Speed Read Tour de France: The History, Strategies and Intrigue Behind the World's Greatest Bicycle Race (7) - Tapa blanda

• Who owns the Tour?
• How are the course’s 21 stages selected?
• What are the most famous mountain climbs?
• How is the overall winner determined?
• What is a peloton, a soigneur, or an echelon?
• How big are the prizes?
• What are time bonuses?
• Who was the first American to compete in the Tour, and who was the first one to win it?
• How fast do the racers go down mountain descents?
• What speeds can the riders reach in sprint finishes?
• Why are the teams known by the names of their sponsors and not their countries?
• What do the riders eat, and where do they sleep every night?
• What are all those motorcycles doing among the cyclists?
• How do the organizers deal with doping scandals?
• And is it true that, one year, the top four finishers were all disqualified?

John Wilcockson has covered the Tour de France 45 times and written more than a dozen books. In 2017, he received the AIJC’s Outstanding Achievement in the field of Cycling Journalism Award. Wilcockson has been the editor-in-chief of five cycling magazines, including VeloNews and Winning: Bicycle Racing Illustrated, and he is currently editor-at-large of Peloton Magazine. He was the first cycling correspondent for The Times and The Sunday Times of London; he has contributed to publications as diverse as Outside, Men’s Journal, The New York Times, and The Guardian; and he has appeared frequently on national TV news programs, including CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, ABC, and NBC. His most successful books include John Wilcockson’s World of Cycling, 23 Days in July (an ESPN Book of the Year), and Lance (a New York Times bestseller). He lives in Boulder, Colorado.