How Do The French Pro Road Cyclist Set Up Their Bikes?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Many Tour de France stages are road courses, so

the riders can stop at the side of the road to pee

, with teams sometimes organizing a “nature break” in which the teammates collectively urinate. Time is of the essence here because riders will be passed by other racers while they are taking care of their business.

What gear ratios do Tour de France riders use?

Pros often use a

55×11-tooth high gear

for time trials. On flat or rolling stages they might have 53/39T chainrings with an 11-21T cassette. In moderate mountains they switch to a large cog of 23T or 25T.

Do the bikes ridden in the Tour de France have gears?

Today’s pro road racers are provided with equipment vastly superior to 10-20 years ago, but

it’s the range of gears

that have been the most interesting trend as the groupsets have evolved. As the number of sprockets has increased, the gear range has increased.

Do cyclists wear diapers?

Competitive cyclists, they said,

do not wear underpants

because they become uncomfortable and can chafe during a stage. Despite long days in the saddle, travelling through some of France’s most beautiful countryside, Wynants admitted he has little time for enjoying the scenery.

How do Olympic cyclists pee?

“If you’re peeing to the right,

your right leg is in a 6 o’clock position, left at 12, left hand on the handlebars, right hand holds the shorts down, and you coast while relieving yourself

,” King says. Alternatively, riders will sprint off the front and get ahead of the peloton to take a break.

Where do Tour de France riders sleep?

Condensed Answer: The Tour De France consists of stages requiring constant relocation. Thus, the riders sleep in

hotels near the race during the night and in incredibly modern and futuristic buses when traveling

.

What is a sticky bottle in cycling?

sticky bottle (plural sticky bottles) (cycling, slang) A water bottle, handed from a car occupant to a cyclist during a race, illicitly used to aid the rider as he/she briefly maintains a grasp on the bottle while being carried along by the car.

How do professional female cyclists pee?


Pee at the side of the road

Some riders stop at the side of the road to go for a pee. The peloton may organise itself, selecting a ‘nature break’ slot during which the riders will collectively pee; at a Grand Tour tradition dictates that the GC leader determines when this will be.

Do Tour de France riders use electronic shifting?


The team uses Dura Ace Di2 shifters

, derailleurs, and brakes mixed in with parts from its official sponsors (some bikes also have aftermarket derailleur pulleys).

How do pro cyclists change gears?

What’s the most popular bike in the Tour de France?

1. Astana/Wilier. Our favorite bicycle at this year’s Tour de France was Astana’s elegant

Wilier Zero SLR

. The Italian maker touts its Zero — which won two stages this Tour thanks to Alexey Lutsenko and Miguel Ángel López — as the first ultralightweight racing bike with disc brakes and fully integrated cables.

How much does a Tour de France bike weight?

It’s not uncommon for a time trial bike in the Tour de France to weigh in the region of

8-9kg

, with the heavier time trial bikes nudging closer to 10kg.

What is the best gear set for a road bike?

Most new endurance and entry level road bikes are specced with

50/34 chainsets, racing bikes with 52/36, and time trial bikes with 53/39

. This is good news for most riders as the gearing corresponds to the type of riding for which the bike is intended.

How much does the Tour de France winner make?

Tour de France winning prize money? Tour de France 2022 overall winner will earn

€500,000

while the runner up will get €250,000 and €125,000 for the overall third place finisher. It filters down all the way to €400 for every rider who participates in the Tour de France.

How do female road cyclists go to the toilet?

Surprisingly, most of the pros with whom we spoke said that their method of peeing on the bike was to

stop, drop, and go

. They mentioned full-zip jerseys with stunning frequency. Others swear by the up-and-over method: pulling one leg of your shorts as high as possible, then shifting the chamois to the side.

Are females allowed in the Tour de France?

The event broadcasted the details of the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, the highly anticipated new stage race for pro women. The eight-day Tour de France Femmes will replace the old La Course by le Tour de France, which was a single-day event held in various locations across from 2014 until 2021.

What does peloton mean in cycling?

Definition of peloton

:

the main body of riders in a bicycle race

.

Do Tour de France riders listen to music?

Cyclists use music for varying purposes but at the Tour de France

riders will listen to it on long transfers, when warming up before stages and while cooling down after

.

How fast do pro cyclists ride?

You: 17 to 18 mph. A tour rider:

25 to 28 mph

.

How much do pro cyclists earn?

In pro cycling, there is a huge range in salaries.

Continental professionals can make zero, or up to $40,000

. Pro continental rider’s salaries range from around just over $40,000 to $200,000. The minimum wage for male pro continental level cyclists is around $44,000.

Do pro cyclists run?

After months of turning the pedals around Europe, professional cyclists use the winter months to take some well-earned time off the bike.

What is the average speed of the Tour de France?

The average speed before the last stage is

39.596km/h

. It’s about 1km/h slower than when Chris Froome won the Tour de France two years ago in 40.542km/h.

How much does a Tour de France time-trial bike cost?

If you’re after a ballpark figure of the cost of a Tour de France bike, then around

£11,000 / $13,000 / AU$18,000 per bike

is a safe round-number estimate, but let’s dive deeper for a detailed look.

What happens to the water bottles in the Tour de France?

Indeed, the Tour de France Refreshments and Environmental Measures regulations (Article 6) stipulate: A waste collection area is in place at the start and end of the [Feed] station.

Riders are only permitted to throw their rubbish, water bottles and all other waste in this specific area.

When should I change gears on a 21 speed bike?

What is the sticky bottle in the Tour de France?

Referred to as the “sticky bottle,”

riders often utilize the propulsion of the team car when being handed water bottles

. Riders return to team cars to retrieve drinks and, when the handoff occurs, the person in the automobile will hold on to the bottle for a few seconds, effectively towing the rider during that period.

Kim Nguyen
Author
Kim Nguyen
Kim Nguyen is a fitness expert and personal trainer with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and has trained a variety of clients, from professional athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. Kim is passionate about helping people achieve their fitness goals and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.