Categories
All Other Sports

The ugly, smelly side of the Tour de France


You probably didn’t know this about the Tour de France, in the opening 12 stages, at least ten riders have been cited for breaking the cycling code. No, we’re not talking about human growth hormones or steroids or anything that gets injected into a cyclist’s body. Articles 12 and 29 of the conduct code book have to do with the call of nature and those ten riders have been fined approximately $87 apiece because they “satisfied nature’s need in front of the public.”

Apparently, if you’ve gotta stop and go in cycling, you’re suppose to be hidden from the public’s view. But the problem with that, according to one rider who was fined, is in the Tour de France there are no open stretches of road where a rider can be secluded.

So, not only are these guys suppose to sit on tiny, unforgiving, testicle smashing seats for miles and miles on end, but they’re suppose to deny their bodily functions for the multiple hour rides too?!?! We know these guys are machines on the course, but c’mon!

We say that if they won’t let you pee in peace then you gotta do what you gotta do.

Some brave souls also go while they’re still riding. That manoeuvre (sic) is performed by hiking up one leg of the bike shorts and pivoting the hips sideways to allow for relief. Sometimes a rider’s teammate will help steady the handlebars, making sure to be upwind.

Links:

[TheStar]: When a guy’s gotta go, a guy’s gotta go