Le Tour 2020
This year, many things have been disrupted thanks to Covid 19, include Le Tour de France. There will be a race this year (fingers crossed), it is delayed until the end of August with a Grand Depart in Nice.
It was due to begin on the 27th June, but this year will be on the 29th August.
I consider Le Tour to be one of the most absorbing sporting spectacles in the world, and so I’m taking the time to explain just why.
The race has something for everyone, once you know what you’re looking at. There are actually several competitions taking place, both individual competitions and team competitions. In addition to that, sometimes a rider will try and lead out, even if they have no hope of ultimately winning the stage, in order to give their team sponsor time in the sun.
In each competition, a coloured jersey denotes who is currently in the lead - if a rider ‘holds’ two jerseys, the ‘lesser’ jersey is worn by the second place rider in that competition.
A team usually decides where there are going to be competitive, and designate a rider as ‘leader’ or ‘captain’. Other riders are their domestiques. On occasion, a team might have the strength to compete in several areas, but this may result in tough decisions if resources are limited.
The domestiques do everything to support their team leader. Roles can include acting as a rolling windbreak, so the leader can conserve energy and be fresher than the opposition; to drop back to the team car to pick up supplies, then come forward again to deliver them; or in-extremis to give up their bike for the leader. Often, one rider is designated to be a lieutenant and stay with their leader (riding ahead of them in a sprint for the line to shield them against drag, or giving them their bike in the event of a mechanical problem)..
The Jerseys
Le Maillot Jaune - the Yellow Jersey. This is worn by the individual rider with the shortest overall time for the race. This rider is not normally winning stages (though they can), but they get a consistently good time. The Maillot Jaune is considered the most prestigious trophy.
Le Maillot Blanc - the White Jersey. Awarded to the best placed young rider (under 25). The holder of the white Jersey is someone to watch for the future.
Le Maillot Blanc A Pois - the Polka Dot Jersey. The King of the Mountains. Certain mountainous stages have checkpoints at the top of mountain passes, and points are earned for being the first over the pass. The rider with the most mountain points wears the Jersey. This Jersey is only in contention on suitable stages.
Le Maillot Vert - The Green Jersey. For each stage, points are awarded for first, second, third and so on across the line. Most points wins. It is usually the green jersey riders who go for the sprint finish - but this is something they find hard to do day on day. The yellow jersey contenders tend to opt for consistency.
Team Classification - There is no Jersey for the best team, but the current holders have their race numbers are on a yellow background instead of white. It is decided by the times of the fastest three riders in each team for a stage, however in a time trial, the fifth fastest rider in the team is used. This is rarely the main aim of a team at the Grand Départ, but it can be something they transition toward if other prizes are out of reach, or if doing so does not harm their chances of a high-profile Jersey.
Etiquette
In the event that a race-leader has a mechanical issue that causes them to be over-taken, it is considered bad form to capitalise, and people will usually ease off. This is not always the case, on occasion advantage is taken. If they were left behind before the mechanical problem, then the mechanical is irrelevant.
Riders often agree to have a ‘comfort break’ at some point along the stage. The peloton slows on some lane, and riders can then pause to answer the call of nature before rejoining the peloton. It is in the interest of all that this break is possible.
If someone does well, they are hailed with ‘Chapeau’ or ‘hat, it is a metaphorical doffing of the cap..
Other factors
The peloton is the big group of riders. Sometimes a group of riders will break away from the front. It is harder to ride in a small group than a big group as you have to spend more time pushing the air out of the way.
On occasion, a breakaway is a serious attempt to pick up points or time, sometimes it is just about screen-time for the sponsor (in the latter case, the peloton might let them go and we can get a surprise stage-win).
A lone breakaway rider can happen, but most commonly the breakaway will have several riders - and in this case they will often share the duty of leading to keep that lead, even if they ultimately become competitors. There have been many occasions where the cooperation that kept a group away from the peloton has broken down, with each rider trying to slip-stream the other.
From time to time, someone in that group won’t play their part at all - maybe because their leader is still in the peloton and they want the breakaway to be caught, or perhaps they want to get the benefit of the slipstream and then launch themselves out for the line. This tactic often causes them to be berated by the others in the group - and they run the risk of people refusing to work with them on another day.
For timing purposes, everyone in a group of riders gets the same time.
As a stage ends
As the stage ends, the pace picks up.
Teams try and get their riders together to form a ‘lead out train’. They ride at high speed in line, and slipstream, taking turns to push through the air, and delivering ‘their man’ relatively fresh to the point that they can launch away and claim the prize.
The final stage
The yellow jersey is usually decided before Paris, all they have to do in practice is finish. As such, riders will often begin the stage in a celebratory fashion with a glass of champagne en route. The final stage is often highly contested by the sprinters for the honour of finishing on the Champs Elysees - and sometimes the yellow jersey will give it a go.
Summary
That there are many competitions; that the teams are constantly probing and testing to see if they can break away; that its all about choosing the moment so that when you do go, it will be decisive. At the speeds they go, managing drag is incredibly important.
As a TV viewer, it can be watched casually or intently. It has strategy combined with athleticism. It is teams cooperating, forming alliances, and then competing. It is teams working for different goals at the same time.
Other Races
In the Giro d’Italia will start on 3rd Oct this year. The maglia rosa (pink) takes the place of the maillot jaune; maglia azurra (blue) is the king of the mountains; maglia rosso (red) is the points jersey; maglia blanco is the same as the mailot blanc.
The Vuelta will start on the 20th October. The leader has the maillot rojo (red) - other classifications as as Le Tour de France, except the polka dots are blue. The colours have changed over the years.
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