Nature break?

[channlluv]

Forgive me, because as I write this it's making more sense to me, but I'm watching the Tour on Versus.com and the Phil Liggett just mentioned that it's time for a nature break for the riders and then they'd get back to race. There was what sounded like a break in the audio, but it was hardly noticable.

Do they actually stop the race for everyone to use a restroom? I didn't notice any portapotties anywhere.

I guess they'd have to stop at some point, riding this far for this long. I'd just never heard this before on the race commentary.

I know there are relief stops with food and water on century rides. D*H has done one and he told me about it. He mentioned a portapotty. It just never occurred to me that an elite race like this would have scheduled relief stops.

Do they all?

Roxy - feeling very much the noob right now. Ha!

[Veronica]

A nature break is when the riders just pull over to the side and do what they need to do, no portapotties.

Generally they only mention it when they happen to catch it on video. Most of the riders tend to be rather discreet about it I think.

Veronica

[Tri Girl]

I saw a picture from last year's Tour that had riders as far as the eye could see lining both sides of the road taking care of business. They didn't even dismount their bikes- just stopped to do their thing. I found it to be hilarious.
Let's see if I can find it:
this one is close:
http://www.velonews.com/photo/89158

This is from CSC's website called: Get up to Speed on the Tour. It answers a lot of questions.
http://www.csc.com/features/stories/...tour_de_france

How do riders take bathroom breaks?

With longer stages lasting up to seven hours, it’s inevitable that nature calls.

Riders try to go to the bathroom before the start of the stage. When the need for a bathroom stop is urgent, riders will pull off the side of the road to take care of business. Sometimes in longer stages the bunch will organize a bathroom break to allow several riders to stop while the remainder of the bunch rides slowly until they catch up.

Etiquette calls for riders not to attack when another rider is answering nature’s call. Sometimes, riders will even ease off the back of the bunch and take care of business without even stopping, a delicate, sometimes imprecise maneuver.

[channlluv]

Oh, for heaven's sake, they can p** and ride at the same time? Elite riders indeed.

Thanks for the explanation. I can't help wondering, and maybe it's because I live close to LA, if the star riders aren't concerned with some paparazzi-type getting a picture of them taking care of business and selling it to a trash mag.

Okay, I really need to get a new picture in my head. Thanks! Ha!

Roxy

[Possegal]

Sometimes the race camera will catch a guy going while still riding. It's funny, as the camera then whips away really fast once the cameraman realizes what was going on. Never a dull moment.

[PscyclePath]

Oh, for heaven's sake, they can p** and ride at the same time? Elite riders indeed.

One of the advantages of plumbing... though it takes a good bit of practice, sometimes needs a helpful push from a teammate, and can still get a little messy.

As for #2, that's a whole 'nother story. There's a "cute" story about Robbie McEuen from the 2003 or maybe 2004 tour where he scrificed his riding gloves in a time of need, and Bob Roll has a story from one of his Tour rides in his storybook, Bobke II. And then there's some times when you gotta go, but you gotta keep going, too. That's neither cute nor fun...

[TrekTheKaty]

How would you like to own that stretch of road? Or maybe that is some town's claim to fame--"Hey they stopped here to whiz!"

Do they scout out the potty stretch? Who decides when to stop--Lance or Alberto?

This is a popular Nascar question--the awkward answer, "When you gotta go, you gotta go."

[channlluv]

One of the advantages of plumbing... though it takes a good bit of practice, sometimes needs a helpful push from a teammate, and can still get a little messy.

As for #2, that's a whole 'nother story. There's a "cute" story about Robbie McEuen from the 2003 or maybe 2004 tour where he scrificed his riding gloves in a time of need, and Bob Roll has a story from one of his Tour rides in his storybook, Bobke II. And then there's some times when you gotta go, but you gotta keep going, too. That's neither cute nor fun...

Are you saying, PsyclePath, and please tell me I'm reading too much into what you've said here, but do you mean that they try to do #2 while riding? No, that can't even be possible. Do they just hop off the bike and run behind a hay bale or something? Surely they can't disrobe enough to do #2 very quickly, off the bike or wherever, without a bunch of people seeing them. There are spectators everywhere. I'm just baffled by the mechanics of it, I guess.

Don't the bibs make #1 nigh on impossible to do while riding, too? Or do they have some kind of opening like Y-front briefs?

I'm feeling very much the riding wimp here, considering that I don't even like to use the cleaned-every-now-and-then restrooms at the rec center by the lake where I like to ride.

If there's ever been such a thing as pen*s envy, this is why. You boys can p** anywhere, anytime, and apparently while doing anything.



Roxy