Yellow jersey/yellow bike

Teach

This isn't the usual can I wear the yellow jersey thread. The leader of the TDF wears a yellow jersey. Thomas Voeckler, and I am sure others have also then ridden a matching yellow bike. How does this work?
Does their bike just get sprayed yellow, do the team have a spare yellow bike just in case (I can't imagine that as riders vary in height). Like wise with the jersey do the teams or the organisers carry a full range of team strips in yellow/green etc in different sizes to suit all riders.
Do HTC Columbia have a range of green jerseys or just one in Cavendish's size?
It's not the most important thread int he world, but I'm just curious.

hstiles

It's covered in an article in the latest Cycling Weekly. Colnago sprayed up and shipped a bike over to Tommy Voekler when he won the Yellow jersey. Northern Italy to France isn't that far and they had a rest day.

The yellow, green, KOM, white jersey used for the podium is a special jersey that zips up at the back so that it can be put on quickly for photos. Otherwise, the teams have a set of each colour jersey in each required size printed up ready.

timoid.

Best ever was the green and yellow Merckx bike sported by Chavanel when he held both jerseys.

Monty Dog

The leaders jerseys are standard jerseys with a heat transfer specific to each team applied. They'll obviously carry a range of sizes, but not 22 versions. Behind the podium trailer is a room with a heat press and all the stuff.

cougie

And Specialized gave all of their sponsored teams White, Green, Yellow and Polka dot helmets in all sizes x 2. No wonder they need huge vans.

ratsbeyfus

Info about Voekler's yellow colnago here:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-tech-thomas-voecklers-colnago-c59

RideOnTime

All that extra paint is surely a handicap.....

harrylennon13

I know Leopard Trek had custom yellow frames painted before the tour.

Phil_D

Also, if someone is winning the GC and, say, KOM, do they get to choose which jersey they where or is there a special yellow one with red dots, or white with yellow polkas?

emadden

I dont believe the Colnago line... I think most major sponsors (componest and accessories) have yellow versions of their kit on standby in case any of their sponsored riders rises to the top... Also, for some of the big teams, I suspect that they have a few frames pre-painted in 2 or 3 sizes - probably the sizes of the team leader and/or size of the next likely rider from the team to hit the jackpot... Last year when Chavanel had two jerseys he had a Merckx bike painted in two colours and a big deal was made about how Merckx had it painted within hours etc... This year I dont believe the Colnago story - the timing and distances involved make it seem unlikely - and more along the lines that one was already in the team truck. If they had come out and said we have one already, that would have looked very presumptious.... Even the handlebars are special edition on TV's bike ( which points back to my original point that component and accessory manufacturers must carry inventory in yellow on the Tour)...

So that brings me to a story I heard from a friend, whose friend worked for Oakley... A number of years ago an Oakley-wearing rider on the tOur won the polka-dot jersey and after one-stage my mate was hanging out with this Oakley guy at a bar having a beer and the Oakley guy had a small tin of that airfix paint and was painting red dots on a white razor frame ffor use the next day by the rider :-)

rick_chasey

emadden wrote:

I dont believe the Colnago line... I think most major sponsors (componest and accessories) have yellow versions of their kit on standby in case any of their sponsored riders rises to the top... Also, for some of the big teams, I suspect that they have a few frames pre-painted in 2 or 3 sizes - probably the sizes of the team leader and/or size of the next likely rider from the team to hit the jackpot... Last year when Chavanel had two jerseys he had a Merckx bike painted in two colours and a big deal was made about how Merckx had it painted within hours etc... This year I dont believe the Colnago story - the timing and distances involved make it seem unlikely - and more along the lines that one was already in the team truck. If they had come out and said we have one already, that would have looked very presumptious.... Even the handlebars are special edition on TV's bike ( which points back to my original point that component and accessory manufacturers must carry inventory in yellow on the Tour)...

According to Peter Post, who is essentially the admin manager for Vaconsolei, their sponsor painted the bike only when they found out about the polka dot. He had to order it as soon as he figured Jonny had gotten polka.

bendertherobot

The bar tape on that Colnago doesn't quite match the frame. :oops:

iainf72

Phil_D wrote:

Also, if someone is winning the GC and, say, KOM, do they get to choose which jersey they where or is there a special yellow one with red dots, or white with yellow polkas?

No. There is an order. If you've got yellow, green and polka dot, you were yellow. Whoever is second in the novelty jersey competitions wears those, although the yellow jersey is the rightful owner.

disgruntledgoat

Rick Chasey wrote:

emadden wrote:

I dont believe the Colnago line... I think most major sponsors (componest and accessories) have yellow versions of their kit on standby in case any of their sponsored riders rises to the top... Also, for some of the big teams, I suspect that they have a few frames pre-painted in 2 or 3 sizes - probably the sizes of the team leader and/or size of the next likely rider from the team to hit the jackpot... Last year when Chavanel had two jerseys he had a Merckx bike painted in two colours and a big deal was made about how Merckx had it painted within hours etc... This year I dont believe the Colnago story - the timing and distances involved make it seem unlikely - and more along the lines that one was already in the team truck. If they had come out and said we have one already, that would have looked very presumptious.... Even the handlebars are special edition on TV's bike ( which points back to my original point that component and accessory manufacturers must carry inventory in yellow on the Tour)...

According to Peter Post, who is essentially the admin manager for Vaconsolei, their sponsor painted the bike only when they found out about the polka dot. He had to order it as soon as he figured Jonny had gotten polka.

Whilst I'll never be in the position of needing such things, I've always thoguht I'd instruct my team that on no account should such things be ordered in advacne and certainly they shouldn't be on teh race truck... That's tempting fate is that.

tarquin_foxglove

ratsbeyfus wrote:

Info about Voekler's yellow colnago here:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-tech-thomas-voecklers-colnago-c59

...said Alessandro Colnago, who pointed to another of the bike's special features: "It's full yellow with a chicken on the seat tube."

I'm guessing "le coq gaulois" got lost in translation...

graeme_s-2

I remember reading last year when Cancellera won the prologue, that Specialized had a yellow bike all ready for him, as they felt he was a shoe-in. They hadn't told him about it though because he feels the same way as disgruntledgoat about these things, so it wasn't on the team truck.

It makes sense that there are certain teams and riders who the suppliers can predict are likely to be in a certain jersey at some point during the race (for instance Cav in green this year), so would prepare stuff for that. I would be surprised if Colnago had got a bike all ready for Voeckler in advance given not many people would have predicted he would wear the yellow jersey during this tour.

schweiz

hstiles wrote:

The yellow, green, KOM, white jersey used for the podium is a special jersey that zips up at the back so that it can be put on quickly for photos. Otherwise, the teams have a set of each colour jersey in each required size printed up ready.

Not really a special jersey, it's just a normal jersey put on back to front.

I read a few years back that the TDF have a portable dye sublimation printer that they can print the team sponsors on the white panel that is on the yellow, green, polka dot and white(!)jerseys both front and back. That allows them to make the jerseys up instantly at the end of the race and also provide fresh kit to the wearer for the following day's stage.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/h ... ogy-19594/

Pokerface

schweiz wrote:

hstiles wrote:

The yellow, green, KOM, white jersey used for the podium is a special jersey that zips up at the back so that it can be put on quickly for photos. Otherwise, the teams have a set of each colour jersey in each required size printed up ready.

Not really a special jersey, it's just a normal jersey put on back to front.

I read a few years back that the TDF have a portable dye sublimation printer that they can print the team sponsors on the white panel that is on the yellow, green, polka dot and white(!)jerseys both front and back. That allows them to make the jerseys up instantly at the end of the race and also provide fresh kit to the wearer for the following day's stage.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/h ... ogy-19594/

^ This. Dye sub printer (not heat presses any more) are on hand to make up the jerseys and skinsuits. The Teams do not prepare the jerseys in advance - they are given them by the race organizers.

shinyhelmut

RideOnTime wrote:

All that extra paint is surely a handicap.....

Nope, they'll just have to remove some ballast elsewhere to keep the bike at 6.8KG.

Aggieboy

I'm probably in the minority, but I'd like to see them wear the yellow jersey w/o all the yellow extras. To my mind that should be enough in it's own right and the extras detract from that.

iainf72

Aggieboy wrote:

I'm probably in the minority, but I'd like to see them wear the yellow jersey w/o all the yellow extras. To my mind that should be enough in it's own right and the extras detract from that.

I'm in complete agreement. Then again, I'd outlaw non-black shorts too, so perhaps I'm a dinosaur.

prawny

iainf72 wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

I'm probably in the minority, but I'd like to see them wear the yellow jersey w/o all the yellow extras. To my mind that should be enough in it's own right and the extras detract from that.

I'm in complete agreement. Then again, I'd outlaw non-black shorts too, so perhaps I'm a dinosaur.

I'm quite new to all this but I'll +1 that too.

k-dog

Teams that have a strong contender for a jersey will definitely be planning it and bring coloured things - but they will be well hidden.

I'm sure the manufacturers will also prepare - but keep it hidden and then ship it overnight once the jersey is earned.

I'm always a little suspicious when a rider turns up with yellow shorts and gloves and things though - they're not stock items so they must have had some squirrelled away "just in case".

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

According to Peter Post, who is essentially the admin manager for Vaconsolei, their sponsor painted the bike only when they found out about the polka dot. He had to order it as soon as he figured Jonny had gotten polka.

Isn't Peter Post dead? Or is this a different Peter Post?

disgruntledgoat

iainf72 wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

I'm probably in the minority, but I'd like to see them wear the yellow jersey w/o all the yellow extras. To my mind that should be enough in it's own right and the extras detract from that.

I'm in complete agreement. Then again, I'd outlaw non-black shorts too, so perhaps I'm a dinosaur.

Agreed, I'd be an awesome sports administrator. The whole thing coudl go to hell in a handcart and all i'd be concerned with is this kind of nonsense.

If I ran football, there'd still be loads of corruption, but centre halves would only be allowed black Puma Kings.

Gingerflash

Often the colour on the frames isn't paint at all, but a thin plastic wrap than can be applied and removed easily and quickly.

Cervelo just use coloured frames stickers on the frame and rims, some bar tape and maybe a saddle.

I suspect if you're sponsoring Contador, Schleck, Evans, Voeckler etc, you know how likely it is that a yellow bike will be needed and you know what a pain it'll be to get it done overnight compared to having it done in advance.

When surprising riders take the lead, there's often a delay of a couple of days in getting the coloured bike to them.

emadden

also... paint on frames takes a good few hours "to bake"... so that needs to be factored in!

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

According to Peter Post, who is essentially the admin manager for Vaconsolei, their sponsor painted the bike only when they found out about the polka dot. He had to order it as soon as he figured Jonny had gotten polka.

Isn't Peter Post dead? Or is this a different Peter Post?

You're totally right.

I'm confusing him with another guy. Will find out who.

Edit: Van Poppel. < Most Dutch man alive.

tailwindhome

I'm pretty sure that Contador and Cavendish have been wearing yellow and green glasses respectively since the Tour started. Thought it was a bit odd to have the accessories in place before you get the jersey.

OffTheBackAdam

Cav's had green lenses for ages.
I went to the Tour some years back, stood around opposite Saeco's team bus. Cipo was in Green & had a green bike, we were wondering if he'd have a yellow bike, just in case.
Hey Presto, out from the depths of the bus, came a yellow frame.
Needless to say, it did get used!
No sign of a polka dot one, however.

Gingerflash

"Contador and Cavendish have been wearing yellow and green glasses respectively since the Tour started"

I think they both wear them all year round.