Tour de France - logistics

[Johnrb]

Next time you are planning a big party, regatta or even the Superbowl and things get complicated, remember how the Tour de France operates. The following from the Danish film "Overcoming" which followed team CSC for the 2004 Tour. The Tour requires:

14 medical staff
60 permanent staff
200 temporary staff
180 service providers
4,500 accompanying people
1,200 hotel rooms reserved daily (various locations around France)
15,000,000 spectators (68% men)
1,500 vehicles
1,100 technicians and chauffeurs
2,300 accredited journalists
1,200 photographers, cameramen and TV directors
13,000 gendarmes
528 various media from 170 countries (78 channels)
Publicity caravan: 200 vehicles (11,000,000 gifts distributed)
3,000 government officials from the French Ministère de l'Équipement
3 helicopters (in the air at any given time) plus others for VIPs. Additional helicopter or fixed wing aircraft to relay TV images from motorcycles. Tour de France helicopter on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
40 miles of electric and network cables

Keep in mind this whole entourage must decamp and move about France on a daily basis for 23 days.

[T34C]

Are those numbers in Standard or Metric?

[Johnrb]

Originally Posted by T34C

Are those numbers in Standard or Metric?

Standard (i.e. imperial) - see:
"40 miles of electric and network cables"

I didn't see any figures for wine consumed.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by Johnrb

Standard (i.e. imperial) - see:
"40 miles of electric and network cables"

I didn't see any figures for wine consumed.

They couldn't count that high.

[JohnRPollard]

And here all along I thought the Tour de France was a bicycle race!

Not a one in that inventory!

Originally Posted by Johnrb

Next time you are planning a big party, regatta or even the Superbowl and things get complicated, remember how the Tour de France operates. The following from the Danish film "Overcoming" which followed team CSC for the 2004 Tour. The Tour requires:

14 medical staff
60 permanent staff
200 temporary staff
180 service providers
4,500 accompanying people
1,200 hotel rooms reserved daily (various locations around France)
15,000,000 spectators (68% men)
1,500 vehicles
1,100 technicians and chauffeurs
2,300 accredited journalists
1,200 photographers, cameramen and TV directors
13,000 gendarmes
528 various media from 170 countries (78 channels)
Publicity caravan: 200 vehicles (11,000,000 gifts distributed)
3,000 government officials from the French Ministère de l'Équipement
3 helicopters (in the air at any given time) plus others for VIPs. Additional helicopter or fixed wing aircraft to relay TV images from motorcycles. Tour de France helicopter on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
40 miles of electric and network cables

Keep in mind this whole entourage must decamp and move about France on a daily basis for 23 days.

[tdw]

But you have to love the thing. Despite the Australian Evans coming second.... again...grrr.......to a bloody Spaniel...again......grrr.....

It is the most amazing mobile game of chess. My favourite rider I must confess was the Spaniel Miguel Indurain (sp?). That fella was a marvel. And yes, I know he wasn't really a Spaniel he was Basque.

[Johnrb]

Wombat:

I can't understand why Evans' team wasn't able to support him or why he chose a team that wasn't committed to him. It was really sad to see him isolated on the big climbs with no support anywhere in sight.

That said, I'm happy for Sastre who seems like a genuinely decent guy and raced the time trial of his life to clinch top spot. CSC - Saxo really put the boots to the opposition this year. Absolutely no question they were the best team.

Did you see John-Lee Augustyn's dive over the precipice. He needed the help of a spectator to climb back to the road, got a new bike and continued.
YouTube - LE TOUR DE FRANCE 2008 - DOWN A MOUNTAIN SLOPE (EXTENDED)

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Johnrb

Wombat:

I can't understand why Evans' team wasn't able to support him or why he chose a team that wasn't committed to him. It was really sad to see him isolated on the big climbs with no support anywhere in sight.

That said, I'm happy for Sastre who seems like a genuinely decent guy and raced the time trial of his life to clinch top spot. CSC - Saxo really put the boots to the opposition this year. Absolutely no question they were the best team.

Did you see John-Lee Augustyn's dive over the precipice. He needed the help of a spectator to climb back to the road, got a new bike and continued.
YouTube - LE TOUR DE FRANCE 2008 - DOWN A MOUNTAIN SLOPE (EXTENDED)

There was a weak link or two in Evan's team cos he should have won it. OTOH Sastre is the real deal, no doubt. Fine rider and that time trial (an event he is not known for) showed his true colours. Well deserved, no bad feelings from me. Augustyn's folly was scarey, truely scarey. AND he got back on a spare bike and finished the stage. Those fellows have the cojones of real men. Better than me Gunga Din.