Since eating during a race and support car role has revealed, have a look at how riders go for a toilet break in the Tour de Franceย
This weekend marks the start of the 2023 Tour de France, and for those who will be following along worldwide, two things will likely be on their minds.
Tour de France 2023 how do riders take a toilet break, stops and support cars rules explained
Tour de France J-3 ๐pic.twitter.com/mvJ4xYYf1g
— Cycling Legend (@CyclingLegend_) June 28, 2023
Why in the world would you want to subject your body to all of that? Putting in daily marathon-level effort while ascending and descending enormous mountains, then sprinting to the finish line and for points. Le Tour is a test of both physical and mental endurance that is essentially unmatched in professional sport.
But there are lots of problems in the actual world that leave people perplexed. What’s with all the cars? What do cyclists eat when racing? The most important query is what occurs when nature calls.
What do support cars do at the Tour de France?
It’s not meant to make fun of the poor saps who have to travel the same distance on bikes when all those Skodas are cruising around. Maybe excluding the cars from the official racing VIP hospitality schedule. These make just a small portion of the 200 or so Skoda cars that were provided for the event; Skoda has been a longtime supporter of Le Tour. These are divided into a number of categories.
Race directorโs car
Even if you can’t see it coming, you will undoubtedly hear it arriving in its characteristic red velvet tone. The race director’s car, which also has its recognisable customised honking horn to greet fans and clear the roads as the race progresses along, is in the front of the peloton.
Additionally, the vehicle contains a refrigerator and champagne flute holders for the director’s special visitors, the most illustrious of whom is typically the President of France.
The director also has work to do, so it’s not all pricy booze and awesome sound effects. The current leader, Christian Prudhomme, has a retractable panoramic sunroof from which he can assess the competition and issue flag commands, such the white km zero flag to start a stage.
The director’s car serves as a mobile command centre for the teams, and it is equipped with a radio console that connects it to the other eight marshalls’ cars that are scattered throughout the convoy.
Neutral support cars
Neutral support cars are ready to swoop in and help any rider stranded without their own team for company. They are typically seen at the rear of the field and are now a unique shade of blue thanks to a sponsorship with Japanese component manufacturer Shimano. They essentially function as a mobile bike shop in an emergency, carrying spare tyres, chains, crank sets, and entire bicycles.
Star riders may, however, typically rely on a crew that is available to them at any time.
Team support cars
Team support cars are essential to all riders vying for the top spot, providing everything from spare bikes and components to first aid, refreshments, and everything in between. Simply put, you can’t finish Le Tour without them.
Depending on the general classification position of their main cyclist, team vehicles are given a rank, and they are only permitted to move up or down a rank with the race director’s approval.
Riders have a very compelling reason to keep their team support cars close by, even when everything is going well on the bike.
What do riders eat during the Tour de France?
When you and your buddies go for a Sunday cycle, you are aware of what to expect. Visit a lovely cafe halfway for a satisfying breakfast with bacon, eggs, and whatever else takes your fancy. Afterward, perhaps a coffee and cake as you make your way home.
Naturally, the nutritional requirements for Tour de France competitors are a little more sophisticated. However, athletes still need to consume a lot of calories, anywhere from 4,000 on the day of a flat stage to 9,000 for the most difficult mountain stages.
Breakfast is certainly a crucial component of all of this, but it should go without saying that riders cannot consume all of their daily caloric needs before mounting their bikes and collapsing in a heap of indigestion.
Then there are caffeinated gels, which you should not give to your child. Once the pace of a stage picks up and it becomes difficult to chew and swallow solid food, they become crucial and supply the majority of calories.
Additionally, a cyclist carefully applies caffeine gel 30 to 45 minutes before to the potential requirement for a large effort. Competitors will carry gels and bars in their jersey pockets, but the team will also need to keep a steady supply of these things on hand, along with water and energy drinks.
How do riders go to the toilet at the Tour de France?
In the Tour de France of 2022, Wout van Aert set the early pace and increased his advantage by winning the incredible stage four. Comparatively speaking, he was fined 200 Swiss francs at the same time last year for “urinating in public.”
There is a time and place for pee breaks, not that stopping is forbidden. The general classification leader can, in fact, choose when riders can have a group comfort stop, according to Grand Tour tradition.