TdF questions

[Kano]

History lesson:
Quite right the Categorisation of the climbs is based on all those things.
But originally, when they would scout out a new climb they gave the gear the organisers' "Voiture" had to use to get to the top. Hence 4th category was fourth gear and 3rd category was a hill that they got to the summit in 3rd gear and so on. When the car couldn't make it to the top at all it was HC (hors categorie = out of category)

Interesting!!! Now if it was related to what gear the guys used to bike up, then ALL of mine would be hors!

The Green Jersey , btw, is for points . Each day there are intermediate sprints with points for the winners, points for first over the top of some climbs, and at the arrivee itself points are given on down to 20th place (iirc). Sometimes referred to as the Sprinters' Jersey
Not to be confused with Credit Agricole (Thor and Julian's team). Usually they wear it with team shorts and that is how you can differentiate it from the CA strip

Green, speed/go, makes sense!

There is also the Combativite' which is a red number for the rider judged by a panel to have been the most agressive (eg done a breakaway) each day. it is awarded much later since it is a matter for deliberation. Thus we generally only see that in the evening on the round-up show or the preview the next day.

ooooo, I hadn't noticed THAT! Don't recall hearing about that either...

Karen in Boise