No Peeing, Please, and Other Tour Rules

Bicyclists in Tour de France are bound by etiquette
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 23, 2010 2:09 PM CDT
No Peeing, Please, and Other Tour Rules
Stage winner Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, left, and overall leader Alberto Contador of Spain hug after they cross the finish line of the 17th stage.   (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski)

The Tour de France isn't all yellow shirts and glory. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at some of the rules—informal and otherwise—that guide the bicyclists.

  • Don't grab first place if the current leader is having mechanical trouble. (Alberto Contador broke this informal no-no in the current race and quickly apologized.)
  • Don't pee in front of fans. (Riders sometimes stop in groups at a secluded spot or discreetly let loose while riding.)

  • Don't ride behind team cars to gain a drafting advantage.
  • Only the yellow-clad leader can organize a "mass action" by fellow riders in the V-shaped peloton. (Contador recently ordered riders to finish at a slow pace to protest track conditions.)
  • On the grueling mountain days, share your water, even with riders on other teams.
  • The last day is prank day: Tall riders, swap bikes with short guys!
(More Tour de France stories.)

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