at regular intervals, racing alone against time along a shorter course than normal stages. The time they take on the course is then simply added to their overall time. Special time trial bikes are used for these stages and a different cycling position, designed to be more aerodynamic at the cost of comfort and stability. Breakaways and attacks The Tour is a tactical affair. Riders don't simply set off attempting to go as fast as they can at all times. They largely ride together in a main group called the peloton with small groups breaking away off the front in nearly every stage. It is customary for a group of three to six or so riders to break off the peloton early and go out ahead, often just to reward their sponsor with some time on camera, sometimes hoping they can make it stick for the whole day's racing and take a stage win. The breakaways rarely contain overall contenders, and the peloton will happily let them stray around five to 10 minutes down the road, depending on who's among them, before swallowing them up again when they have tired out.

Attacks, which often take place on climbs, will see a rider suddenly break away from the group he is with and accelerate ahead hoping that the other riders will not be able to stay with him. Domestique riders can be vital when leaders attack, pacing them up the climbs and chasing down other attacks by other leaders to try and stay in control. Crashes The early stages of this year's Tour were marred by several big bunch crashes, likely down to what commentators like to call a "nervous peloton" at the beginning of the Tour. Crashes can destroy an overall contender's hopes in seconds, which is why teams like Team Sky and BMC Racing like to ride right at the front of the peloton where they are least at risk of being taken out by a crash. Riders who get knocked off or held up by crashes in the last 3km of a stage are awarded the same time as the rest of the peloton. Etiquette The Tour is a gentlemanly affair, for the most part, with riders often slowing down to allow others to catch up after a crash or puncture. Attacking in the wake of such incidents is frowned upon. The yellow jersey is often looked to in such incidents to lead the peloton.

Eating, drinking, using the bathroom. People do get to wondering, with the riders out for up to five hours a day on their bikes, how they eat, drink and use the toilet. Each stage has a feeding station along the way, at which riders will grab a bag (musette) from someone working for their team standing on the side of the road. The bags contain things like energy bars and gels, as well as sandwiches and drinks. As for going to the toilet, riders will sometimes just take care of business while riding, with other riders taking care not to overtake at the time. Other times the peloton will generally agree to stop up by the side of the road somewhere discrete, with few spectators, and the cameras will artfully cut away to show viewers a nice bit of local architecture or geography with some historical commentary to boot. That stuffed lion One of the most confusing elements of all for the novice viewer: why do they give the yellow jersey holder a stuffed lion at the end of the stage? Not a symbol of riderly prowess, unfortunately, but the logo of French bank Credit Lyonnaise, which has sponsored the jersey since 1987.

Tour de France 2014: A glossary of cycling terms | Calendar - ITV News 28 April 2014 at 9:30am Tour de France 2014: A glossary of cycling terms Attack: When a rider suddenly accelerates to break away or open a gap on other riders. A technique used by riders with eyes on the Points Classification. Bidon: French for water bottle T-Mobile's Rolf Aldag collects water bottles for his teammates Credit: Press Association Click here to find out more on the teams in this year's Tour de France Breakaway: A group of riders who have broken away to lead the race. These could be riders who are competing for a points category, or are keen to absorb some of the prestige which comes from leading the pack. A breakaway can backfire on riders who struggle to maintain the race speed for the duration of the stage. Bridge: When one of more riders try to catch up with a group ahead of them. Cadence: The rate in revolutions per minute at which the rider turns the pedals. Caravane: The procession of team cars and support vehicles following the race. These have all of the riders food, drink and technical support.

The Publicity Caravan makes its way along the Champs Elysees during the final stage of the 2013 Tour. Credit: Press Association Chase: A group of riders attempting to catch the race leaders. Commissaire: The race judge, who usually follows the race by car. Domestique: French for "servant". A rider who supports the lead rider, fetching supplies from the team car and leading the sprinters. The Domestique's main role is to push the team's main rider and are often expendable to reach that goal. Richie Porte (right) acted as a domestique for Chris Froome in the 2013 Tour Credit: Press Association Click here to find out about the first Tour de France Drafting: Also known as 'slipstreaming'. The act of riding close behind another rider to benefit from the lack of air resistance. This technique can reduce the exertion required by around half, but the risk of crash is increased due to the proximity of the riders. Drafting motorbikes or team cars is against the rules. Flamme Rouge: Or 'Red Flag' which marks the last kilometre of the race.

Can mean the end is in sight for a lone rider, or the most exciting part of the race where a group of sprinters begin battling for position. Hit the wall: When a rider runs out of energy. Also known as getting the 'bonk' or the 'knock'. Individual Time Trial: A stage where riders must tackle a course solo, taking away the benefits of group riding. During this stage riders can not pick up supplies from the team car, so managing exertion is key. Lanterne Rouge: Meaning 'red light', this is the last rider on the Tour. This is not seen as a dishonour. Canadian, Svein Tuft, took the 2013 'Lanterne Rouge' Credit: Press Association Click here to read more on the Tour de France's history Lead Out: A carefully organised routine before a sprint. Supporting riders take turns leading their main Sprinter, riding as fast as possible, creating a slipstream to keep their Sprinter in contention, before peeling away when their energy is spent. The next rider then takes the lead and repeats the process. The final rider should peel away just a few hundred metres from the finish line, leaving the main Sprinter to take the glory.

Musette: The cloth shoulder bag handed up to riders at feeding stations, containing food and water bottles. Off the back: A rider who has failed to keep pace with a peloton. Also known as 'getting dropped'. Peloton: The main group of riders who have stuck together for efficiency. This group will stick together for the majority of the race, before breaking off towards the finish. The peloton on the Champs Elysees during the final stage of the Tour de France 2013 Credit: Press Association Rouleur: A rider who specialises in steady, consistent riding. Rouleurs are often 'super-domestiques' able to provide a wheel for the team leader for hours at a time. Soigneur: A member of team staff who looks after the riders, performing duties such as giving massages, handing out food and water bottles. Dirk Nachtergaele, soigneur of team Quick Step holds a musette, during stage 10 of the 2010 Tour de France Credit: Press Association Sprint: A short, sharp dash from a rider. Usually only used in short bursts as extremely draining for riders. Team Time Trial: A time trial where a team work together to get the fastest time.

Tuck: A technique where riders change their body shape to reduce air resistance and increase speed on downhill sections. Different riders adopt different positions, but the tuck can make riders less stable and less responsive. UCI: Union Cycliste Internationale - the world governing body of bike racing, based in Switzerland. Wheelsucking: Where a rider repeatedly uses other riders slipstream, but spends no time at the front contributing to others. Also known as 'leeching'. Last updated Sun 6 Jul 2014 Everything you need to know about the Tour de France - SBNation.com Everything you need to know about the Tour de France Rec Oli Scarff General Classification (or GC): This is the way the person who wears the leader's yellow jersey is determined. The person with the lowest overall time wears the yellow jersey. In cycling when the riders cross the finish line at the same time, they're given the same time even if one crosses the line before the other. If a huge group comes in at the same time, they're all given the same time. That's why mountain stages and time trials are usually the determining factor in who brings home the Maillot Jaune (French for yellow jersey).

Protected Riders (or leaders): Cycling is a team sport even though only one man gets the yellow jersey. The team works for the protected rider on their team. Lance Armstrong won all those yellow jerseys but he had an incredibly strong team supporting his efforts (yeah we know why they were that strong now). Basically heading into the Tour de France, each of the teams selects their protected rider and the domestiques are responsible for protecting that rider from the elements, crashes and helping them if they have a problem with their bike. Domestique: In French it means "servant" which is basically what these riders are. They work all in service of their designated team leader, meaning they bring them water bottles and food, protect them from the wind and help the main GC riders up climbs. Peloton: It's the French word for "pack" and it's essentially just that, the biggest pack of riders. Photo credit: Doug Pensinger, Getty Images Drafting: The reason why groups ride in a peloton is because those riding behind the riders in front are often getting a bit of a free ride. Studies have shown that by drafting behind other riders, the "protected riders" save up to 30 percent of their energy.

This is crucial in a three-week stage race when often times the person with the most power left in the final week of the race are often the ones on the top step of the podium. Podium: This is where all of the riders long to finish. Obviously the top step of the podium in Paris (Paris is the final stage) is the ultimate goal and this is where the top general classification rider finishes. Breakaway: Often times there will be a small group of riders break out of the peloton and try and get to the finish line before the large "pack" behind them uses the collective strength to catch up. Breakaways don't often succeed in today's cycling but when they do, it's enthralling because it takes truly strong men to hold off the incredible power of the peloton. Time trial: Often referred to as "the race of truth" time trials are stages (usually one or two in each three-week grand tour) that basically has riders riding one at a time racing purely against the clock. There is no drafting behind other riders allowed as this is supposed to determine who is truly the strongest rider in a race and often creates time gaps.

Even if they're often the least interesting stages to watch, they frequently carry huge implications for the overall general classification. Sprinters: When a stage is a flat one with few climbs, the riders who are good are putting out an immense amount of power in the final few hundred meters* in a mad dash for the finish line are called sprinters. Sometimes teams are built around sprinters as protected leaders so that they can win stages instead of targeting the overall general classification. *Yes cycling is all about the metric system but it doesn't take long to get used to how many kilometers are in a mile. Photo credit: Harry Engels, Getty Images Leadout Train: Sprinters have their domestiques just like the overall GC contenders do. But they actually form a huge line at the front of the peloton in the closing kilometers to help launch their sprinter into a good position to use their exceptional power to get to the finish line first. A good leadout train will also help a sprinter stay out of the main peloton leading into the finish line as those are often times when crashes occur due to the high speeds and tight quarters for the riders.

Categorized Climb: A climb basically has to have a certain length and gradient in order to be considered a categorized climb. In the Tour de France, the most difficult climbs are known as HC (hors categorie) which means "beyond classification." In layman terms, it's a REALLY hard climb that's either exceptionally long or steep or both. Stages that feature HC climbs, usually with time trial stages, often determine the rider who captures the famed yellow jersey. Category 1 climbs are the second hardest and so on. Feed Zone: Riders burn an exceptional amount of calories even if they aren't riding out in front of the peloton so they have to refuel. The soigneurs (French for those who provide care) stand at the side of the road and hand off feed bags to the riders who then eat their mini-sandwiches, Cokes, Fantas or whatever other goodie they have stored away for them. Traffic Furniture: Curbs, roundabouts (circles or rotaries depending on what you call them) all pose huge dangers to the riders and riding in a peloton, it's tough to see these things.

The problem is there are lots of these things all along the roads of France so you'll hear this term a lot, often times as the peloton closes in on the finish line. Le Tour De France The world's greatest display of country and will Breaking down the course with Haimar Zubeldia Jersey Competitions: While the yellow jersey is the biggest prize, Le Tour features several other competitions that are sometimes tough to follow even for the most hardcore cycling fan. There is a green jersey, awarded often for the best (or most consistent) sprinter in the race; a polka dot jersey for the best climber or king of the mountains; a white jersey for the best young rider (top rider under a certain age in the general classification); those are the most important ones. Think of it like this. Sprinters are usually bigger dudes who can't climb (there are a few exceptions including the guy who has won the green jersey the last two years) and win the green jersey and the polka dot jersey is for tiny climber dudes who can't really time trial that well.

Americans with a shot at the GC: Those of you who are forlorn over the United States Men's National Team loss in the World Cup, there is a place to turn your attention where you can see Americans go against folks from all different countries. Andrew Talansky won one of the biggest pre-race races in the Criterium du Dauphine beating Le Tour yellow jersey favorites like Chris Froome and Alberto Contador. Tejay Van Garderen has won the white jersey at the Tour (best young rider) in the past and he rides for the first time as the protected leader of his team. While these guys aren't five-star favorites, they have a decent shot of winding up on the podium if things go right. Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen and Bob Roll: These are the main commentary guys for NBCSN where the majority of the Tour will be telecast in the United States. Phil and Paul are staples of the sport and are both English by birth but you wouldn't know it by watching them. They tend to cheer hard for American riders and people love them for it (even sometimes to their detriment as they were both big Lance Armstrong defenders).

Bob Roll is a former American rider who rode for one of the first American teams to compete at the Tour de France. He's known adoringly as Bobke and is known for his affable personality, gap in his teeth and some crazy Road ID advertising. Now that you're an expert, head on over to Podium Café to follow along with a bunch of other cycling aficionados. More From SBNation.com Tour de France teams are beautiful, complex enterprises in hope - SBNation.com Tour de France teams are beautiful, complex enterprises in hope New, 1 comment Just as eight riders help one man win the Maillot Jaune, it takes a near-batallion of support to make a Tour de France team function on a daily basis. And yet despite their precision and diligence, those well-laid plans still rest on hope. Rec Doug Pensinger Ask anyone who has competed in it, the Tour de France is a hot flash in a feverish sports season. "It's a tree compared to a branch, 10 times bigger than any other race." It's early wake-ups, and precisely planned meals, little downtime and meetings with media.

There is press -- so much press -- hovering around staging areas in start and finish towns, crushing riders too tired to be angry. It's stress echoed and then absorbed by those tasked with keeping riders sane; a level of tension such that it's all you can do to keep from going into rigor mortis. When I told one team's communications manager I would be driving along the last nine stages of the Tour de France, he told me to plot my escape. He said that the only time he worked the race, he was so caught off guard by the fatigue that he was forced to pay attention at every moment, except for the 15 minutes he stole every so often to read his book. He had never done anything so intense, and isn't sure how he is going to make it through his second one. Photo credit: Bryn Lennon In addition to the nine riders, this is what a racing team looks like: Minimum 17 staff: four soigneurs, four mechanics, a general manager, two race directors; a cook, a press officer, a hospitality manager, a technical director, a doctor and a photographer. 10 vehicles: one truck, one bus, one sprinter, one van and six cars.

27 road bikes, 18 time trial bikes and 80 pairs of wheels. 2,000 bottles 1,000 energy bars 1,500 gel packs The kit per each rider, which includes the following: four bibs, four short sleeve jerseys, two long sleeve thermal jerseys, two short sleeve thermal jerseys, three knee/leg/arm warmers, two wind vests, two rain jackets, five pairs of socks, two helmets, two aero helmets, 10 cycling caps, three pairs of gloves The riders are still asleep when the day begins for everyone else. The mechanics and the soigneurs have to be on top of their tasks sooner than anyone. The mechanics handle the bikes, and should have tires inflated and gear loaded into the team cars by about 8:30 a.m. The cars are packed so that the bike of the team's most important man that day -- perhaps a general classification contender, or a top sprinter -- is on the outer right hand side of the bike rack.

The bike of his best teammate or domestique -- think Richie Porte to Chris Froome in 2013 and 2014, or Froome to Bradley Wiggins in 2012 -- gets the spot on the outside left. the soigneurs perform perhaps their most vital function: evening massages for whoever wants one. Everyone always wants one. The soigneurs take care of the riders. They are also up early, preparing food and mixing electrolyte packets with water to be handed out to the team during that day's stage. They pack everything in musettes, sacks filled with the goods to be snatched on the fly at a mid-point of the stage by starved riders. The soigneurs must then drive hellbent towards the finish, navigating the back roads that haven't yet been closed off by gendarmes. There, they greet riders at the line, help them walk to the bus, and stave off the press -- again, there's a lot press. Later, the soigneurs collect wet and sweaty kits for the wash, then perform perhaps their most vital function: evening massages for whoever wants one. Everyone always wants one.

That includes the race directors, who drive and coordinate the two team cars out of a procession of 44 behind the peloton, ready to mash the gas pedal if one of their riders crashes or, more happily, gets in a breakaway. They use a system of radios to direct everything: Race radio: A one-way feed run by Tour de France organizers. Team cars are stuck behind cyclists with limited visibility, so they rely on race radio to relay information about which riders have been involved in crashes or are pulling away from the peloton. Race radio gives clearance to team cars to break procession order and speed ahead to aid their riders. Car-to-car radio: A channel open to only the two team cars. Amidst so much chaos, the two race directors must be in constant contact, communicating who will help which riders, and whether to pull over and swap rider-specific equipment based on which rider is in which part of the peloton. Car-to-rider radio: A channel that puts race directors directly in in the ears of team riders. This communication line has been open since the mid-90s, though some want to abolish it, claiming that it has eliminated spontaneity during stages in favor of robotic coordination and tactics.

Riders like it, however, and teams insist that the radio is used almost entirely for communicating times and potential hazards ahead, and that little collusion takes place. A rider collects a bidon from the team car, Photo credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Cars follow the peloton according to the team rankings, from best to worst. That means that at the moment, Astana drives the first car (and 23rd, or first in the next set of cars) behind the peloton, followed by Belkin, Team Sky, and on down the line to France's Bretagne-Seche Environnement. Positioning is vitally important during each stage. Front cars can come to the aide of their riders much sooner and more easily, saving them precious time against the competition. Cars cannot break out of procession order until someone on the one-way race radio says they can. Conditions for this include: a rider is in a breakaway that is at least one minute ahead of the peloton, a rider just crashed, or a rider is in need of medical assistance. The procession drives on the right side of the road so that cars that get called up to cyclists can pass on the left. This of course assumes two lanes exist.

God help you if your team leader slips on a hairpin descent in the Alps. Tour de France Everything to know about the Tour de France Love the Tour de France The race radio lords over all, but it isn't infallible. Stage 16 during of the Giro d'Italia in May was the best example of this, when bad weather made for a harrowing descent from the race's highest peak. Some took a word of caution from race commentators as an announcement that the race would be neutralized -- that is to say, effectively canceled -- and eased up. Others -- like eventual winner Nairo Quintana -- bombed down the mountain and gained precious minutes on other general classification contenders. Never mind that the confusion reached the Giro's own Twitter account , the rest of the field was stuck behind an insurmountable gap to Quintana, perhaps the world's best climber (and an unfortunate Tour de France absentee). But on occasion everything goes more or less to plan -- potential problems are quickly snuffed out, the equipment works, the riders get their mid-stage pick-me-ups, the weather complies and legs feel fresh -- and you have a man brazenly leaving the peloton on his own.

He needs one last boost, so you ping your communications manager in the other car and tell him to get to the 60-kilometers-to-go mark ready with an impromptu water bottle. The communications manager is now no longer the team's resident mediaite, but its only chance to win the day. He has to navigate a landscape he is only familiar with in abstract, but he is deft and makes the handoff in time. And at that moment hope is at its highest. The entire enterprise can thus be summarized as hope management -- taking care of everything in your control so that for the last few meters of a long day you are free to listen to the finish and pray. A job well done leaves only the hope that the guy on the bike doesn't fuck the whole thing up. More From SBNation.com 5 Secrets of a Tour de France Rider | Mental Floss 5 Secrets of a Tour de France Rider Getty Images Like us on Facebook The Tour de France is not for the faint of heart. The annual 21-stage bicycle race features teams of professional riders from around the world who pedal over 2,000 miles of the French countryside and French Alps before reaching the ceremonial last stage in Paris.

We don’t all have the calf muscles to tackle a climb at an incline of 15 percent, but read on to learn some secrets of those who are cycling for the winner’s yellow jersey. 1. They eat constantly. Getty Images Three meals a day? Try six. Cyclists burn up to 1,000 calories an hour during the grueling race, and the days involve four hours of pure cycling. The thing a rider does the most when he’s not on the bike is eat. Days start with a massive buffet-style breakfast at the hotel and then racers continue to eat and drink up until the bicycling actually begins. During the leg, each team’s support vehicles hand out fruit, sandwiches, water, and sports drinks that the riders consume while pedaling. The riders have built up a major calorie deficit during the day, and after the finish line, the work begins during the bus ride to the hotel as the cyclists are served starches like boiled potatoes and rice, and proteins like tuna and ham. At the hotel, riders chow down on a 2,000-calorie dinner that is heavy in protein to rebuild muscle.

The day ends with a snack before going to sleep, during which they’re probably not dreaming of food. 2. They’re chatting the whole time. Getty Images Four hours is a long time to ride a bike, especially when you don’t have anyone to talk to. Early on in the day’s race, cyclists often talk to each other while pedaling, especially if they end up in the large group of riders that forms after the starting gun (this group is called the “peloton”). Historically, riders would first try speaking to each other in French. If that didn’t work, they would try Italian and then Spanish. It wasn’t until the mid-1980s, when riders from Anglophone countries started appearing at the Tour, that English became widely spoken. The Union Cycliste Internationale, the governing body for the world of international cycling, now operates in both French and English. 3. They can pee while riding. Getty Images Riders sweat a lot. To make up for the liquid lost, cyclists drink several bottles of water and sports drinks during the ride, some of which will eventually need to leave the body through another method.

Usually, riders in the peloton will stop all together or follow the understanding that the group will slow down if a significant number of riders need to stop for a bathroom break. However, when nature calls, it calls when she wants—whether that’s in the peloton or sprinting to catch up with the leaders during the last miles of the race. In such cases, riders have been known to urinate while on the bike by exposing themselves for a few moments (or just letting it go, as-is). 4. They live longer. Getty Images Despite the epic crashes that involve dozens of riders at a time, a study released by the Paris Cardiovascular Center in 2014 showed that male professional cyclists live, on average, 6.3 years longer than the general population. The study compared the lifespans of any Frenchman who finished at least once in the Tour de France against an average Frenchman, and found that mortality rates were 41 percent lower for the riders. Scientists attribute the difference to a cyclist’s generally healthy way of life, including a very small likelihood that a professional cyclist smokes. 5. They’ll only ride a clean bicycle.

Getty Images It should come as no surprise that the bikes themselves are maintained rigorously during the race. Each bicycle is hand washed first with a degreasing solution before receiving a soapy sponge bath and power wash to remove dirt, grime, and memories of the day’s race. Not only are the bikes cleaned thoroughly, but mechanics also readjust and re-tune every bike—including replacing the cables and bearings—on a daily basis. When not being tuned up or transported or ridden, the bikes for each team remain under lock and key in the team truck. The Cannonade Garmin team is said to park a second team truck directly behind the one that holds the bikes so, even if the lock somehow gets picked, thieves can’t open the rear swinging doors. The feedzone: Nutritional Challenges of the Tour de France | VeloNews.com Home » Training Center » Nutrition » The feedzone: Nutritional Challenges of the Tour de France The feedzone: Nutritional Challenges of the Tour de France Nov. 29, 2012 By Monique Ryan With 16 days of hard racing behind them, the peloton is headed for the last day in mountains.

From a nutritional perspective, the biggest challenge of a three week stage race like the Tour de France is not only eating to achieve full muscle glycogen recovery off the bike, when riders have large team meals and recovery snacks available to them. But they must also meet the demands of glycogen depletion on the bike, an almost impossible task given the intricacies of race dynamics, stomach and intestinal tolerances, and the gargantuan fuel demands and fluid losses that occur during a stage. Researchers have actually quantified the nutritional consumption of riders in the Tour de France (1991 Tour), and the Tour of Spain (1998 Tour), and measured that riders average a daily food intake of 4,000 to 8,000 calories. You may have your own experiences of consuming several thousand calories daily during hard training and your own stage racing experience. Consider your own challenges of meal planning, packing food, and negotiating restaurant meals over two to three days. For Tour de France riders, even with the assistance of an organized team, soigneurs, and perhaps a team chef, eating enough food around long stages and maintain this high nutritional intake for three weeks can be challenging.

As fatigue sets in over the course of a race appetite can decrease and the race diet they consume off the bike may become routine and unappealing. Of course race morning starts with a very large breakfast, typically three hours before the start, a digestion period that works well for both for pro and middle of the pack Cat III riders. Food choices should be kept to easily digested and trusted items for any rider. Your own breakfast can consist of cereal, dairy or soy milk, juice, and toast with plenty of carbohydrate rich jam. Before a very long stage, Tour de France riders consume these types of foods but may add in some protein from eggs and egg whites, protein powder, and even add in a large bowl of rice and pasta. Of course most riders start the day with plenty of coffee to lift their brain power and energy levels. Moderate doses of caffeine should be well tolerated and provide a legal performance boost. You can have your own lean protein portions before a long race, but make sure that you experiment with tolerances in training. A large breakfast not only raises liver glycogen stores and blood glucose levels, it can also top off muscle glycogen stores for the depleted Tour De France riders.

It is estimated that the Tour de France requires a carbohydrate intake of 13 g/kg (6 g/lb.) of body weight, and they need to intake these amounts day after day. Your own long training days may demand carbohydrate fuel at a level of 7 to 10 g/kg (3-4.5 g/lb.) daily. By week three some nutritional boredom can even set in and riders will look for a little variety in their pre-race meal. While three hours allows for good digestion of the right food choices, Tour de France riders can also pay attentions to their energy and especially carbohydrate needs right up to the start. They may consume easily digested energy drinks for hydration purposes as well, and an energy bar in the one to two hours before the start. Your own pre-race meal can be topped off with these items and others such as energy gels for a quick pre-race carbohydrate boost. Of course long stages in the Tour are challenging from a hydration and fueling perspective and how riders keep up can make a difference in their contribution to the team. Mountain stages can make it more difficult to access food and it can be tricky to eat and drink on the descents.

Optimally riders need to consume over 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. Sports drinks are a great option as they also replace some of the sweat losses of these well-trained athletes. Because of the long stages, riders may also reach for some solid items including items like gels, energy bars, and even bread rolls with jam. Fuel and fluid consumption should start soon after they settle into the stage, to offset fuel depletion early on. Solids tend to work better in the beginning, with gel shots providing a good carbohydrate boost at the end of a long stage. These riders have plenty of practice with consuming both solids and liquids on the bike and riders with a high rate of gastric emptying, as well as lower sweat rates would have an advantage in offsetting fluid losses. For your own race preparation, focus on your favorite sports drink to replace fluid and fuel. Sweat losses can be high in some cyclists, over 2 liters per hour. At your very best, your drinking efforts may only be minimizing the level of dehydration that can develop during a race. Aim for 1 gram of carbohydrate intake per kilogram of body weight per hour from your sports drink.

Drinks with multiple sources of carbohydrate allow for a slightly higher amount of carbohydrate to absorbed through the small intestine. Liquids also tend to be the most appealing on hot racing days. You can add in gels as needed for longer stages. After a long stage the Tour de France riders quickly down a recovery drink of mainly carbohydrate and some protein. Ideally 1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight should be consumed immediately after hard efforts. Ten to 15 grams of protein can be added to the mix to help with muscle repair. Sodium containing drinks also speed the rehydration process. Riders may snack steadily until dinnertime on sweets, fruits, and even soft drinks, with a focus on constant refueling. Muscle glycogen resynthesis is speediest immediately after exercise, but is still relatively elevated for 4 to 6 hours afterwards. Dinner should finally arrive by 8 pm, and the riders are likely to be hungry again. Here they will consume protein such as chicken and fish, plates of pasta or rice, vegetables, salad, and bread. Riders with higher energy needs may snack in the room at night. Your own recovery nutrition should also continue after meeting your immediate post-training or racing intake.

You should aim for 1.2 g carbohydrate/kg body every two hours, combined with moderate doses of protein. Check labels to make sure that your recovery snacks and meals contain sodium to enhance rehydration.

Question: What is the large pack of bike riders in a race such as the Tour de France called?
Answer: Peloton