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07-15-03, 12:13 PM
I'm a recreational cyclist. But I thoroughly enjoy watching competitive cycling. But most of my watching only comes during the month of July on OLN with the Tour (a little bit of watching of the Giro in June). I enjoy the coverage but it often raises more questions for me. As such, some of you might find the following questions I have as ridiculously basic. But any response would be greatly appreciated:
1) OLN never really spends time covering the starts. Are they really not worth watching? Usually the live coverage just starts about 20-30k into the stage and all that is shown about the start are clips of riders slowly getting started and an old fat French man in a car in the front waving a white flag to signal the start. I'm guessing there must be more to it than this. Specifically, is there not some predetermined order as to who lines up where? Does the clock start when they cross the line or when the Frenchman waves the flag?
2) Support vehicles. Is there some predetermined order of where they line up in relation to the riders? Or is it just a free for all? Also, I recall hearing that support vehicles cannot distribute food/liquid during the first 30k(?) or the last 20k(?) in the Tour. But does that prohibit them from being near the riders at all in the the first and last sections of the stages in case of blown tires or other equipment problems?
Thanks.
1) OLN never really spends time covering the starts. Are they really not worth watching? Usually the live coverage just starts about 20-30k into the stage and all that is shown about the start are clips of riders slowly getting started and an old fat French man in a car in the front waving a white flag to signal the start. I'm guessing there must be more to it than this. Specifically, is there not some predetermined order as to who lines up where? Does the clock start when they cross the line or when the Frenchman waves the flag?
2) Support vehicles. Is there some predetermined order of where they line up in relation to the riders? Or is it just a free for all? Also, I recall hearing that support vehicles cannot distribute food/liquid during the first 30k(?) or the last 20k(?) in the Tour. But does that prohibit them from being near the riders at all in the the first and last sections of the stages in case of blown tires or other equipment problems?
Thanks.