This yr’s Tour de France begins on July 1st. (By the way in which, my search methods course begins the identical day). For the following three weeks my mornings will likely be occupied by watching elements of each stage.
The Tour de France gives some neat alternatives for science, well being, and bodily schooling classes. Here are a few of my go-to sources for educating and studying concerning the Tour de France.
How Fast is the Slowest Tour de France Rider?
The yellow jersey is worn by the general chief of the race. The aim is to be sporting it at finish of the race in Paris. Riders competing for this jersey are also known as competing for the overall classification. The odds-on favorites this yr are defending champion Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar. Some different contenders embrace David Gaudu, Richard Carapaz, and Jai Hindley.
The inexperienced jersey, often known as the factors jersey, is often received by riders who aren’t constructed for uphill pace, however are quicker than everybody else on flat floor. Wout Van Aert received it final yr. He’s stated that he is not going for it this yr, however we’ll see. Other potential opponents for this jersey embrace Jasper Philipsen, Mads Pederson, and presumably Mark Cavendish (a sentimental favourite using his remaining tour). Peter Sagan has received the jersey seven instances and is again on this yr’s tour, however he has been removed from his finest for the final yr.
The polka dot jersey is named the King of the Mountains jersey. This received by having probably the most factors for ascending the hills and mountains the quickest. Riders who win this are sometimes those that are nice at using up hill, however for one purpose or one other aren’t aggressive sufficient to win the overall classification. There are a lot of riders who’ve the potential to win this relying on workforce and particular person objectives. Thibaut Pinot using in his remaining Tour de France is the sentimental favourite for this jersey.
The white jersey is a prize for the very best younger rider (beneath 25).
The Science of Bicycles and Bicycling
There is numerous physics concerned in informal bike using and in racing. Here’s a number of movies that specify the physics of bicycling.
The first time that you simply trip in a pack of skilled cyclists you may really feel the facility of drafting. Besides their unimaginable health and bike dealing with expertise, drafting helps cyclists within the Tour de France transfer rapidly. The following video explains how drafting works.
Minute Physics presents two movies concerning the physics of bicycles. In How Do Bikes Stay Up? we learn the way bikes keep upright, how design and weight influences steadiness, and why bicycles are troublesome to steadiness in reverse. The Counterintuitive Physics of Turning a Bike explains how we flip bicycles.
The Diet of a Tour de France Racer
I’ve accomplished some lengthy days on my bike through the years together with Unbound 200 and a charity double-century highway trip and on the finish I’ve all the time felt like I might eat something in sight. That’s as a result of I burned hundreds of energy. But even then I did not burn the 6,000-8,000+ energy {that a} typical Tour de France racer burns on daily basis of the race.
What does it appear to be and really feel prefer to eat like knowledgeable bike owner? That’s what the Wall Street Journal’s Joshua Robinson got down to uncover in his 6,000 calorie problem. Take a take a look at the video under to see how he did it. Pay consideration to the skilled bike owner on the 2:40 mark within the video for commentary about vitality gels as a result of it shock you and make you rethink the whether or not or not the common weekend warrior wants the costly “sports activities vitality” merchandise for a easy hour exercise.
If you wish to get right into a bit extra of the science of vitamin of cyclists, check out this video that includes the workforce nutritionist for EF Education First’s skilled biking workforce.
How Much Do Professional Cyclists Make?