Originally Posted by
akansaskid
I doubt they run the same tires the entire TdF, or even more than one stage for that matter. But, to the OP, why more flats there? Light tires are thin tires. Tires that stick are soft, and rocks stick to them, in turn. Thin, soft (sticky) tires are a flat waiting to happen. They only have to go maybe 130 miles on them, and have a tire/wheel car following them. We aren't so lucky.
I don't buy the soft sticky part of your argument. Soft / sticky = higher rolling resistance .... highly unlikely unless they are racing in wet conditions. I would guess that there is some similarity to automobile road racing .... hard compounds in the dry / soft compounds in the rain?