Eljimberino

OK. I realise the tours have cleaners that would follow the riders up. But what message does it give? You have riders growing through some pretty amazing country, and guys are throwing rubbish, like they are important, like they are more important than the landscape.

People go on and on about role models taking drugs, banging on about how drugs are bad for the user and 'send a bad message'. What message does throwing your protein bar wrapper and drink bottle into the stream, send to the kids?

telebianchi

I'd rather start my eco-consciousness with the people who throw cigarette butts out the window of their cars because they don't want to get the car's ashtray dirty.

Or how 'bout criticizing every motor-sport that is eating up fuel and spew exhaust.

nickthaquick1

YOU want your car ashtray dirty? no one uses those

UnsafeAlpine

They are important, that's why they have people clean up for them.

How about, instead of whining about it, you propose a solution that's better than having someone else clean up after them.

T. Shandy

They're not throwing rubbish. They're distributing souvenirs.

Lazyass

They should carry trash bags. Eco-friendly and green, of course. Then they should be required to give environmental classes to children since they are role models.

Garthr

If you want to get into the "What message does it send to the kids?" . . . . be prepared to go back to to the beginning of time.

Eljimberino

My solution: take the bottles and the wrappers back to the team cars, where they get them from.

Lazyass

But that's kind of stupid when there are people who pick it up.

Eljimberino

What, they guarantee to pick up every piece?

What's so hard about putting your wrapper back in your pocket?

Mr IGH

I'm disgusted by all the cars and roads. They should race on goat trails and hunt for food every night.

Mr_Christopher

Yes give each rider 1 Buck knife, a few matches and a bit of chocolate. Of course they would not be allowed to throw the chocolate wrapper on the ground, what message would that send to kids?

But they should have to hunt their own dinner each evening.

ps> this thread is a joke right? no one is honestly losing sleep over bicycle racers dropping their candy bar wrappers on the ground during a race event, yes? This is just a thread is intended to be silly, yes?

Mr IGH

The riders should make their own knife during the race, you wanna eat meat, get forging!

mtnroadie

The spectators enjoy picking up the water bottles for souveneirs, the same as baseball fans catching a foul ball. As far as the wrappers go, the spectators are probably leaving behind more garbage than the riders are.

San Rensho 

Oh, please. This is a tempest in a teapot. The amount of "pollution" by the peloton is nothing. Look at the hordes of spectators by the side of the road, trampling pristine mountain meadows, throwing trash all over the place-just the drunks pissing by the roadside cause thousands of times more pollution than the peloton.

Lazyass

It went over your head, but I was joking.

daxr

and a trash bag, of course.

Actually, how about they award bonus time for riders who stop and pick up trash along the way? I'd like to see Lance and Contador fighting over the same old bottle, while Sastre races ahead for a scrap of tin foil by the road.

UnsafeAlpine

Eljimberino

Yes. You're not getting it. The question is: what message does the peloton send by throwing rubbish at the landscape? What kind of connection do people watching the race both on TV and on the side of the road make between themselves and the riders when the riders throw their trash off their bikes?

zonatandem

It's the American way. . . let someone else pick up the litter!

USAZorro

They've got it covered - in the Official Rules even - as long as they don't throw anything on the road (which means bottles and bags apparently).

ARTICLE 6
FEEDING
Refreshments for riders are distributed in two ways:

a) Feeding stations

Supplies at feeding stations are handed out by the staff accompanying the teams. This distribution takes place only in areas clearly marked with official banners and signs, except in cases where other provisions have been clearly indicated beforehand. Stations will be set up on only one side of the roadway, the rules specifying on the right side only.

b) Outside feeding stations Supplies of drinks from the organiser’s motorcycles are permitted for riders
who have made breakaways and their sports manager’s car is not present at the front of the race. These supplies can be made available according to the distance rules set out in the regulations of the sport of cycling applicable to road races, as established by UCI. This may be done by using feeding bags and drink containers.

Rules governing feeding are as follows:

• In general, continuous supplying is authorised between the signs located near the 50th kilometre and the signs marking the end of the feeding zone posted 20 kilometres from the finish. Race directors may, with the approval of the stewards, change these provisions during a stage to adapt to weather conditions or any exceptional circumstances.

• Riders must fall back to a position even with their sports manager’s car and behind the car of the race director or the stewards;

• In the event of a breakaway, supplying is authorised at the back of the group, as long as the group includes no more than fifteen riders;

• In general, no calls are allowed on Radio-Tour from 12 kilometres before each feeding station and 10 kilometres thereafter.

• Any spraying of competitors from a vehicle is strictly forbidden.

Competitors who accept food or drink from spectators do so at their own risk, including that of criminal prosecution. To prevent falls of multiple riders and spectator injuries or encouraging spectators to cross the road, it is strictly forbidden to carelessly jettison food, feeding bags or drink containers or any other accessory. A special motorcycle is assigned to collect waste. Carrying or using glass containers is
strictly forbidden. Competitors are not allowed to throw anything onto the road.

Laminarman

The original post WAS a joke, right?? I too vote we cut the lips off all smokers who cast butts out their windows first, then address this issue.

JTownCitycycle

what message ? that is there is still some hope for the French after all,they haven't completely surrendered to the whacko environmentalist.

Laggard

Hey, another question that gets asked every freakin' year!

You're worried about a bunch of stuff that ultimately gets picked up by fans yet don't have a concern about the two dozen following vehicles spewing pollutants into the air.

PlatyPius

It's sending no message to the "wide-eyed, impressionable chilluns" because....they aren't watching the Tour. They're too busy blowing up things and killing people on Xbox.

Seriously? do you REALLY think that kids are watching the Tour, and will then go ride their bikes and throw trash all over the place in order to emulate their favourite rider?

WTF?