Revealing more about the Tour de France than the bikers’ spandex.
There’s more where that came from,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. The average cyclist spends up to six hours a day on a bike and will burn 4,000 – 5,000 calories in each stage. By the end of the race they’ve burned the equivalent of 252 McDonald’s double cheeseburgers. The best diet was from the 1904 winner, Henri Cornet, who drank hot chocolate, champagne, tea and ate rice pudding as his food rations. CHAMPS ON A BIKE? AN AVERAGE SUNDAY FUNDAY
2. While the Peloton is what makes your thighs and buns burn during your home workout, in the Tour a peloton is the pack of lead riders grouped together. (Probably also makes the buns burn). The two riders expected to fight for the top honors are both from Slovenia - defending champion Tadej Pogacar and last race’s runner-up, Primoz Roglic. PLACE YOUR BETS
3. Until the 1960s it was common for participants to drink alcohol to numb the pain. Despite its 'healing power,' alcohol was later banned because it's a stimulant. BOTTOMS UP
4. One of the crazier traditions of the Tour has nothing to do with the guys in the race. It has become an annual thing for mountain bikers to jump over the pack of riders during a stage of the race. Think Jackass meets big air. SAYONARA TEETH
5. To the riders, it’s not all about the Benjamins. After enduring 21 stages of 2,102 miles through France over 23 days with only two days of rest, the winner takes home a check for $500,000 Euros. (For comparison sake, the Wimbledon singles winners will take home $2.37 million). MIGHT WANT TO RAISE THAT HOURLY RATE
Want something a little more interactive or simply to relive what the Tour was like when drinking was allowed? Check out the Tour de Franzia - a drinking game that pays homage to the race with boxed wine. The Tour runs from June 26 - July 18. The women’s race, “La Course,” is on Saturday, June 26 as well.
