Round 3
How many spectators usually visit the Tour de France race?
Every year over 15 milion people come to see the Tour de France. This astonishing number makes it the largest sporting event in the world.
How many rest days do cyclists have during the Tour de France?
Cyclists competing in the Tour de France only have 2 rest days during the whole race. And even on these rest days, most cyclists ride for at least 2 hours to flush out lactic acid and stay in the zone.
What does it mean when you are “chewing the handlebars” as a cyclist?
The term “chewing the handlebars” is used when a cyclist is able to focus only on their handlebars due to hurting legs and exhaustion. It’s the feeling you get on a long and painful climb when you are completely in the hurt box, staring at your sat nav, and counting down pedal strokes to the finish.
What is the name of the Czech Paralympic winner and world champion who appears in Škoda’s We Love Cycling video for the 2017 Tour de France?
Jiří Ježek appeared in Škoda’s video published during the 2017 Tour de France at WeLoveCycling.com. Six Paralympic gold medals made him one of the most successful cyclists in Paralympic history.
Which song is played in the animated Tour de France video by Škoda?
Bicycle Race by Queen, which is the main theme of Škoda’s animated video for the 2017 Tour de France, was written by Freddie Mercury and was inspired by watching the 18th stage of the 1978 Tour de France.
Round 2
What happens to a rider who suffers a fall, puncture, or a mechanical incident in the last 3 km of a stage?
A rider that falls in the last 3 km of a stage is credited with the finishing time of the riders he was with at the time. This rule doesn’t apply to time trial stages and, obviously, to summit finishes because that might lead to an epidemic of “mechanical problems” around 3 km before the top of the hill.
What does the French saying “hors catégorie” mean at the Tour de France?
The term “hors catégorie” describes a climb so tough that it’s beyond categorization. It was originally used for those mountain roads where cars were not expected to be able to pass. In the Tour de France, it is used for climbs that surpass even the highest category of climbs in length and elevation. Such as, for example, the brutal climb to Finhaut-Emosson in stage 17 of the 2016 Tour de France.
What is called an Echelon in competitive cycling?
The word “echelon” is used to describe a line of riders seeking maximum drafting in crosswind. Tactics like this one are used mainly in breakaway groups that want to be as energy-efficient as possible. That is not always the case if a rider from an oposing team wants to join such group.
What is the most important vehicle of the Tour de France, from which the director Christian Prudhomme manages the whole race?
Every morning, Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France, settles himself into the back seat of a specially modified red Škoda SUPERB.
The official mobile Tour de France application presented by Škoda is available for the following platform(s).
The official 2017 Tour de France application presented by Škoda, which offers complex information service about the race and other great features, is available for iOS and Android.
Round 1
How long was the longest Tour de France in history?
The longest Tour de France in history was the 20th one in 1926. It was 5745 km long, consisted of 17 stages, and the route closely traced the borders of France. It was ridden at an average speed of about 24,3 km/h.
How did Chriss Froome win the 8th stage of the 2016 Tour de France?
Chriss Froome won the 8th stage of the 2016 Tour de France in a downhill ride from Col de Peyresourde. Even though descents are not usually where big gaps are created, Froome has shown it’s possible. Thanks to wind-tunnel testing and innovation, he found a way to be aero-efficient and pedal hard, something considered impossible before.
What are cyclists talking about when they mention a “false flat”?
A “false flat” is a term used to describe a low-gradient climb that looks deceptively flat and easy. Especially after finishing a steep part of a hill, low-gradient climbs can look like a flat to the naked eye. Don’t get fooled, sometimes your legs aren’t lying, it’s still a climb!
Škoda’s Welovecycling.com magazine sends 7 contest winners to l’Étape du Tour. An annual event that lets amateur riders experience a Tour de France stage. When is it held this year?
This year’s l’Étape du Tour will be held on the 16th of July. The route replicates the 18th stage of the 104th edition of the Tour de France.
Which Tour de France winner who is a long-term partner of Škoda appears in our live-action Tour de France video?
Stephen Roche is not only a Tour de France winner but also a holder of the unofficial “Tripple Crown of Cycling” achivement. That means he is one of the two cyclists in history who managed to win the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Road World Cycling Championship in one year.
