Fifty Plus (50+) - Somewhat OT: TdF and Water Bottles

Just to keep slightly on topic, Lance will be eligible to join this forum in just 12 years!

Anyway, have you noticed that when a TdF rider finishes a water bottle, he just throws it to the side of the road?

The other day, I read that one of the TdF riders kept track of the number of water bottles he used on a (particularly hot) stage: 17.

Now some simple math: about 200 riders times 20 stages times 17 water bottles per rider per stage = 68,000 water bottles littering the roadsides of France!

OK, 17 bottles per stage is probably unusual, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were about 5 water bottles per stage. That's still something like 20,000 give or take a few thousand water bottles over the course of the tour.

So here's the question: what happens to all those water bottles?

Do the teams send someone out to pick them up? Are they souvenirs like balls hit into the stands at a baseball game? Do they just stay there? What?

- Ed

So here's the question: what happens to all those water bottles?


- Ed

Some of us are lucky enough to get one as a souvenir. Got a Liquigas one in 2007 and it is still my favourite Bottle.

I'm not positive, but I'd think all the fans just pick 'em up as souvenirs.

I'll let you know. For my 50th birthday present, my wife and kids have all chipped in and are sending me to Paris for the last week-end of the tour.

Maybe I'll pick one up off of the Champs-Élysées.

Souvenirs. Many fans will choose viewing locations just after feeds zones specifically for the opportunity to pick up discarded water bottles and feed bags. Some will walk sections of the course searching for stray bottles. I doubt that very many get left behind.
This is based on what I have seen (and done) during the Tour de Georgia. I can't imagine it being very different in the TdF.

Squirrels sell them to their pals for nuts. Nyuk nyuk.

Most are picked up...although some are chucked way out in the bushes and I wonder if they will be found. I'm sure biodegradable water bottles are in the future. :rolleyes:

If you watch the footage of the race occasionally you'll see people scrambling to get a tossed water bottle. Souvenirs that are free!

Most are picked up...although some are chucked way out in the bushes and I wonder if they will be found. I'm sure biodegradable water bottles are in the future. :rolleyes:

They aren't already? We can put a man on the moon, but can't make a bio bottle? My goodness, what is this anarchy?

Bio Degradable bottles that degrade with Air and water.

Seems like a good idea. They may last longer than the ones I keep buying.

Just about everything gets 'souvenired'.

If not, the Tour organisers have a clean up crew following the riders, with a dedication to 'leave no trace'

2 memories - sorry if they're indelicate

I was watching the last year tour in French (lived in France for a few years, and like to keep my language up) - the French commentator was describing the bravery and form of a breakaway rider with a close up of the fellow finishing a bottle. He finished it, tossed it away, and the commentator said 'Cochon' (pig) and the coverage changed to someone else!

And Robert Millar, hill climbing Scottish hero from mid 80s, described why fans might be ill advised to pick up a discarded riders cap

Just about everything gets 'souvenired'.

If not, the Tour organisers have a clean up crew following the riders, with a dedication to 'leave no trace'

2 memories - sorry if they're indelicate

I was watching the last year tour in French (lived in France for a few years, and like to keep my language up) - the French commentator was describing the bravery and form of a breakaway rider with a close up of the fellow finishing a bottle. He finished it, tossed it away, and the commentator said 'Cochon' (pig) and the coverage changed to someone else!

And Robert Millar, hill climbing Scottish hero from mid 80s, described why fans might be ill advised to pick up a discarded riders cap

Them French are a little full of themselves...:rolleyes:

And Robert Millar, hill climbing Scottish hero from mid 80s, described why fans might be ill advised to pick up a discarded riders cap

Cooties?

Most are picked up...although some are chucked way out in the bushes and I wonder if they will be found. I'm sure biodegradable water bottles are in the future. :rolleyes:

They are here already. http://biogreenbottles.com/

They are here already. http://biogreenbottles.com/

Great, I'll have to keep an eye out for them.

And Robert Millar, hill climbing Scottish hero from mid 80s, described why fans might be ill advised to pick up a discarded riders cap


Cooties?

Negative. NEVER pick up a discarded rider's cap because there's a good chance someone took a dump in it. VERY rude surprise.
But, hey, if you're good with laundry, go for it.

Negative. NEVER pick up a discarded rider's cap because there's a good chance someone took a dump in it. VERY rude surprise.
But, hey, if you're good with laundry, go for it.

Now THAT is a very handy piece of information to remember! :thumb:

In the 'old days' bidons (water bottles) were aluminum and racers did not throw them away.

Now THAT is a very handy piece of information to remember! :thumb:
Ummm...you mean that you'll never pick up a cap...or...that you have found a new use for one?:eek:



:lol::beer:

They are here already. http://biogreenbottles.com/Leaves behind Humus and Methane. Great, fertilizer and greenhouse gas as a water bottle, I can hardly wait to get one.

Ummm...you mean that you'll never pick up a cap...or...that you have found a new use for one?:eek:



:lol::beer:

OK - I meant that is TWO handy pieces of information to remember!