Another introduction to the Tour, by Jeffrey Veen

Another introduction to the Tour

My parents have, for the first time, the combination of extended digital cable and a Tivo. This affords them an opportunity to see what this whole Tour de France thing is about. Mom had some questions

Mom: What is a "Palaton" in cycling?
Me: the peloton is the large group of riders that stays very close in one big mass. It helps them stay out of the headwind.
Mom: ok, why don't they just say that
Me: who? the commentators?
Mom: yes
Me: for the same reason football announces don't say, "So-and-so just ran with the ball into the end of the field where the paint is different earning 6 points"
Me: they say, "touchdown"
Mom: shut up
Me: you're watching a French sport!

This entry was written by Jeffrey Veen and posted 19 July 2005 at 9:26 PM. It was filed under Cycling. | View blog reactions

Comments

1. On 19 July 2005 at 10:52 PM Nicolas Hoizey wrote:

ROTFL! ;-)

Are you sure cycling around a country like that is a french invention?

2. On 20 July 2005 at 2:15 AM Richard Rutter wrote:

That, and 'peloton' is such a great word.

Nicolas - the French, by way of Michelin, invented the radial (detachable) tyre so they certainly had a hand in enabling, if not inventing, this sport.

3. On 20 July 2005 at 4:26 AM Jens Meiert wrote:

Vive la France! Et vive le Tour de France!

4. On 20 July 2005 at 5:56 AM soxiam wrote:

I had a lunch break conversation with my co-workers yesterday that started out with "team sport my ass!" and ended with "the only thing the French should be allowed to host is another invasion".

5. On 20 July 2005 at 6:37 AM Steve Portigal wrote:

That word always reminds me of "pelon" - every time I've got to a Bridge Benefit concert, they always raffle off the pelon, signed by all the performers. Every time, we turn to look at each other and say "what the hell is a pelon?" - at some point we figured it had something to do with silk-screening of a t-shirt.

From a site selling BGP artifacts "Pelons are extremely rare 'practice pieces' for the early t-shirt designs. Before production was initiated, the image or design was tested on cotton cloth or burlap to determine the color and line accuracy of the piece. The earlier examples, those dating from the '70s, are generally the only pelons run on burlap. Few of these ' tests' were preserved once the design was deemed acceptable and the shirt went into production."

6. On 20 July 2005 at 10:27 AM Jamison wrote:

I had to ask the exact same question watching the the Tour with a friend on Saturday. Earlier that day, riding the Tiberon Loop, I was picked on when they found out I hadn't been following the Tour, "What kind of cyclist are you?"

"The kind who enjoys riding, I just don't follow it as a sport," and I only have the vaguest idea who the professionals are.

7. On 20 July 2005 at 10:27 PM veen wrote:

Oh Jamison, you break my heart. You've traveled by bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles, yet you don't have an opinion on the size of UIrich's gear on Pla-d’Adet!

I hope at least you're shaving your legs...

8. On 21 July 2005 at 9:24 AM Jamison wrote:

Well Jeff,

I trim my legs with clippers, is that close enough? And while I don't have an opinion on Jan Ullrich's gear, seven days on a bike has provided me with some strong opinions about my own gear. (Bad saddle! Bad!)

9. On 27 July 2005 at 2:01 PM nick wrote:

Out of curiousity: did we all get the same commercials on OLN, including that horrible one for 'Lectric Shave' or whatever it was? The only possible connection I could see to the target audience might be for cyclist-leg-shaving purposes, but the thought of using an electric pre-shave thing on my shins? Ugh.

10. On 4 August 2005 at 7:10 AM ronseld wrote:

The word is now part of the everyday Spanish language. We use it for everything packed with people.