You may think that the Tour de France is about the lycra and scenic countrysides and you know what? You're right. Although that's not all it has to offer.
Kicking it into high gear,
The Last Night's Game Team
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TOUR DE FRANCE
By the numbers - The Tour is just under 2,200 miles long and features 198 teams made up of nine riders each. There are 21 stages (i.e. mountain or flat) that make up the race. Out of the 23 days of the Tour, the riders only have two days of rest.
While it’s the Tour de France, the route actually goes through four different countries – Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.
Defending champion Chris Froome from Team Sky is hoping to win his fourth Tour de France in five years. We haven’t seen domination like this since Lance Armstrong.
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.
Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen have been race announcers for 45 and 39 years respectively. They are on air for hours a day for three weeks straight. They have a talent of making the mundane fun with their cheeky and poetic cycling commentary.
OVERTIME
The Tour de France is off to a controversial start. World Champion Peter Sagan was disqualified yesterday for throwing an elbow toward the end of stage four, causing other riders to crash.
SIDELINE STAT
In yesterday’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating contest the defending champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut ate 72 hot dogs (buns and all) in 10 minutes for a grand total of 20,160 calories. Feel the burn.
COACHES’ CORNER
If you think you’ve never had a say in who plays for your team, you have until tomorrow to vote for the final two players on the MLB (Major League Baseball) All-Star Game rosters. Cast your vote.
