General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb... Rss Feed  
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2005-07-08 11:28 AM

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Subject: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
OK...So I am totally into the Tour de France for the first time this year but I have a really stupid question.

The announcers always talk about the peleton...what is that?

Is it a distance marker? Particular team of riders?

I am dumb...I know...because it is probably something totally obvious...

Thanks!


2005-07-08 11:30 AM
in reply to: #193107

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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
Peloton: The main group of riders; also called the pack, bunch or field. It's a french word.

It's not a dumb question at all. Cycling has a lot of peculiar words. This might help.
2005-07-08 11:32 AM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
The main group of riders.

There are some times a few small groups ahead of the peloton, but a majority of the riders stay with the group.
2005-07-08 11:32 AM
in reply to: #193107

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Subject: It's the pack....or group
the peleton is main group or pack of riders. Most stages you'll see one or more cyclists break away from the peleton only to be gobbled back up. Occassionally you see one of them make it to the finish. I'm still learning too....
2005-07-08 11:53 AM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
DUHHHHH...thanks...It makes total sense...

Thanks folks
2005-07-08 12:00 PM
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Subject: I sound dumb too...
What I don't get is the scoring.  How do they determine the overall winner, King of the Mountains, etc etc?  When they say Lance has a 2+ minute lead or something, obviously that's an overall thing, but what do some of the other time gaps refer to?


2005-07-08 12:03 PM
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Subject: RE: I sound dumb too...
CindyK - 2005-07-08 1:00 PM

What I don't get is the scoring. How do they determine the overall winner, King of the Mountains, etc etc? When they say Lance has a 2+ minute lead or something, obviously that's an overall thing, but what do some of the other time gaps refer to?

From what I can tell (and I'm a cycling newbie, so correct me if I'm wrong), the points for best sprinter, best climber, and whatnot are awarded by judges for certain sections of each stage. In today's stage there were two or three climbs. The first three riders first to the top of each climb received points for their placement (3 points for 1st, 2 for 2nd, 1 for 3rd). At the end of the stage, the rider with the most cumulative climbing points gets the best climber jersey.
2005-07-08 1:05 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...

I didn't read the whole article, but this may help explain scoring:

http://features.engadget.com/entry/5170866986686287/

2005-07-08 2:12 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
You are not dumb. I did not know what it meant when I first watched it either a few years ago (just parts because I did not have a Sat till this year) and I sat there like a dork for days wondering but to afraid of asking to do it. I wish I had!!! You are not only not dumb but darn brave! Cheers
2005-07-08 4:39 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...

pelotón - from spanish pelo (hair) + tón (big ole) = big ole hairball of riders.

At least that's how I like to think of it. ;-)

2005-07-08 5:01 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
I found this explanation this morning http://www.velonews.com/tour2005/news/articles/8331.0.html , it is an easy read that explains the jerseys and scoring.


2005-07-08 7:48 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
I just started watching le Tour this year and I am amazed at how close they ride. I don't know how many of you watch NASCAR, but a cycling 'peloton' puts cars to shame. Less protection, more bodies in the way, probably less reaction time and control in an accident as well. But i've done neither so what do I know?
2005-07-08 11:01 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...

Ok- here's my dumb question.  How is it really spelled?  Is it peleton or peloton?  I see it spelled 2 different ways.  Sorry- I am new to the cycling world as well.

2005-07-08 11:09 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...

AKtri - 2005-07-08 2:01 PM I found this explanation this morning http://www.velonews.com/tour2005/news/articles/8331.0.html , it is an easy read that explains the jerseys and scoring.

Thats an excellent explanation!  Thanks for finding that!

2005-07-08 11:14 PM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
sivley01 - 2005-07-08 7:48 PM

I just started watching le Tour this year and I am amazed at how close they ride. I don't know how many of you watch NASCAR, but a cycling 'peloton' puts cars to shame. Less protection, more bodies in the way, probably less reaction time and control in an accident as well. But i've done neither so what do I know?


you'd be surprised. when i raced track bikes your nerves were so high and your adrenaline pumping that you can react horribly fast.

one time i was in a 3man paceline behind my 2 best friends (practice day, not real race) and some jackass two bikelengths in front of us went high to the blue line, flatted his back tire and slid down the track right into us (we were practically in the sprinters lane). this whole event took probably 2 seconds but i vividly recall thinking of like 3 different ways to handle it (go high and risk catching my front on his back, go low to the apron and risk smashing concrete, stay right were i was at the BACK of the paceline and hope for the best) and choosing the best which was to just hold my line and hope for the best. my front wheel caught my friends body in front of me and i catapaulted over him and thats all i remember until i woke up on the concrete with people standing over me.

the point is this: when you're drafting in a crowd or riding a paceline you're VERY aware of what all the potential "enemies" around you might or might not do.

the problem is that they do it for several hours on end which is MUCH longer than a track bike race and thus complacency and fatigue sets in. thus the zabriskie syndrome as i like to call it.
2005-07-09 9:10 AM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...

Your asking this question is not dumb; dumb is when one does not ask and remains ignorant.  Cycling, like any other sport, has its own terms that one has to learn in order to fully appreciate the sport.

The spelling is "peloton", which means a ball of something, usually a ball of wool, in French. 



2005-07-09 9:26 AM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...
Just double checked in a dictionary.  He's right, Peloton is correct. 
2005-07-09 10:55 AM
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Subject: RE: Ummm...I am going 2 sound dumb...

Merçi beaucoup .... :-)

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