Sunday, July 02, 2006
About the riders
Eurosport has compiled some interesting statistics about the riders in the Tour this year:
The "average" Tour rider: 1.79m height (5'10"), 69kg (152 lb.) body weight, resting heart beat of 54 beats/minute and a respiratory capacity of 5.78 liters.
The "average" Tour rider: 1.79m height (5'10"), 69kg (152 lb.) body weight, resting heart beat of 54 beats/minute and a respiratory capacity of 5.78 liters.
Smallest rider: Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2R): 1.58m (5'2")
Tallest rider: Johan Vansummeren (Davitamon-Lotto): 1.98m (6'6")
Lightest rider: Manuel Calvente (Agritubel): 53kg (116 lb.)
Heaviest rider: Magnus Backstedt (Liquigas): 95kg (209 lb.)
Rider with biggest respiratory capacity: Arnaud Coyot (Cofidis): 7.92 liters
Rider with lowest heart rate: Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues): 32 beats/min
This year, 19% of the peloton are Tour virgins, compared to 25% last year, 20% in 2004, 28% in 2003, 23% in 2002 and 27% in 2001.
Lampre (Ballan, Bennati, Cunego, Tiralongo, Valjavec, Vila) and Agritubel (Calvente, Coutouly, Dueñas, Gonzalo, Martinez Trinidad, Plouhinec) lead the standings with 6 neophytes each.
