Guess what started Today?!
I got into it about 3 years ago and hooked my husband. I think I started watching it at the gym. As I watched those cyclists I pushed myself harder on whatever I was doing because they were so inspiring. I told myself, "look at what they are doing. If they can do THAT, I can at least go a little harder and sweat a little more and hurt a little more too."
I have some favorite teams, Team Radioshack, with riders, Frank Schleck (no brother Andy this year), Fabian Cancellara, Andreas Kloden and Yaroslav Popovych are some of the famous names that I recognize.
Team Garmin, another favorite, which used to be Garmin-Cervelo, which is now Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda. Their "better" known riders are, Ryder Hesjadal, Tyler Farrar(I believe he's a good sprinter), Christian Vande Velde, David Zabriskie, David Miller, Tom Danielson.
I like a lot of them. I like Team Lampre's "outfits," but that's just a girl perspective. I like Team BMC, with it's leaders like Cadel Evans(winner of the 2011 Tour and winner of the Yellow Jersey), George Hincapie, Tejay Van Garderen and Phillippe Gilbert- everyone on the the team is important and each play a vital role in the success of the team.
Here are some other big names you might recognize Tomas Voeckler, the vivacious little Frenchman(Team Europcar), Samuel Sanchez(Team Euskaltel-Euskadi), Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Edvlad Boasson Hagen(Team Sky Procycling), Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Andre Greipel(Team Lotto-Belisol), Mark Renshaw(Team Rabobank), Levi Leipheimer, Jerome Pineau(Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step). There are of course a lot of other riders out there, I am just not as familiar with them. I don't follow cycling as religiously as some do. I am also not familiar with some of the teams either, or rather am unfamiliar with any of their riders.
There are 20 stages in the Tour with two days of rest the first after stage 9 and the second after stage 15, two time trials, 9 flat stages, 4 medium mountain stages(um...to me a mountain is a mountain), 5 mountain stages and 1 prologue.
Check out the elevation map!
Someone added those "le_____", not me.
The longest ride is 140 miles stage 12 from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne > Annonay Davézieux on Friday July 13th.
The shortest are the time trials and the prologue.
I always get super nervous when they are going downhill because they go SO fast. Me, going down hill it's squeaky breaks all the way. I have no desire to eat road. I'm pretty sure I would die both going up and down the hills. Wait, correction, I wouldn't make it up the hill.
The peloton is the main big group of riders usually behind those that have decided to sprint ahead.
Jerseys are as follows:
Yellow: Leader of general individual time classification.
Green Jersey: It is worn by the leader of the points classification. The points can be won on intermediate sprints and at stage finishes. Polka-dot Jersey: Best Climber
White Jersey: Best young rider under 25 in general individual time classification.
These athletes are incredible, their stamina and energy. Some even get back on their bikes after falls. It's incredible. Last year a television car clipped two riders, as it was swerved to avoid a tree, Juan Antonio Flecha was hit and knocked into Johnny Hoogerland who went flying off into a barbed wire fence. They both got up and ended up finish that stage. INSPIRING!
Will you be watching the Tour?
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