Fun Facts and Amusing Tales of the Tour de France


The Tour de France is one of the epic events on the sporting calendar.  It’s where dozens of cyclists sprint, climb and glide their way through a gruelling course that traverses mountains, rivers, forests and plains.  It’s where men are men and fans misbehave and where Lance Armstrong went from star-studded celebrity to devious cheat in a few short days.
 
It’s a race that has the kind of appeal that breaches languages, cultures and nationalities.  Thus far riders representing 33 countries have won at least one stage of the Tour - from Lithuania and Mexico to Kazakhstan and South Africa! 

Fun Facts and Amusing Tales of the Tour de France
 
Even now elite riders from as far away as Zambia are urging themselves onwards and upwards in an effort to qualify for the world’s premier cycling event.  Guys like Bernard Saulombu, Kaumba Kakoma and Bedias Tunkanya dream of a day when they too can prove their mettle in the greatest cycle race the world has ever known.
 
With so much at stake, the Tour has delivered its fair share of records, scandals and amusing incidents.  Here are a few light-hearted facts about the Tour de France, the riders and the fans.

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Bathroom Break Anyone?

 
The Tour de France 2019 is finally underway and there are plenty of competitors who are already sunburnt and saddle sore.  According to localised weather reports the mercury is expected to soar to around 78 F (26 C).  
 
Hot sticky conditions have become the norm on the Tour of late and if the weather plays its part, the 3,460 km course is expected to take its toll on competitors.

Fun Facts and Amusing Tales of the Tour de France
 
When conditions do become really uncomfortable how do the riders keep cool under pressure?  Hydration is obviously key but with lots of liquids comes… you’ve guessed it, the urge to urinate.  When you’re already chasing the peloton the last thing you need is a bathroom break.  So how do they eliminate excess fluids?
 
With riders losing around 1,5 litres of sweat per hour - that’s a mind blowing 130 litres of fluid overall - the urge probably isn’t all that great.  When they do need to evacuate the bladder, they apparently do it while riding… but hopefully when the wind is at their back and they’re on a gradual decline!
 

Hydration or Deceitful Chicanery?

 
One rider who took hydration really seriously was the diminutive Frenchman Jean Robic.  Rather than requesting multiple water bottles before the climbs, the ‘five foot nothing’ specialist climber stocked up on the summits.
 
Fun Facts and Amusing Tales of the Tour de France

Instead of containing water, the bottles were filled with lead or mercury to add the required ballast to his tiny frame. With the help of a few extra kilograms, Robic would fly down the downhill sections before jettisoning the evidence of his misdemeanours!
 

Burn Baby, Burn… the Calories

 
Due to the steamy conditions and the physicality of the race, the average rider burns around 7,000 calories per day or 147,000 calories over the three weeks of racing.
 
To put that figure into perspective, that’s the equivalent of 507 hot dogs or 485 cheeseburgers with all the trimmings or 625 slices of chocolate cake with frosting or 1,215 ice cream cones!

Fun Facts and Amusing Tales of the Tour de France
 

The Force Be with You!

 
We know the Tour de France is one of the most popular sporting events on the planet… but did you know that more than 3,6 billion people from 190 countries tune in to the race?  What is even more astounding is around 12 million fans line the route to cheer the riders on - and more recently, to spit and throw punches at Chris Froome!
 

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Published: 07/05/2019