- Location
- Egham
So you have to buy new bottles every 2 weeks, that must be very frustrating
What happen to thrown water bottles?
- Thread starter novetan
- Start date
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So those bottles are mainly biodegradable. But I really doubt it will degrade right before your eyes in 2 weeks. I like to see some concrete evident or someone can really testify to that. Quite hard to believe those organiser will comb every inch left to right of the entire route for the 21 stages.
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
I'd imagine with energy drink inside they'd degrade quicker, it's probably also presuming they will be sat in direct (and decent) sunlight.
I have a thing when watching bike racing on TV of watching where the bottles get chucked, in the current Vuelta a lot of them are going off of bridges or in to pretty scrubby/crappy terrain so far, you'd need to be both dedicated and well kitted out to find and then retrieve any of those.
No way a person will be so dedicated and well kitted to retrieve. If pay is low, no one will carry out concentiously unless pay/bottle. A through job will be a very expensive exercise.
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
I can't imagine there are figures for this, but I dispute it. Maybe in the English stages of the TdF they were because there didn't seem to be a mile of road not lined with people but outside of the towns and climbs they are often riding through pretty empty landscape and just as likely to toss a bottle. If they only threw bottles where they might be collected I'd be less bothered (to be honest I'm only really mildly peeved, I'm not going to write to my MP about it or anything :-) ) but you don't have to watch much racing on telly to see a bottle, or musette, getting tossed to the side on a bit of road with no spectators around, or in to terrain that it isn't going to be retrieved from.
And that also comfortably sidesteps gels which I can't imagine anyone picking up as a souvenir, unless they were trying to clone Sagan for personal use or some such.
HF2300
Insanity Prawn Boy
Blast, I'll have to find a new evil plan now. An army of Jensies it is then.
Screaming off topic.....
On my trip over to watch stages 4 and 5 of this year's tour, my ride partner had brought along a union flag which we stuck to the railings near the start of stage 4. Before the ride-out, the promo caravan came trundling along throwing out freebies to the spectators. What we enjoyed most was the people throwing the stuff would just begin to lob something in our direction, spot the flag and then contort themselves to direct the goods to the opposite side. We at least had some hope for the Visit Yorkshire skoda, but true to form, they weren't giving "out for nowt".
Top tip then - don't go and watch the Tour looking like an Orange Order parade, instead stand across from same and fill yer boots.
On my trip over to watch stages 4 and 5 of this year's tour, my ride partner had brought along a union flag which we stuck to the railings near the start of stage 4. Before the ride-out, the promo caravan came trundling along throwing out freebies to the spectators. What we enjoyed most was the people throwing the stuff would just begin to lob something in our direction, spot the flag and then contort themselves to direct the goods to the opposite side. We at least had some hope for the Visit Yorkshire skoda, but true to form, they weren't giving "out for nowt".
Top tip then - don't go and watch the Tour looking like an Orange Order parade, instead stand across from same and fill yer boots.
SpecialManzied
Member
- Location
- Lugano (Switzerland)
In certains races (but not World Tour races) there is also the green zone. It's the only place you can throw the water bottle if you don't want be disqualified by the jury.
Not a bad idea, but of course it isn't always possible.
We have to hope in passionate fans
Not a bad idea, but of course it isn't always possible.
We have to hope in passionate fans
Globalti
Legendary Member
I don't buy this story about biodegradable plastic. Does it really exist?
On the London 100 last month the organisers were handing out energy gels at the foot of a small rise called Wimbledon Hill. For half a mile the road was carpeted with empty sachets - I am sure they managed to pick most of them up but I bet a fair few escaped into hedges, gardens, drains etc.
In the Cape Argus race you are warned not to throw gel sachets as the baboons pick them up, squeeze them then go nuts on the unaccustomed energy boost. Not to mention the danger caused when they dash out into the road.
On the London 100 last month the organisers were handing out energy gels at the foot of a small rise called Wimbledon Hill. For half a mile the road was carpeted with empty sachets - I am sure they managed to pick most of them up but I bet a fair few escaped into hedges, gardens, drains etc.
In the Cape Argus race you are warned not to throw gel sachets as the baboons pick them up, squeeze them then go nuts on the unaccustomed energy boost. Not to mention the danger caused when they dash out into the road.
uphillstruggler
Guru
- Location
- Half way there
Managed to snaffle this from a stage at the Vuelta earlier this month. there were hoards of cars and riders sweeping the roads and hedges for the thrown bottles.
HF2300
Insanity Prawn Boy
Maybe there was a message in it. Or the peloton were playing a cycling version of Pooh sticks.
Possibly an Anpost rider trying out a different delivery method/
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