Where can I find a website for some questions about France?

Where can I find info about the Tour de France?

• I love watching the Tour de France. But I don't quite understand all about the jerseys, I want to know what time of day they actually begin the stages, where the riders stay, who determines the course each year, etc. I don't even understand the little graph that appears on the screen periodically (US coverage). Is there a website where I can find the answers to my questions? I can't find it on my own. I guess I need the Dummies' Guide to the Tour! Thanks.

• Answer:

  Wikipedia, as ever, is a good place to start as it has a lot of information on how the Tour works and its history. Bookshops and libraries are also good, as there's a great deal of literature about the Tour - I especially recommend Tim Moore's French Revolutions (http://www.amazon.co.uk/French-Revolutions-Cycling-Tour-France/dp/0099433826), in which the author cycles the route of the Tour and includes all sorts of interesting facts, figures and phenomena in a funny and easy-to-read way. Quick answer re. the jerseys: the yellow jersey, or le maillot jaune, is worn by the overall leader, ie, the rider who has achieved the fastest time over all stages in the tour at any one time (classification leader). The green jersey is worn by the rider who has amassed the most points during sprints. The polka dot jersey is awarded to the King of the Mountains, the rider who has been given the most points for climbing. As the Tour takes in a number of very difficult climbs (such as the Col du Tourmalet, which they'll climb twice in 2010), this is considered the most prestigious award in cycling by many riders and fans. The white jersey is given to the best young rider. There are also other awards, including the Prix d la Combativite which is awarded to the rider judged to have been the most combative in each stage. Another award is the Lanterne Rouge, the last rider to finish the Tour, in which case that rider may carry a small red light under his saddle. Despite being in last place, this status is actually highly respected in cycling (simply finishing a race as harsh as le Tour is a definite achievement, no matter where one is placed) and the rider is likely to be approached with lucrative sponsorship deals.