tour de france
To enjoy the world's biggest race, the Tour de France, one must understand terminology and only a few simple principles. The first is the concept stage – the building block that makes this race the most difficult endurance contest known.
The stages of the Tour de France
The Tour France is divided into "stages". There is a race held each day, but not always a stage. Think of a scenario as a sort of race distance. Riders win or lose, rank high or low, depending on their cumulative time from start to finish. Sometimes, drivers are rewarded time bonuses and prizes for finishing first.
The stages can cover all types of terrain. The steps that cross the mountains have led to a special award, the "King of the Mountain". The physical challenge of climbing mountains is set on a complex formula that rates a mountain by its steepness, length, and position on the course. The form easier climbs are classified 4, most of the hardest as 1 and the exceptional (such as the Tourmalet) as unclassified, or "hors-catégorie. The most famous hors-catégorie peaks include the Col du Tourmalet and Mont Ventoux. The winners of the mountain stages often determine the winner.
The Tour already has a short first stage called the prologue. Riders start the Tour in reverse order-the weakest, slowest runners start first. The prologue decides who he wear the famous yellow jersey on the first day. The race now ends on the Champs Elysees.
Riders who finish in the same group get the same time. Ha finished in the same group as a competitor if you finish the stage with less than a bike length separating each rider. If a rider crashes in the last three kilometers, is given the same finishing time that the group would have finished in. Is it really possible to win the Tour without winning a stage. Greg LeMond did in 1990.
For most stage, all riders start at the same time, jostling themselves into position. The "real or reel départ home is on the road a few miles. There are rules around this jostling. Riders can touch but not push.
Sometimes during the first week of the Tour, a team time trial (TTT) will be out. Teams travel without interference from other equipment. The team time is established when the fifth team rider to cross the finish line of that stage. The trial team has been criticized by favoring strong teams and strong riders punish weaker teams.
Stages for 2007
The Tour de France 2007 start in London, the first time ever that the race will start in Britain. The race will stay in Britain for two days. It was rumored that London paid nearly six million dollars to the host, from the race, an amount Mayor Livingston believes is well spent. Because this race is a world-wide spectacle, it attracts tourists and television viewers to London. The Tour will be the biggest sporting event London has promoted.
Passengers on the first day will pass major landmarks of London, Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London and leaving London that ended the day at Canterbury – a long journey of 126 miles.
2007 The race director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme has said that all precautions be taken to prevent terrorist threats or actions.
If you liked this article, you will find more history of the Tour de France of articles and the tour schedule this year:
2007 Tour de France, the route and history of
Details of the Tour de France
Funny Tour De France Prank
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